Haddon novel pips poetry to win prize

A murder mystery novel told through the eyes of a young autistic boy has been crowned the Whitbread Book of the Year.

Mark Haddon's novel The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time took the £30,000 prize at last night's awards ceremony but it was a close-run contest with a poetry collection picking up many admirers on the judging panel.

Don Paterson's little-known book of poetry, Leading Lights, went head-to-head with Haddon's novel.

Joan Bakewell, who chaired the judging panel, said: "It quickly emerged that two books were in contention, the Curious Incident and the Don Paterson poems. That was a long and complicated debate - which we are not going to open up."

However, other judges Ralph Fiennes and Liza Tarbuck, both told of their support for Paterson. Mr Fiennes said: "The poetry was extraordinary. It is something you want to return to again and again."

Ms Tarbuck added: "Paterson's book will go on and on and become and old favourite. I think the poetry should have won and I know there are people on the jury who agree with me."

The judges said Haddon had "used disability to throw a light upon the world" in the novel, about a boy with Asperger's Syndrome who investigates the death of a dog.

Haddon paid tribute to his wife, Sos, who recently nearly died in a cycling accident. He said: "She was 27 weeks pregnant. And the next half hour was the longest and most difficult of my life." Their baby, Zack, has since been born healthy.