Barnes & Noble Announces Their 2023 Discover Prize Winner

Barnes & Noble announces Amanda Peters as their 2023 Discover Prize Winner for her novel The Berry Pickers. The bookseller made the announcement during a live event hosted at the newly renovated Barnes & Noble Upper West Side location in New York City this evening. 

Each month, Barnes & Noble selects a debut novel to feature as their Discover Monthly Pick. Booksellers read and deliberate to deliver a shortlist from these selections and other debuts, and ultimately select an overall Discover Prize winner. This long-standing program is outstandingly successful in identifying new talent in the literary landscape and has been instrumental in launching the careers of many acclaimed writers. The winner is also awarded a $10,000 cash prize.

“There is something very special about starting on a debut novel and finding you are in the grip of a precocious talent,” said James Daunt, CEO of Barnes & Noble.  “Amanda Peters’ writing is fabulously compelling. Our booksellers love this book, and we are thrilled to name it our 2023 Discover Prize winner.”

The Berry Pickers is the story of a Mi’kmaq girl gone missing and the lasting effect it has on her family. Already one of the most highly anticipated debuts of the season, it is a profoundly moving novel told from the alternating point of view of two siblings, inspired by family stories and written in exacting prose. This novel is a gorgeous narrative that will stay with you.

Bookstores remain uniquely positioned to introduce and champion new writers. Here is just some of the praise Barnes & Noble booksellers have bestowed upon the winner:

“The Berry Pickers immerses you in a story between two families, whose feelings of grief and guilt surround years-long secrets and repercussions of a missing child. The ending was heartening and so satisfying.” — Tara S., Nashville, TN

“A family mystery spanning 50 years sets the stage for an exploration of loss and tragedy, truth and identity. A powerfully heartbreaking, yet ultimately hopeful debut.” — Kevin R., Houston, TX

“This poignant debut reaches deep into your emotional core as you follow a family and their unimaginable heartbreak and another family’s secret.” — Alicia G., Indianapolis, IN

“This begins as a tragic mystery and blossoms into a story of resilient hope. I couldn’t put it down.” —  Carly R., Green Bay, WI

Competition for this year’s Discover Prize was fierce and B&N booksellers across the country have also fallen for the following five finalists, representing some of the best and freshest writing today.

• Chain Gang All Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
• Where There Was Fire by John Manuel Arias
• The East Indian by Brinda Charry
• Open Throat by Henry Hoke
• In Memoriam by Alice Winn

Customers can find Amanda Peters’ The Berry Pickers along with the other Discover Award Finalists at their local Barnes & Noble and on bn.com.  They can also gush about their favorites on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter, using the hashtag #bndiscoverprize.

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About Barnes & Noble

Barnes & Noble, Inc. is the largest retail bookseller in the United States. The Company has approximately 600 bookstores across the United States, as well as its online bookstore at BN.com, the Nook Digital business which offers both e-books and an audio book subscriptions service, the SparkNotes educational service, stationery and gift retailer Paper Source, and the publisher Union Square & Co. General information on Barnes & Noble, Inc. can be found on the Company’s website at www.bn.com.