2008
Congratulations to KATHIE HIGHLEY, winner of the 2008
Harry Bowling Prize:
FALLING by KATHIE HIGHLEY
Canadian-born Kathie's novel tells the story of Will, a young, homeless man living from hand to mouth on the streets of London. In writing this sympathetic portrait of a decent, well-intentioned person whose life has gone wrong, professional chef Kathie has drawn on her own experience as a volunteer working with the homeless. She started writing fiction after completing a degree in English at London's Birkbeck College, and Falling is her first attempt at a novel. She says that her character Will turned up in her imagination before she knew anything about his story.
Runner Up:
THIS HOLEY LIFE by Sophie Duffy
A quirky, entertaining but also deeply poignant domestic comedy, this novel tells the story of curate's wife Vicky who is trying to carve out a meaningful existence for herself while living in a draughty old house in Penge and doing what a curate's wife has to do. Sophie says the novel is not autobiographical, but admits to getting inside information from her Baptist minister brother. The judges admired Sophie's sharp, evocative depiction of contemporary London life.
ALSO SHORTLISTED:
John Constable, Clare Hepworth-Wain, Sibel Hodge, Judy Perry.
2006
NO CURE FOR LOVE by JEAN FULLERTON 
published by Orion December 2008
The love story of widowed Ellen, who earns money singing in pubs, and Dr Robert Munroe, working at the new London Hospital in the year of the cholera epidemic, 1832.
FLASH: NO CURE FOR LOVE is on the Long List for The Romantic Novel of the Year 2009.
Runners Up were:-
PAIN WEARS NO MASK by NIK MORTON
published by Libros International November 2007
A crime novel related by a nun who was formerly a policewoman. When she finds a body on her way home from a lecture tour she feels she is in a nightmare. It gets worse.
and
DAUGHTERS OF THIS HOUSE by THERESA WOOD
The story of three women who lived in the big house at Wimbledon during the twentieth century. Stella, the third, discovers the history, and from it draws strength.
ALSO SHORTLISTED:
Anne Brooke, Alan Carmichael, Jacqueline Glomski.
2004
GUARDIANS OF THE KEY by CLIO GRAY
published by Headline May 2006
A historical mystery involving suicide, arson and murder. It traces the line of political and religious power from the medieval Italian city-state of Lucca, to 1800s London, as the main protagonist, Missing-Persons Finder and compulsive list-maker Whilbert Stroop, soon finds out.
ALSO SHORTLISTED:
Francis Alderson, Eira Reed, Sylvia Dyer, Peter Peacock, David Gould, Ruth France
2002
The second Harry Bowling Prize, in 2002, was divided between Mark Lalbeharry from London for his thriller,
THE SIMIAN CURVE, 
and Catherine Woodman from
Winchester for her contemporary novel, UNDER THE BONNET.
THE SIMIAN CURVE by MARK LALBEHARRY
published by Robert Hale November 2006
A most intriguing thriller, about the disappearance of a scientist, who
either doesn't want to be found or has offended some very important
people.
UNDER THE BONNET by CATHERINE WOODMAN
published by Headline 2004
In the suburban London setting of Norwood, a lively, funny tale of marriage and mid-life crisis: on one fateful day the heroine loses her wedding ring and receives two indecent proposals: one from the husband of her best friend, the other from a sexy, young garage mechanic.
ALSO SHORTLISTED:
Jane Bidder, Maxine Broadbent, Maria McCarthy, Susan Newbery.
Jane Bidder's first novel - writing as Sophie King - The School Run was published by Hodder and listed in the Bookseller under 'Ones to Watch' for August 2005
2000
NOT ALL TARTS ARE APPLE by PIP GRANGER
published by Corgi September 2003
The first Harry Bowling Prize in 2000 was won by Pip Granger for her novel about a girl growing up in Soho.
ALSO SHORTLISTED:
Roberta Grieve, Simon Kettlewell, Bryony Hill, Bill Perring (with Lisa Davis), Marion Tobin
Bryony Hill's first novel Penalty Chick was published by The Book Guild in paperback February 2003.
