Hutchinson Heinemann to publish Patrick Charnley's 'extraordinarily powerful' debut novel

Hutchinson Heinemann has acquired the debut novel by Patrick Charnley, son of the late Helen Dunmore.

Century publisher Selina Walker acquired UK and Commonwealth rights in This, My Second Life from Caradoc King and Becky Percival at United Agents.

Translation rights have already sold to DuMont in Germany and Einaudi in Italy, while foreign rights are being handled by Amy Mitchell at United Agents.

The synopsis states: "Twenty-year-old Jago Trevarno is living a simple life in Cornwall with his uncle following a life-changing brain injury. Slowly adjusting to the reality of his new life, he gets caught up in the murky world of local villain, Bill Sligo, who appears to have designs on Jago’s uncle’s farm and, in particular, a field containing a disused mine-shaft […] This, My Second Life draws on the author’s own near-death experience when he suffered a cardiac arrest that left him with a brain injury."

Walker said: "I cannot quite express what an extraordinarily powerful first novel this is. It’s beautifully written, spare and elegiac, filled with shafts of Cornwall’s very special light as well as the beauty and harshness of its landscape. One feels such sympathy for Jago and his condition, yet uplifted by his journey and by his vulnerability, bravery and humanity."

Charnley added: "This time, four years ago, I had recently come out of a coma and was at the start of a long process of learning to live with a severe brain injury. Since then, writing has given me a purpose. I couldn’t be happier that my novel is going to be published by Penguin Random House, and especially by Selina Walker who worked so closely with my late mother."

The novel will be published in early 2026.