After being rejected by fifty publishers, The Mercy Step, the debut novel by British writer Marcia Hutchinson, is now receiving major recognition on the UK literary stage. The novel has been longlisted for the 2026 Women’s Prize for Fiction and shortlisted for the Discover Prize at the British Book Awards.
Senior Editor Layla Mohamed acquired the manuscript after it had been rejected by 50 publishers. Fifty doors closed on the story of Mercy — a precocious Jamaican-British girl growing up in Bradford in December 1962, in a household shaped by a violent father, a devout mother, and the long shadow of the Windrush. Mohamed saw what others had missed.
In the words of Senior Editor Layla Mohamed, she said:
“From the very first pages, I knew this was something extraordinary. Mercy’s voice—so alive, so precise, so achingly real—is one that stays with you. The fact that fifty publishers passed on this novel only deepened my conviction that we had to publish it. This is exactly what Cassava Republic is here to do: to find the stories that others overlook and give them the platform they deserve.”
Set in Bradford in December 1962, The Mercy Step follows Mercy, a Jamaican-British girl growing up in a household shaped by domestic tension, faith, and the lingering realities of the Windrush generation.
Born into a world that feels far too big for her small body — into a home run by an angry, violent father and a devout mother, both Windrush migrants from Jamaica. She craves her mother’s attention, which she must share with the Church and her many siblings, while the whole family lives at the whims of their father’s temper. But Mercy is nothing if not resilient. She finds joy and escapism in books, in learning, in the loyal company of her doll Dolly. She is determined to overcome her upbringing — no matter what it takes.
Raw, tender, and often extremely funny, The Mercy Step is a debut novel informed by the author’s own experience as a child of Windrush generation parents. It announces Marcia Hutchinson as an unmistakable new voice in literary fiction.
Founded in 2006, Cassava Republic Press has become one of the most influential independent publishers championing African and diaspora voices. With offices in London and Abuja, the press has helped launch the international careers of writers such as Teju Cole, Sarah Ladipo Manyika, and Elnathan John, while building a catalogue that foregrounds Black storytelling across continents.
Marcia Hutchinson was born in the UK to Windrush-generation Jamaican parents in 1962. She was the first pupil from her comprehensive school to attend Oxford, where she earned an MA in Law. She worked as a lawyer before founding the educational publishing company Primary Colours, which she ran until 2014. She was awarded an MBE in 2011 for services to Cultural Diversity.
After moving to Manchester in 2012, she became a community activist and was elected a Labour Councillor in 2021. She is now a full-time writer and an active member of the Black Writers’ Guild. Her solo debut novel, The Mercy Step, was longlisted for the 2026 Women’s Prize for Fiction and shortlisted for the 2026 Discover Prize by The British Book Awards.
Marcia is available for events, interviews, and related conversations.
What began as a manuscript repeatedly rejected across the industry has now emerged as one of the most notable debut novels of the year.
The paperback edition of The Mercy Step will be released on 30 April 2026.
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