Current and historical winners of the Costa Book Awards, with links to further information at BookBrowse.

Costa Book Awards Award Winners

Costa Book Awards

The Costas are the UK's most prestigious book awards. Established by Whitbread Plc in 1971 and known as the Whitbread Awards, they were rebranded the Costa Awards in 2006. Costa is a UK based coffee shop chain owned by Whitbread Plc. The five category winners (First Novel, Novel, Biography, Poetry and Children's Book) are announced in early January, honoring books published the previous year. The Costa Book of the Year Award is announced in late January.

Current and Previous Award Winners:
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005

2019

Costa Book of The Year:
The Volunteer by Jack Fairweather

Costa First Novel Award (formerly Whitbread):
The Confessions of Frannie Langton by Sara Collins

Costa Novel Award (formerly Whitbread):
Middle England by Jonathan Coe

Costa Biography Award (formerly Whitbread):
The Volunteer by Jack Fairweather

Costa Children's Book Award (formerly Whitbread):
Asha and the Spirit Bird by Jasbinder Bilan

Costa Poetry Award:
Flèche by Mary Jean Chan
2018

Costa Book of The Year:
The Cut Out Girl by Bart van Es

Costa First Novel Award (formerly Whitbread):
The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

Costa Novel Award (formerly Whitbread):
Normal People by Sally Rooney

Costa Biography Award (formerly Whitbread):
The Cut Out Girl by Bart van Es

Costa Children's Book Award (formerly Whitbread):
Love to Everyone by Hilary McKay
2017

Costa Book of The Year:
Inside the Wave by Helen Dunmore

Costa First Novel Award (formerly Whitbread):
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

Costa Novel Award (formerly Whitbread):
Reservoir 13 by Jon McGregor

Costa Biography Award (formerly Whitbread):
In the Days of Rain by Rebecca Stott

Costa Children's Book Award (formerly Whitbread):
The Explorer by Katherine Rundell

Costa Poetry Award:
Inside the Wave by Helen Dunmore
2016

Costa Book of The Year:
Days Without End by Sebastian Barry

Costa First Novel Award (formerly Whitbread):
Golden Hill by Francis Spufford

Costa Novel Award (formerly Whitbread):
Days Without End by Sebastian Barry

Costa Biography Award (formerly Whitbread):
Dadland by Keggie Carew

Costa Children's Book Award (formerly Whitbread):
The Bombs That Brought Us Together by Brian Conaghan

Costa Poetry Award:
Falling Awake by Alice Oswald
2015

Costa Book of The Year:
The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge

Costa First Novel Award (formerly Whitbread):
The Loney by Andrew Michael Hurley

Costa Novel Award (formerly Whitbread):
A God in Ruins by Kate Atkinson

Costa Biography Award (formerly Whitbread):
The Invention of Nature by Andrea Wulf

Costa Children's Book Award (formerly Whitbread):
The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge

Costa Poetry Award:
40 Sonnets by Don Patterson
2014

Costa Book of The Year:
H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald

Costa First Novel Award (formerly Whitbread):
Elizabeth Is Missing by Emma Healey

Costa Novel Award (formerly Whitbread):
How to be Both by Ali Smith

Costa Biography Award (formerly Whitbread):
H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald

Costa Poetry Award:
My Family and Other Superheroes by Jonathan Edwards
2013

Costa Book of The Year:
The Shock of The Fall by Nathan Filer

Costa First Novel Award (formerly Whitbread):
The Shock of The Fall by Nathan Filer

Costa Novel Award (formerly Whitbread):
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

Costa Biography Award (formerly Whitbread):
Gabriele d'Annunzio by Lucy Hughes-Hallett
2012

Costa Book of The Year:
Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel

Costa First Novel Award (formerly Whitbread):
The Innocents by Francesca Segal

Costa Novel Award (formerly Whitbread):
Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel

Costa Biography Award (formerly Whitbread):
Dotter of Her Father's Eyes by Mary and Bryan Talbot

Costa Children's Book Award (formerly Whitbread):
Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner

Costa Poetry Award:
Overhaul by Kathleen Jamie
2011

Costa First Novel Award (formerly Whitbread):
Tiny Sunbirds, Far Away by Christie Watson
2010

Costa Novel Award (formerly Whitbread):
The Hand that First Held Mine by Maggie O'Farrell

Costa Biography Award (formerly Whitbread):
The Hare with Amber Eyes by Edmund de Waal

Costa Children's Book Award (formerly Whitbread):
Out of Shadows by Jason Wallace
2009

Costa Novel Award (formerly Whitbread):
Brooklyn by Colm Toibin

Costa Biography Award (formerly Whitbread):
The Strangest Man by Graham Farmelo
2008

Costa Book of The Year:
The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry

Costa First Novel Award (formerly Whitbread):
The Outcast by Sadie Jones

Costa Novel Award (formerly Whitbread):
The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry

Costa Biography Award (formerly Whitbread):
Somewhere Towards the End by Diana Athill
2007

Costa Book of The Year:
Day by A.L. Kennedy

Costa First Novel Award (formerly Whitbread):
What Was Lost by Catherine O'Flynn

Costa Novel Award (formerly Whitbread):
Day by A.L. Kennedy

Costa Biography Award (formerly Whitbread):
Young Stalin by Simon Sebag Montefiore
2006

Costa Book of The Year:
The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney

Costa First Novel Award (formerly Whitbread):
The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney

Costa Novel Award (formerly Whitbread):
Restless by William Boyd
2005

Costa First Novel Award (formerly Whitbread):
The Harmony Silk Factory by Tash Aw

Costa Novel Award (formerly Whitbread):
The Accidental by Ali Smith

Support BookBrowse

Become a Member and discover books that entertain, engage & enlighten.

Join Now!

Editor's Choice

The Black Cathedral
by Marcial Gala
Marcial Gala's The Black Cathedral, translated from the Spanish by Anna Kushner, is narrated through...
When We Were Vikings
by Andrew David MacDonald
In When We Were Vikings by Andrew David MacDonald, readers are first introduced to Zelda on her ...
How to Build a Heart
by Maria Padian
Maria Padian is well-known for her motif of exploring teen reactions to social issues. Her novel ...
Follow Me to Ground
by Sue Rainsford
Ada and her father are human-like beings who age slowly and possess the power to heal all illness. ...

Readers Recommend

The Sun Down Motel
by Simone St. James

The chilling new novel from the national bestselling and award-winning author of The Broken Girls.
Reader Reviews
The Splendid and the Vile
by Erik Larson

A fresh and compelling portrait of Winston Churchill and London during the Blitz.
Reader Reviews

Book Club Discussion

Book Jacket — Remembrance
by Rita Woods

A breakout debut with modern resonance, perfect for fans of *The Underground Railroad* and *Orphan Train*.
About the book
Join the discussion!

Win this book!

The Lost Family
by Libby Copeland

A deeply reported look at the rise of home genetic testing and the seismic shock it has had on individual lives.

Enter

Wordplay

Solve this clue:

A F I Need I A F I

and be entered to win..

Books that
entertain,
engage
& enlighten

Visitors can view some of BookBrowse for free. Full access is for members only.

Join Today!

Your guide toexceptional books

BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.