In 2016, the literary agent Simon Trewin, who has died of a brain tumour aged 60, received a copy of a manuscript by Paul Lynch, a Limerick-born author with two respectfully reviewed novels behind him. No publisher wanted his third. “I want to save your career,” Trewin said.
It took 14 months to make the deal. Grace became the Kerry Group Irish novel of the year 2018. Five years later, his confidence boosted, Lynch won the Booker prize for his dystopian parable Prophet Song. Trewin was the first person he acknowledged: “Thank you,” Lynch said, “for being my consigliere.”
