Writer A.F.Th van der Heijden has won this year’s €50,000 Libris literature prize for his novel Tonio, based on the death of his only son in 2010.

Tonio van der Heijden was killed by a car at the age of 21 almost two years ago. The book, which has sold over 100,000 copies, was regarded as the favourite for the prize.
The author and his wife Mirjam Rotenstreich were not at the ceremony at the Amstel Hotel to receive the award.