The Whitbread Book of the Year prize has been won by Hilary Spurling for her biography, Matisse the Master.
The children's author Kate Thompson, who lives in Kinvara, Co Galway, was edged into what the judges said was a very close second place with her book, The New Policeman.
The second volume of Hilary Spurling's biography of Henri Matisse took 15 years to complete.
It was the surprise winner of the Whitbread Book of the Year when the result was announced last night. It was described by the Whitbread judges as a masterpiece which had already changed the history of art.
The Whitbread is one of the most prestigious literary awards in Britain and is worth £25,000.
It pits the winners of five book categories - poetry, biography, children's writer, novel and debut novel - against each other.
Past winners have included Seamus Heaney and William Trevor.
