“I once joked to my wife that I’d write my book and win this competition. Now I still can’t believe it actually happened.” PARKER BARRINGTON on winning the Bath Novel Award, and how he wrote Guardian Angel, his winning manuscript.
Describe the moment you found out you’d won…
I was in the living room with my family, counting down to the announcement. When the email arrived, I clicked the link and must have read the result about five times before my brain finally registered that I was the winner. My poor family had to sit there, trying to read my face, until I finally read the result out loud.
The moment I said I was the winner, my wife and three children started cheering and jumping up and down. It was an amazing moment.
What does the win mean to you?
It means the world. It feels like the start of something new and exciting and is a win for our whole family. We can all see that when you go for something, the outcome can be surprising and incredible.
Describe your writing journey so far…
Before social media, my future wife and I lived in different countries and emailed every day. I didn’t think “went to work, did the dishes” would make riveting reading, so I wrote her little made-up tales instead. She kept them all. Fast-forward to three wonderful kids: bedtime became a game where they’d shout three random things, “pirate, time travel, magic!” and I’d spin a new story in the dark. I’ve written short stories and started countless novels, but never finished one, until the flu pinned me to bed and I decided now was the time.
Was it more of a fever dream, or a way of entertaining yourself while too poorly to move?
I was lying in bed, feeling rough and wide awake. I’d decided to write a novel, but I had too many ideas. Then I thought, just ask. I asked myself which book to write, and a rush of scenes from one idea answered back. That was enough. As soon as I felt better, I started Guardian Angel.
You’ve mentioned that you used our closing date as a deadline to complete your book. How long did it take to write?
I started in January 2025, writing about 1,500 words a day, helped by the fact that I could do it full-time. We had just moved back to Denmark after a year in Ireland, where we’d bought a farm. The move wasn’t great for our children, so we returned. I planned to go back to a corporate job, but my wife said this was my chance to write the novel I’d always wanted to, so the job hunt stopped, and the writing began. I feel incredibly lucky to have her by my side. I’d write late into the night and then clean up the scene the following day.
Are you a natural night owl, more creative at night, or is it about the peace and quiet?
I’ve always worked best after dark. Night for me is when the story arrives and daylight is for stitching in the details. I often sit and think for about 30 minutes, waiting for the story to show me where it wants to go. A funny side note: I started wearing a sports watch that tracks my sleep, and on nights while writing when I feel most inspired, it often logs me as being in deep sleep, which I think is fascinating.
Award judge Laura Williams said: “Guardian Angel is exactly the kind of crime novel I love, with atmospheric landscapes and intimate character portraits, all capped with a truly startling twist.” What was it like to read her comments and other praise from our readers?
It’s nearly beyond words. It’s flattering, yes, but more than that, it reassures me that writing will now always be a part of my life. I’m excited and curious about where it will take me.
Can you say anything about agent representation?
I queried a number of agents and, naturally, received rejections, but I was also fortunate to get some interest. The process is full of ups and downs, and one notable rejection ultimately strengthened my manuscript. He requested the full manuscript, then passed, but his feedback was invaluable. It sent me back into editing mode, and over three days I cut about 5,000 words, which sharpened the pace. This was just before I was longlisted and submitted the full manuscript to the Bath Novel Award, so I’m very grateful it happened. Following the win, I’m now speaking with a New York–based agent with whom I’ll be moving forward, which is very exciting. I’m eager to see where it leads.
How do you pitch Guardian Angel?
Guardian Angel is for readers of Tana French’s The Searcher and Linda Castillo’s Rage, in which Jo Bennet, a young woman raised Amish and now a gifted detective, returns to her Pennsylvania hometown to uncover the truth behind her brother’s disappearance. As Jo digs deeper, she uncovers secrets buried as deep as the fields she once worked, and realises the line between faith, community and betrayal is thinner than she ever imagined.
The central mystery and final twist surprised and delighted, with the “Guardian Angel” motif proving especially memorable, leaving readers satisfied but also eager for the next instalment. Have you mapped out the motif playout for the rest of the trilogy, or do you prefer to let your plot evolve more organically as you write?
