2026 NYC Big Book Award Winner
“Coinman: An Untold Conspiracy” by Pawan Mishra
Author Pawan Mishra
2026 NYC Big Book Award Winner
GREATER RALEIGH-DURHAM AREA, NC, UNITED STATES, November 5, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Author Pawan Mishra’s acclaimed novel, “Coinman: An Untold Conspiracy,” has been named the Literary Fiction Category Winner in the prestigious 2026 NYC Big Book Awards. Recognized for its narrative depth, the book secures top honors in one of the competition’s most competitive categories.
The NYC Big Book Award is an international literary competition open to authors, independent publishers, and major publishing houses worldwide. Submissions are judged by a panel of seasoned book-industry experts, including editors, librarians, booksellers, and publishers, all who evaluate entries based on narrative excellence, distinct voice, editorial presentation, and overall market appeal and entertainment value.
“Coinman: An Untold Conspiracy” takes place in a sleepy North Indian town where the clocktower stopped at a quarter to three, and a timid clerk soothes himself with the soft jingle of his father’s coins — until the office decides to take them from him.
“To receive the NYC Big Book Award for Literary Fiction is a profound privilege,” said author Pawan Mishra. “The story delves into the subtle conspiracies of daily life and the unseen dynamics of power. I am honored that the panel resonated with these themes and grateful to the readers who continue to engage with the book’s vision.”
In his debut, Mishra’s “Coinman: An Untold Conspiracy” weaves a layered narrative that examines the hidden mechanics of influence, human vulnerability, and socio-political systems.
BOOK SUMMARY
The clocktower of Naugavan stopped at a quarter to three, many years ago. Nobody fixed it. Nobody needed to.
In this drowsy tehsil town lives Kesar — known to all as Coinman — a gentle, meticulous copy-clerk with one small strangeness: in his pocket he carries his late father’s old coins, and their soft jingle is the music that steadies his world. The office cannot bear it. Led by the bullying Hukum and fed by the Merchants of Rumor, the clerks of Naugavan declare a quiet war on one man’s pocket — and discover, as all machines eventually do, that the smallest habits of a good man are the hardest things in the world to grind down.
Narrated by Shesh — an unseen witness who has watched the town for twenty-five years, and who confesses more than a narrator should — Coinman is a comic fable in the great tradition of R. K. Narayan’s Malgudi and Shrilal Shukla’s Raag Darbari: a book about offices, rumor, caste, marriage, and the one incorruptible thing a man can carry, told with a humor that sneaks up on heartbreak and a heartbreak that never quite forgives the laugh.
Winner of the eLit Book Award for Literary Fiction and the Readers’ Favorite International Award, and a finalist for the National Indie Excellence Award for Humor, Coinman returns in a revised and expanded edition — with new chapters, a new ending, and the full story of the town that tried to silence a jingle and made it immortal instead.
“Refreshingly unique, humorous, and honest… a feast for lovers of literary fiction.” — Readers’ Favorite
For readers of R. K. Narayan, Shrilal Shukla, and Amor Towles — and for anyone who has ever survived an office.
Key Highlights of the Award-Winning Title:
* Category Victory: Awarded top honors in Literary Fiction in the 2026 NYC Big Book Awards.
* Thematic Scope: Explores complex ideas surrounding institutional authority, human psychology, and quiet resistance.
* Global Availability: Published and accessible worldwide in hardcover, paperback, and ebook formats through major retail distribution networks, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and independent bookstores.
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About Pawan Mishra
Pawan Mishra is an award-winning author whose works blend literary craftsmanship, philosophical inquiry, and cultural observation. His writing frequently examines human behavior, structural power, and individual identity within complex environments.
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About the NYC Big Book Award
The NYC Big Book Award celebrates publishing excellence across print and digital media formats. The annual program accepts entries from major publishing houses, independent presses, and self-published authors across the globe to recognize outstanding literary achievements.
Gabby Olczak
NYC Big Book Award
+1 973-969-1899
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