News in brief

The Richard and Judy shortlist - the only one on which all authors are virtually guaranteed fame and fortune - was unveiled yesterday. The eight books are The Interpretation of Murder by Jed Rubenfeld, The Girls by Lori Lansens, Restless by William Boyd, Love in the Present Tense by Catherine Ryan Hyde, Semi-Detached by Griff Rhys Jones, This Book Will Save Your Life by AM Homes, Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and The Testament of Gideon Mack by James Robertson. The books on last year's Channel 4 programme shortlist sold 10m copies. John Ezard