A total of six books have been nominated for the £3,000 prize.
Whitaker has been nominated for We Begin At The End, while bestselling author Lupton’s novel Three Hours was also picked by the judges.
Rosamund Lupton (Vicki Knights Photography/PA)
Also shortlisted are The Lantern Men by Elly Griffiths, Brian McGilloway’s The Last Crossing, Death In The East by Abir Mukherjee and Trevor Wood’s The Man On The Street.
Simon Theakston, executive director of T&R Theakston, said: “This is it: the creme de la creme of crime.
“This shortlist really does showcase the breadth and depth of the genre.