It means a huge amount for Seascraper to be recognised with this award, and to see how strongly readers have felt for the story and its characters since the book has been out in the world. Having been shortlisted alongside three authors I greatly admire – including one of my literary heroes in Ian McEwan – it’s an honour I’m especially grateful to receive.
Benjamin Wood, Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing
27 January 2026
King's academic wins Nero Book Award
Seascraper by Benjamin Wood, Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing in the Department of English, has won the fiction category at the Nero Book Awards.
Wood’s novel tells the story of aspiring folk singer Tomas Flett who is duty bound to continue his grandfather’s work as a cart shanker (shrimper).
The judges described Seascraper as ‘an utterly immersive read, steeped in atmosphere, that explores what constitutes a well-lived life’.
Seascraper also featured on the Booker Prize 2025 longlist.
The Nero Book Awards, run by Caffè Nero, include categories in fiction, non-fiction, debut fiction and children’s fiction, with judges choosing the winners based on the books that would be most likely to recommend to friends and family. The winner in each category receives a prize of £5,000.
In March, an overall winner will be chosen to receive the Nero Gold Prize along with an additional £30,000.
In this story
Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing