Congratulations to Australian writers Mette Jakobsen, Christopher Currie, Jeanine Leane and Cory Taylor who are among the shortlistees on the 2012 Commonwealth Book Prize shortlist.

The prize rewards debut novels from Commonwealth countries, with the eventual winner taking home £5,000. Regional winners are also announced for Africa, Asia, Canada and Europe, Caribbean and the Pacific.

Here is the 2012 shortlist:

• The Wandering Falcon by Jamil Ahmad (Pakistan)
• Patchwork by Ellen Banda-Aaku (Zambia)
• Rebirth: a novel by Jahnavi Barua (India)
• The Sly Company of People Who Care by Rahul Bhattacharya (India)
• The Ottoman Motel by Christopher Currie (Australia)
• A Cupboard Full of Coats by Yvvette Edwards (UK)
• The Book of Answers by CY Gopinath (India)
• Jubilee by Shelley Harris (South Africa)
• The Dancing and the Death on Lemon Street by Denis Hirson (UK)
• The Vanishing Act by Mette Jakobsen (Australia)
• Chinaman: The Legend of Pradeep Mathew by Shehan Karunatilaka (Sri Lanka)
• Purple Threads by Jeanine Leane (Australia)
• Sweetheart by Alecia McKenzie (Jamaica)
• The Town that Drowned by Riel Nason (Canada)
• Dancing Lessons by Olive Senior (Canada)
• The Sentimentalists by Johanna Skibsrud (Canada)
• The Dubious Salvation of Jack V by Jacques Strauss (South Africa)
• Me and Mr Booker by Cory Taylor (Australia)
• Pao by Kerry Young (UK)

The shortlist for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize was also announced and includes a story called 'Rush' by Australian Nic Low. For more information on the shortlists and prizes click here.

Regional winners are announced on May 22, with the overall winner revealed on June 8 at the Hay Festival in the UK.