Fellowes on Richard and Judy list

Fellowes won an Oscar for writing the 2001 film Gosford Park

A novel by Oscar-winning screenwriter Julian Fellowes is one of eight titles on Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan's influential Summer Read list.

Fellowes, 59, makes the shortlist with Past Imperfect, the story of a wealthy man searching for a living heir.

Other writers on the list include the Northern Irish novelist Colin Bateman and the American author Sue Miller.

Being on Richard and Judy's Summer Read list, now in its sixth year, can have a huge impact on a writer's career.

One of last year's selected titles, No Time For Goodbye by Linwood Barclay, went on to become the UK's best-selling fiction paperback of 2008.

SUMMER READ SHORTLIST 2009 Colin Bateman , Mystery Man Dave Boling , Guernica Stephen L Carter , Palace Council Jill Dawson , The Great Lover Charles Elton , Mr Toppit Julian Fellowes , Past Imperfect Janice Y K Lee , The Piano Teacher Sue Miller , The Senator's Wife

Amanda Ross, executive producer of the couple's daytime series on digital TV channel Watch, is considered one of the most powerful figures in British publishing.

As creator of the Book Club and the Summer Read, Ross heads up a team of four who whittle down scores of publishing house submissions to eight books.

"My husband and business partner Simon Ross is my harshest critic," she said. "But he thinks this year's bunch are the best yet."

Referring to this year's chosen titles, she added that she and her husband "couldn't put them down when we took them on our Easter break."

Fellowes won an Oscar in 2002 for writing the screenplay for the film Gosford Park.

Miller, meanwhile, is no stranger to TV shortlists, having had her novel While I Was Gone chosen by Oprah Winfrey's Book Club in 2000.