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Received — 29 September 2026 ⏭

2026 British Audio Awards Shortlists

✇Locus Online
By: Alice Strangman
28 September 2026 at 20:50

British Audio Awards logo

The Bookseller has announced the shortlists for the second annual British Audio Awards, also called the Speakies, “a prestigious new awards dedicated to celebrating excellence in audiobooks and audio drama, brought to you by The Bookseller and The Stage.” Categories, titles, and authors of genre interest include:

Science Fiction & Fantasy

  • Femme Feral, Sam Beckbessinger, narrated by Imogen Church (Bloomsbury Archer)
  • The Last Starborn Seer, Venetia Constantine, narrated by Maxim Ays & Gaia Wise (Aria)
  • Ice, Jacek Dukaj, tr. Ursula Phillips, narrated by Mark Elstob (Ad Astra)
  • There Is No Antimemetics Division, qntm, narrated by Rebecca Calder (Cornerstone)
  • King of Ravens, Clare Sager, narrated by Kristin Atherton & Ethan Reid (Wayward TxF)
  • The Red Winter, Cameron Sullivan, narrated by Rory Barnett & Imogen Church (Tor)

Fiction

  • Look What You Made Me Do, John Lanchester, narrated by Louise Brealey & Genevieve Gaunt (WF Howes)
  • Nonesuch, Francis Spufford, narrated by Lydia Wilson (Faber)

Crime & Thriller

  • Murder at the Spirit Lounge, Jess Kidd, narrated by Philippa Dunne (Faber)
  • Cully & More, Ian Rankin, narrated by James Bryce, Jimmy Chisholm, Sarah Collier, Dominic Cooper, Alec Heggie, Crawford Logan, James MacPherson, Steven McNicoll, Alexander Morton & Billy Riddoch (BBC Audio)

Romance

  • Bachelorettes, Rosa Rankin-Gee, narrated by Erin Doherty & Georgie Sadler (Audible)
  • Daggermouth, H.M. Wolfe, narrated by Teddy Hamilton & Angel Pean (Bramble)
  • Portrait of Clare, Francis Brett Young, narrated by Justin Avoth (Naxos Audiobooks)

Young Adult Books

  • Everything Not Saved, NMJ Coveney, narrated by George Greenland, Alix Wilton Regan & Jordan Renzo (Fire Hills)
  • Survival Show, Juno Dawson, narrated by Hannah Berchtold (Gallery YA)
  • Piper at the Gates of Dusk, Patrick Ness, narrated by Zach Barack & Jordan Renzo (Bolinda Audio)

Shortlists were also announced for Children’s, Non-Fiction, Specialist Non-Fiction, Non-Fiction Memoir, and more. Winners will be honored on November 23, 2026. For the complete shortlists, see the official web page.

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