Mr Chartwell

Mr Chartwell by Rebecca Hunt was longlisted for the Guardian First Book Award and shortlisted for the Galaxy National Book Awards New Writer of the Year. 
 
July, 1964. At home in Kent Winston Churchill wakes to a visitor: someone he hasn't seen for a while, a dark, mute bulk, watching him. It's Mr Chartwell. 
 
In Battersea, Esther Hammerhans, young, vulnerable and alone, answers the door to her new lodger. Through the glass she sees a vast silhouette. It's Mr Chartwell. 
 
Mr Chartwell is a large, black dog. 
 
He is charismatic and dangerously seductive, but as their lives are slowly drawn together, can Esther and Winston withstand his strange, powerful charms and strong hold? For Mr Chartwell's motives are far darker and deeper than they seem. 
 
'Charming, funny, moving, finely crafted and engagingly evocative' Independent 
 
'Charming, original, rewarding, entertaining' Financial Times 
 
'Brilliantly original and thought-provoking. Hunt tackles a serious topic with humour and intelligence' Sunday Express 
 
Rebecca Hunt graduated from Central Saint Martins College with a first class honours degree in fine art. She lives and works in London. Her first novel, Mr Chartwell, was longlisted for the Guardian First Book Award and shortlisted for the Galaxy National Book Awards New Writer of the Year.

A remarkable debut. These are some of the best evocations of depression you'll read

Extraordinary. Owing to Hunt's robust, intelligent style and ingenuiuty and compassion with which she deals with her story, it is very good indeed

Offers a powerful evocation of depression. Brilliantly original and thought-provoking. She tackles a serious topic with humour and intelligence and marks herself out as one to watch

Moving. Hunt treats her heavy themes with a light, intelligent touch and writes with a distinctive blend of humour, restraint and insight

Marvellously original, tender and funny debut novel. Rebecca Hunt proves herself to be a gifted writer who has no need of fictional realism to deliver profound truths

Utterly gripping, truly innovative, beautifully written. One of those novels which knocks you sideways with the brilliance of the idea behind it

A real joy to read: funny, clever and original. A darkly comic debut that hits all the right notes

Rebecca Hunt graduated from Central Saint Martins College with a first class honours degree in fine art. She lives and works in London. Her first novel, Mr Chartwell, was longlisted for the Guardian First Book Award and shortlisted for the Galaxy National Book Awards New Writer of the Year.

July, 1964. 
 
In bed at home in Kent, Winston Churchill is waking up. There's a visitor in the room, someone he hasn't seen for a while, a dark, mute bulk, watching him with tortured concentration. It's Mr Chartwell. 
 
In her terraced house in Battersea, Esther Hammerhans, young, vulnerable and alone, goes to answer the door to her new lodger. Through the glass she sees a vast silhouette the size of a mattress. It's Mr Chartwell. 
 
He is charismatic and dangerously seductive, and Esther and Winston Churchill are drawn together by his dark influence. But can they withstand Mr Chartwell's strange, powerful charms and strong hold? Can they even explain to anyone who or what he is? Or why he has come to visit? 
 
For Mr Chartwell is a huge, black dog. 
 
In this utterly original, moving, funny and exuberant novel, Rebecca Hunt explores how two unlikely lives collide as Mr Chartwell's motives are revealed to be far darker and deeper than they seem.

Rebecca Hunt

Nothing short of stunning . . . something very powerful and unusual indeed

The making and demolishing of heroic myths is just one strand in this wonderful Antarctic adventure . . . Hunt is a talented writer. On my watch this novel would win the Booker

Part-thriller, part adventure story, part social drama and utterly absorbing

Hunt delivers a story that manages to be both surreally absurd and grimly captivating

Thought-provoking and affecting . . . a gripping story

Hunt is an accomplished writer . . . rather captivating

Hunt's Antarctica is beautifully done, and she expresses the enthralment and the hatred for it that the explorers feel

1913: Dinners, Millet-Bass, and Napps - three men bound not by friendship, but by an intense dependence founded on survival - will be immortalised by their decision to volunteer to scout out a series of uncharted and unknown islands in the Antarctic, a big, indifferent kingdom. 
 
2013: Brix, Jess, and Decker - three researchers with their own reasons for being far from home - set out on a field trip to the same ancient lumps of rock and snow, home to nothing but colonies of penguins and seals. 
 
Under the harsh ultraviolet light, as all colours bleach out, and the world of simple everyday pleasures recedes, they unknowingly begin to mirror the expedition of 100 years ago.

Rebecca Hunt

Praise for Everland

Nothing short of stunning . . . something very powerful and unusual indeed

The making and demolishing of heroic myths is just one strand in this wonderful Antarctic adventure . . . Hunt is a talented writer. On my watch this novel would win the Booker

Part-thriller, part adventure story, part social drama and utterly absorbing

Nothing short of stunning . . . something very powerful and unusual indeed

The making and demolishing of heroic myths is just one strand in this wonderful Antarctic adventure . . . Hunt is a talented writer. On my watch this novel would win the Booker

Part-thriller, part adventure story, part social drama and utterly absorbing

Nothing short of stunning . . . something very powerful and unusual indeed

The making and demolishing of heroic myths is just one strand in this wonderful Antarctic adventure . . . Hunt is a talented writer. On my watch this novel would win the Booker

Part-thriller, part adventure story, part social drama and utterly absorbing

Books by Rebecca Hunt

Follow penguin

Follow ladybird

Follow puffin

Sign up to the Penguin newsletter