Get ready to meet the next big name in crime fiction! TL Haseeb has just clinched the prestigious 2025 Joffe Books Prize with The Portrait Maker, a thrilling debut that’s already turning heads. But here’s where it gets even more exciting: this award is specifically for unrepresented writers of color, and Haseeb’s win comes with a game-changing package—a two-book publishing deal, a £1,000 cash prize, and a jaw-dropping £25,000 audiobook deal from Audible. Talk about a career launchpad!
The Portrait Maker kicks off a gripping police procedural series centered on Detective Inspector Amber Kash, a seasoned investigator who thinks she’s seen it all—until a celebrity psychologist from a true-crime documentary walks into her station with a mind-bending claim. The psychologist insists she witnessed a murder committed by a woman who’s been dead for years. And the twist? The alleged killer is the very victim the documentary crew was investigating. As Amber reluctantly dives into this chilling case, she uncovers a tangled web of secrets involving the crew, a powerful media empire, and a mysterious ‘cursed’ portrait. But as the body count rises, she’s forced to question: is she chasing a cunning murderer, or is something far more sinister at play?
Established in 2021, the Joffe Books Prize aims to spotlight emerging talent from Black, Asian, Indigenous, and minority ethnic backgrounds, helping them build sustainable careers in publishing. And this year’s judging panel was no slouch—it included crime writer Vaseem Khan, crime fiction commentator Ayo Onatade, The Bookseller’s deputy news editor Heloise Wood, 2023 prize winner Renita D’Silva, and Joffe Books editorial director Rachel Slatter. They were unanimous in their praise for Haseeb’s work, calling it ‘fresh, original, and incredibly tense’ with ‘superb pacing’ and a protagonist they couldn’t help but love. ‘We were hooked from the very first line,’ they gushed.
Haseeb herself is still reeling from the win. ‘The last time I won anything was the under-eight school beanbag race,’ she joked, ‘so I’m in a state of blissful shock.’ She also applauded Joffe Books for their commitment to amplifying diverse voices, noting that ‘wider perspectives can enrich us all.’
But here’s where it gets controversial: In an industry often criticized for its lack of diversity, does a prize exclusively for writers of color level the playing field—or does it inadvertently segregate talent? And this is the part most people miss: while initiatives like this are undeniably important, they also raise questions about systemic barriers that make such prizes necessary in the first place. What do you think? Is this the right approach to fostering inclusivity in publishing? Let’s debate it in the comments!
