Tucker wins inaugural Lost the Plot Work in Progress Prize

Louise Tucker has won the inaugural Lost the Plot Work in Progress Prize for her "tender, moving, beautifully drawn" novel The Last Field.

The award for unfinished manuscripts was launched earlier this year by Peters Fraser + Dunlop e-book imprint Agora Books to mark its Lost the Plot writers’ group.

Tucker wins a consultation with an Agora editor and a PFD agent. She was selected from 377 entries by a judging panel of Agora publisher Kate Evans, Bookseller Rising Star and PFD literary agent Marilia Savvides, author Laura Pearson, and book blogger Amanda Chatteron.

The Last Field is described as a “touching tale of aging, grief, and self-discovery” about main character George, whose day of celebration turns into one of misery.

Tucker said: “I am so delighted to win the Lost the Plot Work in Progress Prize. The main character, George, has been in my head for a long time, and, when I finally wrote his story, I was hoping that people would love him too. It is wonderful to discover that they do.”

Evans added: “We’ve been blown away by the quality of the writing submitted to the inaugural Lost The Plot Work in Progress Prize. We set out to uncover fresh talent, interesting concepts, and stories that stay with us, and they delivered in droves. The shortlist was full of wonderful stories, and Louise Tucker’s The Last Field is a tender, moving, beautifully drawn depiction of love and aging. I look forward to seeing more from this very talented author.”