Lecture en Tête has launched the 16th edition of its Literary Prize for the Second Novel on Saturday, September 12. This prize, overseen by Carole Martinez, features fifteen books all published in 2026. Five finalists will be chosen by December, with the winner to be announced on January 30, 2027. Established in 2011 by the association Lecture en Tête, the prize honors authors for their second novel. All the shortlisted authors were previously recognized by the association for their first book. For this edition, fifteen novels have been selected, including Les Maîtres du sol by Ryad Assani-Razaki, Paysages voraces by Guillaume Aubin, Les Sangs bleus by Sara Bourre, Petit fruit by Marion Fayolle, Odessa des oiseaux by Sophie G. Lucas, Une toute petite fissure by Claire Griois, L’Enfouissement by Elsa Jonquet-Kornberg, À voix haute by Polina Panassenko, Les Habitantes by Pauline Peyrade, Brûle bleu by Léna Pontgelard, Chiens de rizières by Marin Postel, Un léger soupçon d’innocence by Vincent Quivy, Lady Diana, ma mère et moi by Laura Tinard, Baobab by Vinca Van Eecke, and Princesse by Kinga Wyrzykowska. The jury is divided into two stages. The organization has gathered 22 jurors, mainly from Mayenne, but also from Ille-et-Vilaine, Calvados, Bas-Rhin, Paris, and its region. Carole Martinez is presiding over this edition. Among the authors participating in the jury are Yahia Belaskri and Sorj Chalandon, who previously chaired the prize from 2010 to 2025. The finalists will then be submitted to a final jury composed of eleven members, including readers and authors. This jury will be responsible for selecting the winner. The name of the winner will be revealed on Saturday, January 30, 2027. The prize, worth 1,000 euros, will be awarded during the Festival of the First Novel and Contemporary Literatures, which will be held in Laval in spring 2027. Last year’s winner was Alain Mascaro for Je suis la sterne et le renard, published by Flammarion in 2025. The publication dates and publishers for the competing books are as follows: Les Maîtres du sol was published on August 20, 2026, by Liana Levi; Paysages voraces on January 16, 2026, by La contre allée; Les Sangs bleus on August 26, 2026, by Grasset & Fasquelle; Petit fruit on January 8, 2026, by Editions Gallimard; Odessa des oiseaux on August 21, 2026, by La contre allée; Une toute petite fissure on August 25, 2026, by Editions Quartier libre; L’Enfouissement on August 26, 2026, by Actes Sud Editions; À voix haute on August 21, 2026, by Editions de l’Olivier; Les habitantes on January 2, 2026, by Les Editions de Minuit; Brûle-Bleu on February 5, 2026, by Christian Bourgois Editeur; Chiens de rizières on August 20, 2026, by Editions Phébus; Un léger soupçon d’innocence on January 28, 2026, by Editions du Rocher; Lady Diana, ma mère et moi on August 21, 2026, by Seuil; Baobab on October 15, 2026, by Le Passeur Editeur; and Princesse on January 2, 2026, by Seuil.