As with Guardian Angel, I know the broad arc of the next two stories, but I keep it loose so the story can grow naturally. A funny example: about two-thirds of the way into writing Guardian Angel, I tried to speed things up by drafting all the remaining scenes. The moment I began with the first of these scenes, it veered in a completely different direction and made the rest of my notes redundant. My stories seem to arrive from somewhere I can’t name. Elizabeth Gilbert explains that mystery beautifully in Big Magic, a book I return to again and again.
Any plans for the prize money?
We’ve talked about visiting Pennsylvania, where the story is set, so I think it would be fun to set it aside for that.
Why did you choose Pennsylvania as the setting for your book?
I knew from the start I wanted the story in the US. At first, Guardian Angel was Bobby’s book, he was the detective and the lead, but I couldn’t see how to pull him out of his darkness. Then one evening I watched a programme about the Amish, and everything clicked. Jo started to grow in my mind. After researching Amish communities, I chose Pennsylvania. Heimstadt is modelled on a real town, which I renamed and fictionalised. The real town’s name? I’m keeping that to myself…”
Your extract picked up a coveted golden vote which said: “The observational and detail-oriented nature of the writing was fantastic.” Could you say a little about how you craft scene openings which also show characterisation, internality and the tone of events about to unfold?
I’ve read Stein on Writing by Sol Stein more times than I can count, and I keep a note on my laptop that says, ‘show, don’t tell.’ The book is a treasure trove of great tips on how to craft vivid scenes. When I’m shaping a scene, I first picture it clearly, then write a rough paragraph that simply tells what happens. I use that as a springboard to build the real scene, working to make it come alive. If a line still feels like description, I keep rewriting until it plays like a movie in my mind. I also keep extensive notes on my characters’ backstories, many of which never make it onto the page, but helps me step inside their minds.
“Following the win, I’m now speaking with a New York–based agent with whom I’ll be moving forward, which is very exciting. I’m eager to see where it leads.”
Your manuscript is exceptionally polished. Do you edit as you go, or by the draft?
I’ve touched on this a little already, but to outline my process: I start with an extremely rough draft of a scene, then develop it into something stronger. The next day I usually go over the scene once more before moving on to the next. After finishing the manuscript, I spent several months editing, cutting and rearranging chapters until I felt it was ready. I’m extremely patient by nature, which is definitely a virtue when it comes to editing.
You’re drawn to characters who feel real, flaws and all. Any favourite (flawed) literary characters and can you say a little about how and why you chose your main characters’ flaws for Guardian Angel?
My favourite book is The Count of Monte Cristo. Edmond Dantès changes a lot. Naïve at first, then driven by revenge, then proud, hiding what he really feels, and I think most readers can relate. For Jo in Guardian Angel, I wanted her very introverted but quietly confident, with a slightly misguided sense of justice. She can seem rude or arrogant, an unfair label introverts often get. I find that if you hold a clear picture of your character and who they are, it’s easier to put them on the page and to spot, in edits, anything that doesn’t fit.
You’ve said you grew up listening to the stories your dad used to tell; “funny, spooky, or just downright strange” and have loved storytelling ever since. Can you pinpoint examples of how this shaped you?
I think simply this just gave me a built-in confidence that stories are not hard to come by. You just need to start telling them and they will develop and create themselves.
If there’s one thing you hope readers take from your book, what would that be?
When I’m reading, I love being fully transported into another world, and my hope is that Guardian Angel does the same for anyone who picks it up. That they ride an emotional roller coaster and miss it when it’s over.
Any advice for anyone thinking of entering this year’s prize?
You just have to go for it. I feel it’s one of my greatest accomplishments. I once joked to my wife that I’d write my book and win this competition. Now I still can’t believe it actually happened. If I’d let doubt win, it never would have.
Interview by Caroline Ambrose
Parker Barrington is the winner of the Bath Novel Award 2025 for Guardian Angel, a haunting crime mystery about memory, obsession, and the shadows that linger when justice is left undone. It is his first novel and the beginning of a trilogy that he is excited to share.
Parker is originally from the UK, grew up aboard a sailboat and today lives in Denmark with his family. His taste in fiction ranges from light-hearted adventures to dark, unsettling mysteries, but at the heart of every story is his love for characters who feel real, flaws and all.
Website: parkerbarrington.com
