Costa Book Awards 2006: Complete list of winners

The 2006 Costa Book Awards (formerly known as the Whitbread Awards) delivered a remarkable snapshot of British literary achievement, celebrating five distinctly different visions across biography, children’s literature, debut fiction, and established novelists’ work. Among the standout winners was Stef Penney’s stunning debut The Tenderness of Wolves, which captured the First Novel award and announced an exciting new voice in crime fiction set against the Canadian frontier. William Boyd’s Restless took the Novel category, showcasing the celebrated author’s continued mastery of narrative, while Brian Thompson’s Keeping Mum offered readers an intimate portrait in the Biography category. The awards also proved their commitment to nurturing young readers through Linda Newbery’s Set in Stone in the Children’s Book category, and John Haynes’ Letter to Patience demonstrated that poetry remained vital to the Costa’s (and British literature’s) cultural conversation.

What made this particular year notable was the way these winners collectively spanned such different literary territories—from intimate family history to historical crime novels to contemporary poetry—each bringing their own strengths and innovations to their respective genres. The Costa Book Awards have long positioned themselves as one of the most democratic of the major British literary prizes, and 2006 exemplified that democratic spirit, rewarding established names alongside genuinely fresh talent. Below, you’ll find full details on each category winner and what made their achievements significant.

Biography

• Keeping Mum by Brian Thompson

Children’s Book

• Set in Stone by Linda Newbery

First Novel

• The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney

Novel

• Restless by William Boyd

Poetry

• Letter to Patience by John Haynes