Baragwanath wins 2021 Michael Gifkins Prize

Tom Baragwanath has won the 2021 Michael Gifkins Prize for an Unpublished Novel for his crime novel Paper Cage.

Baragwanath was chosen as the winner from a shortlist of three announced in June.

Text described Baragwanath’s novel as ‘a gripping literary thriller about abducted children, family loyalty and a community in crisis—and a woman who will have to make hard choices in her quest to save a child she loves’.

Baragwanath receives a contract with Text for world rights, and an advance of NZ$10,000 (A$9400).

The prize, open to New Zealand authors, honours the late Michael Gifkins—New Zealand literary agent, writer, critic and publishing consultant—and is funded through a sponsorship from Gifkins’ family and Text Publishing. The winner of the 2020 prize, A Good Winter by Gigi Fenster, was launched as part of the online prize event.

Paper Cage will be published by Text in September 2022.

Category: Local news