Sheffield-born author Ajay Close's novel What Doesn't Kill Us is set in Yorkshire but won Scottish fiction book of the year

When Sheffield-born Ajay Close brought out her latest novel earlier this year, it was the only one set firmly in Yorkshire. That did not deter the judges who named it fiction book of the year at Scotland’s National Book Awards, run by The Saltire Society.

“It is ironic, I have to say, that I've written seven novels, and the other six have all been set in Scotland – one of them is both in Yorkshire and Scotland – but the only one that's not set in Scotland at all ends up being the one that wins the Scottish prize,” says Ajay, who now lives in Perth.

The Yorkshire Post published an interview with Ajay in March this year about the winning title, What Doesn’t Kill Us, which focuses on a feminist fightback during the years of Peter Sutcliffe’s killing during the 1970s.

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The judges called the novel “superb, evocative and enraging, with brilliant characterisation, humour, and a huge sense of tension from the ever-present threat of violence”.

Ajay Close at Scotland's National Book Awards 2024. Picture: Greg Macvean.Ajay Close at Scotland's National Book Awards 2024. Picture: Greg Macvean.
Ajay Close at Scotland's National Book Awards 2024. Picture: Greg Macvean.

Ajay wanted to write a novel on the subject just after Sutcliffe’s arrest, when she was 21, but, more than 40 years later, penned a one about the kind of women who fought back against widespread violence and misogyny – exploring whether much has really changed since.

Readers are introduced to fictional PC Liz Seeley, who joins the squad investigating the murders. She is contending with a violent boyfriend at home and chauvinists at work, and is drawn to a feminist collective led by the militant Rowena.

For research, Ajay spoke to police who worked on the Sutcliffe case and Leeds feminists from the time, including Councillor Al Garthwaite, one of the original Reclaim the Night organisers who until earlier this year was in the ceremonial role of Lord Mayor of Leeds.

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The author also explored the Feminist Archive North resources based at the University of Leeds, as well as taking inspiration from an arson campaign against pornography outlets in the city all those decades ago.

Ajay grew up in Yorkshire and, after her school years at a Sheffield comprehensive, studied at Cambridge. She became a journalist and then a novelist of books including the Orange Prize-longlisted Official and Doubtful.

The novel she is working on now is also set in Yorkshire. "It's about a famous 20th century artist and his tribe of illegitimate children and a missing masterpiece,” she says.

Speaking about her award for What Doesn’t Kill Us, Ajay says: “It's absolutely tremendous because, well, for a start, the prize – Scottish fiction book of the year – past winners are like a who's who of Scottish writing. Muriel Spark, Kay Atkinson, Ali Smith.”

She adds: “It makes a big difference to a midlist writer, which is technically the category I fall into, especially with a small publisher (Manchester-based Saraband), not a big London publisher.”

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