Wide Open

Nicola Barker, born March 30, 1966, in Ely, Cambridgeshire, England, is an acclaimed English novelist and short story writer known for her quirky portrayals of damaged or eccentric characters in bleak, isolated settings, such as the Thames Gateway trilogy (Wide Open, Behindlings, Darkmans). Her notable works include Wide Open (International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, 2000), Darkmans (Man Booker shortlist 2007, Hawthornden Prize 2008), Clear (Man Booker longlist 2004), and H(a)ppy (Goldsmiths Prize 2017). She remains active, with recent novels like I Am Sovereign (2019) and TonyInterruptor (2025).com.