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“…Vividly evokes a period in recent history with themes that carry clear, if painful echoes, to today”
Gary Younge, Chair of Judges
20.15: Thursday 20 January, MANCHESTER: Sally J Morgan has won The Portico Prize for Literature for her debut novel Toto Among the Murderers.
Mostly set in Leeds and Sheffield in 1973, Toto Among the Murderers – published by J M Originals / Hachette –follows the story of Toto and her friends as they begin life after college, a time when the lives of women were overshadowed by the constant threat of sexual violence. The book is based on the author’s own experience of being offered a lift by the infamous murderers Fred and Rosemary West.
Morgan, who grew up in Yorkshire, and now lives and works in Wellington, New Zealand, will receive £10,000 for winning the Portico Prize, the UK’s only award for outstanding writing that best evokes the ‘spirit of the North of England’. The announcement was made at an online ceremony hosted by broadcaster and presenter Simon Savidge at the Portico Library in Manchester.
Commenting on behalf of the jury, Chair of Judges Gary Younge, the award-winning author, broadcaster and a Professor of Sociology at the University of Manchester and Chair of Judges, said: “Finding a winner among this year’s shortlist was not easy but ultimately, while all were serious contenders, we were in broad agreement. Sally J. Morgan’s Toto Among the Murderers vividly evokes a period in recent history with themes that carry clear, if painful echoes, to today – a time when women in the North, in particular, lived in mortal fear of sexual violence made explicit by daily headlines about mass murderers targeting vulnerable women. But what comes through is the determination of Toto, the main character, to refuse to allow the fears to define her as she lives a life of reckless adventure, longing and love.”
On receiving the award Sally J. Morgan said: “I grew up in Yorkshire, and I have Yorkshire and the North – where I spent a lot of my adult life working – as a big place in my heart. I love to write about place, and I wanted to write about a place and a time and stories that I felt were being neglected and in danger of being lost. So, to have [Toto Among the Murderers] recognised in this way by the Portico Prize is enormously affirming.”
Lynne Allan, Chair of The Portico Library adds: “The Portico Library is delighted and proud to award the 2022 prize to Sally J. Morgan’s Toto Among the Murderers. It was a strong field of shortlisted books each one powerfully evincing the ‘spirit of the North’ in varied and profound ways. The historic Portico Library houses a special collection whose volumes narrate the stories of people and events of the past which have lessons and warnings for the present and future. Sally’s book does exactly this; it evokes an era many would like to forget, a time when women feared for their lives. The issues raised have a disturbing contemporary resonance highlighting the fact that despite some gains, violence against women remains a global pandemic.”
The 2022 Portico Prize shortlist included: Ghosted by Jenn Ashworth (Sceptre / Hachette); The Outsiders by James Corbett (Lightning Books / Eye Books); The Family Tree by Sairish Hussain (HQ / HarperCollins); Sea State by Tabitha Lasley (4th Estate / HarperCollins) and Mayflies by Andrew O’Hagan (Faber).
Each of the shortlisted authors will be gifted with honorary membership of The Portico Library in 2022.
Gary Younge was joined on this year’s judging panel by the broadcaster Melanie Sykes (also Editor-in-Chief of The Frank Magazine and co-presenter of the Sykes & Savidge Book Club); the poet and essayist and former Young People’s Laureate for London Momtaza Mehri; and Anita Singh, arts and entertainment editor at The Daily Telegraph
The Portico Prize was established in 1985 by The Portico Library in Manchester to celebrate the strong regional and literary identity of the North with the aim of raising awareness of its historical, cultural and literary heritage.
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For media enquiries please contact:
Jane Acton E: jane@janeactonpr.co.uk T: 07971 661576