LONDON (AP) — American author George Saunders is favored to win the prestigious Man Booker Prize for fiction with his novel of the afterlife, "Lincoln in the Bardo."

British bookmakers Ladbrokes and William Hill made Saunders the front-runner among six titles vying for the 50,000-pound ($66,000) prize.

The novel is set in a Washington graveyard in 1862, where President Abraham Lincoln visits the body of his 11-year-old son.

Three books by other U.S. writers are on the list of finalists announced Wednesday. Alongside Saunders are Paul Auster's "4321" and Emily Fridlund's "History of Wolves."

The other contenders are British-Pakistani writer Mohsin Hamid's "Exit West," Briton Fiona Mozley's debut novel "Elmet" and British novelist Ali Smith's Brexit-themed "Autumn."

The winner will be announced Oct. 17.