The judges this year include chair and businesswoman Martha Lane Fox; co-founder of the Black British Business Awards Melanie Eusebe; writer and activist Scarlett Curtis; author and comedian Viv Groskop; and author Paula Hawkins.

Speaking about the longlist, Fox said: “Ahead of the longlist meeting I was anxious that the negotiations between judges might be as arduous as Brexit, but it was an absolute delight to pick our final 16 books. Entries for the Prize’s 25th year have been spectacular and we revelled in the variety, depth, humanity and joy of the writing – we hope everyone else will too.”

This year’s list included six debut authors, a previous winner (Ann Patchett for Bel Canto) and three previously shortlisted authors.

The judging panel will now decide on a shortlist of six novels, which will be announced on 22 April 22. The 25th winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction will be announced on Wednesday 3 June.

Women’s Prize for Fiction 2020: the longlist has been revealed