Marlon James and Douglas Stuart, previous winners of the Booker Prize, are part of the six writers nominated for the prestigious award in 2026. James, originally from Jamaica, is in the running with his novel “The Disappearers,” while Stuart, a Scottish American author, is recognized for “John of John.” The Booker Prize, valued at £50,000 (around $93,851 Cdn), is awarded annually to the best original English-language novel published in the U.K.

The shortlist also features M. John Harrison’s “The End of Everything,” Luke Kennard’s “Black Bag,” Rebecca Perry’s “May We Feed the King,” and Elizabeth Strout’s “The Things We Never Say.” “The Disappearers” delves into the murder of a gay man in 1980s Jamaica and its tragic repercussions.

In “The Disappearers,” a group of gay men in Kingston faces peril as they prepare for a play, leading to a brutal attack that results in one man’s death. The survivors grapple with the ensuing rage and hostility, merely for being who they are. The jury praised the novel for its rich narrative style and poignant humor.

Marlon James, with a repertoire of five novels including “John Crow’s Devil,” “The Book of Night Women,” “Black Leopard, Red Wolf,” and its sequel “Moon Witch, Spider King,” has been shortlisted for the Booker Prize for the third time. His previous win was in 2015 with “A Brief History of Seven Killings,” and he was longlisted in 2019 for “Black Leopard, Red Wolf.”

“John of John” is set in Scotland on the Hebridean island of Lewis and Harris, focusing on the protagonist Cal’s relationships with family, queerness, religion, and sense of belonging. Douglas Stuart, the 2020 Booker Prize recipient for “Shuggie Bain,” is the author of this resonant and evocative novel.

The 2026 Booker Prize jury includes Raymond Antrobus, Jarvis Cocker, Rebecca Liu, and Patricia Lockwood, led by Mary Beard. The shortlisted authors will each receive £2,500 (approximately $4,692 Cdn) and a special edition of their book. The winner will be unveiled at a ceremony on Nov. 9 in London.

Since 2013, authors of any nationality have been eligible for the Booker Prize. In the previous year, David Szalay, a Montreal-born writer, clinched the award for his novel “Flesh.” Notably, Canadians like Michael Ondaatje and Yann Martel have also claimed the prestigious prize in the past.