It should have been a doddle for Mark Haddon last night. His novel about an autistic boy, one of the runaway literary bestsellers of the new century, was quoted at 3/1, good odds for most favourites.
But The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time was only second favourite; and it stood no chance against a rival story, quoted at odds of 1/4, in which Jesus Christ allegedly behaves like a character in EastEnders.
Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code swept away with the WH Smith book of the year title at the British Book Awards ceremony in London. He also beat bestsellers by Michael Palin, Bill Bryson and Bob Dylan.
In the past 12 months the US author has sold 2.4m UK paperback copies of his version of ancient theories about Vatican conspiracies to cover up a relationship between Christ and Mary Magdalene, a union said to have produced a dynasty protecting the secret of the holy grail.
"For the record - it is a novel," Brown told last night's audience. He was replying indirectly to complaints that he travestied the Roman Catholic church. He added that he was delighted the book had stimulated debate and made readers question their faith and beliefs.
What was last year's blockbuster book may well become next year's blockbuster movie: the director Ron Howard is due to start filming it in June. Variety magazine reported yesterday that the actor Sir Ian McKellen is to play Sir Leigh Teabing, a wealthy art expert, in the film, which will be released next May and star Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou.
Brown received only one of the prizes in the shape of a gold pen nib (an object which has led the awards to be nicknamed the Nibbies).
Told the result late last night of the British book trade's traditional reward to authors who make big money for its publishers and shops, the bookshop chain Waterstone's said: "It would have been a travesty for Dan Brown not to win, sales really can't get better for an author."
Brown was pipped to the Reader's Digest author of the year prize by the actor Sheila Hancock, who won for The Two of Us, the story of her marriage to the actor John Thaw, a half-million seller. It was Ms Hancock's first award in a career of nearly 50 years.
Another bestselling writer, David Mitchell, who was passed over for the Booker and Whitbread prizes, had a double triumph when his novel Cloud Atlas, which ranges across the world and through centuries, scooped both the Waterstone's literary fiction and the Richard and Judy best read of the year awards.
Andrea Levy's winning streak with her novel of West Indian immigration, Small Island, suffered another interruption. A week after missing the Betty Trask award for romantic fiction, she was beaten to the Nibbies' Arts Council-sponsored decibel writer of the year award by the novelist Hari Kunzru.
The decibel award honours the black or Asian writer judged to have made the greatest contribution towards, or had the greatest impact on, the literary year.
The history book of the year was William Pitt the Younger written by the former Tory leader William Hague. Announcing this slightly over-exuberantly, the organisers said it "proved that a Conservative leader can actually win something".
The Nibbies: All the winners
Author of year
Sheila Hancock: The Two of Us
Richard and Judy best read of year
David Mitchell: Cloud Atlas
Biography of year
Bill Clinton: My Life
Book of the year
Dan Brown: The Da Vinci Code
Children's book of the year
Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler: The Gruffalo's Child
Crime thriller of the year
Ian Rankin: Fleshmarket Close
History book of the year
William Hague: William Pitt the Younger
Literary fiction award
David Mitchell: Cloud Atlas
Newcomer of the year
Susanna Clarke: Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell
Sport book of the year
Paul Gascoigne: Gazza - My Story
TV & film book of year
Michael Palin: Himalaya
Decibel writer of the year
Hari Kunzru
Lifetime achievement award
Sir John Mortimer
