"The Tomato Thief" is a 2016fantasy novelette byUrsula Vernon. It was first published inApex Magazine and has been reprinted in the collectionJackalope Wives and Other Stories.
When Grandma Harken (protagonist of "Jackalope Wives") stays up late to catch whoever is stealing fresh tomatoes from her garden, she finds herself drawn into a complex magical plot involving shapechangers, space warps, and gods.
"The Tomato Thief" won the 2017Hugo Award for Best Novelette (for works of 7,500 to 17,500 words).[1]Tor.com called it "excellent", noting that the story is a rare example of "older women as the protagonists of their own stories", and comparing Grandma Harken toGranny Weatherwax.[2]Tangent Online considered it to be "hard to put back down".[3]