Ahmad wins best first novel at Writers' Guild Awards

Aamina Ahmad has won the award for Best First Novel at the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain (WGGB) Awards. The ceremony was held in London last night (16th January). 

The annual awards celebrate the importance of writing to the creative industries, with categories including Best Online Comedy, Best Play and Best Radio Drama. 

Ahmad’s debut novel, The Return of Faraz Ali (Sceptre), is set in Lahore in the 1960s and follows detective Faraz whose wealthy and influential father has tasked him with covering up the murder of a young prostitute. It was named Book of the Year by the New York Times and National Public Radio while the guild described it as a spellbinding and multilayered debut. 

Also taking home awards were Adam Kay for his TV show "This is Going to Hurt", Rebecca Hall for her debut film "Passing" and Katie Hims for her radio drama "Waterloo Station". David Edgar was honoured with the Outstanding Contribution award in recognition of his extensive work as a playwright. 

WGGB chair Lisa Holdsworth said: “Congratulations to all the winners. It’s always an honour and a pleasure to be in a room full of writers and to celebrate their work across all the mediums, for all audiences. Thank you to all the winners and nominees for your stories and your hard work. And please know that your union will always be there to support and celebrate you.”

Ahmad was born in London and moved to the US to attend the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, which she graduated from in 2013. Since then, she has received a Stegner Fellowship from Stanford University, a Pushcart Prize and a Rona Jaffe Writers’ Award. Her short fiction has appeared in One Story, The Southern Review and Ecotone and she is also the author of a play titled "The Dishonored". She teaches creative writing at the University of Minnesota.