BBC News
Published
image captionRichard Osman's The Thursday Murder Club was an instant best-seller
Richard Osman has been crowned author of the year at the British Book Awards after the runaway success of his debut novel The Thursday Murder Club.
Pointless star Osman said his win for his story of elderly amateur sleuths was an "absolute dream come true".
Also triumphant was Douglas Stuart's hard-hitting debut Shuggie Bain, which won the overall book of year, following 2020's Booker Prize-winning success.
Judges called Stuart's book, which also won best debut fiction, "exceptional".
image copyrightClive Smith
image captionDouglas Stuart has said his book is "a love story looking at that unconditional, often tested love that children can have for flawed parents"