The Award

A Novel

By: Matthew Pearl

Narrated by: Eric Altheide

""The Award begins as a wryly funny satire of thwarted literary ambition, but it quickly evolves into something darker and more disturbing. Matthew Pearl’s addictive and propulsive novel has the twisted nightmare logic of a Patricia Highsmith thriller.""—Tom Perrotta, New York Times bestselling author of Tracy Flick Can't Win and Mrs. Fletcher

""A propulsive and gripping novel about the literary world, ambition, deception and murder and the twisted corner where they all intersect. Matthew Pearl grabs you from the first sentence and doesn’t let go.""—Laura Dave, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Night We Lost Him

The author of Save Our Souls and The Dante Club makes his eagerly awaited return to fiction with this irreverent and propulsive novel about a young writer trying to make his way through a cutthroat literary scene that turns deadly.

David Trent is an aspiring novelist in Cambridge, Massachusetts, trying to navigate his ambitions in a place that has writers around every corner.

He lives in an apartment above a Very Famous Author named Silas Hale who, beneath his celebrated image, is a bombastic, vindictive monster who refuses to allow his new neighbor even to make eye contact with him.

Until young David wins a prestigious award for his new book.

Suddenly Silas is interested—if intensely spiteful.

But soon, the administrator of the award comes to David with alarming news, forcing the writer into a desperate set of choices.

Fate intervenes—with shocking consequences. . . .

With the wit and psychological wisdom of The Plot and The Winner, The Award is a timely, razor-sharp, and unputdownable novel about writing groups, publishing, ambition, human foibles, and the dangerous things we will do to get ahead.

Great work in creating character and events

superb writing. draws you in and leaves you wanting more and fulfilling all expectations. author knows how to write and entertain

propulsive and hilarious

closely observed novel of ridiculous writer culture that keeps you laughing even as you cringe. extremely fun!

Great story!

I love mystery’s but haven’t found one that grabbed my attention, until this one! The narrator recommended this tile to me and I’m glad I listened! It was my first of 2026 and it was a great story that really had me thinking! It also had some humor which is a plus in my book. Great story and phenomenal narration!

Twisty

Good story. I loved the twists and turns. The narrator was awesome. I liked the sophisticated voices the most.