Solitary Refinement

**Eagerly awaited sequel to the bestselling memoir Redemption**

John McAvoy returns with another candid, gripping account of the transformative power of sport – a must-read for anyone interested in sport, crime, trail running or stories of triumph over adversity.

Written with acclaimed author Paul Zanon.

From serving a life sentence to becoming a Nike-backed Ironman athlete, McAvoy’s journey stands as a powerful testament to resilience, redemption and the life-changing force of second chances:

• From Category A prisoner to full freedom – discover how McAvoy became the first person in the UK to have a life licence revoked by then Home Secretary Sajid Javid • Transformative youth stories – first-hand accounts from youngsters who’ve gone from fitness breakthroughs to running in mines almost a mile underground, to landing jobs and life opportunities – they credit their success to McAvoy • A clean break from the criminal world – McAvoy speaks openly about rejecting approaches from former terrorist inmates, declining film offers about his past and refusing every attempt to draw him back into a life of crime • From courtrooms to corridors of power – how McAvoy came to speak about the impact of sport on prisoner rehabilitation at the Houses of Parliament, No.10 Downing Street and the EU • The full Nike journey – from signing as an athlete in 2016 to becoming one of Nike’s longest-standing sponsored sportspeople, it’s a partnership built on reinvention and purpose

This incredible story is interwoven with exclusive interviews with leading figures in sport, government and grassroots communities – including prisoners and the young people whose lives McAvoy has transformed.

© 2026 Pitch Publishing (Ebook): 9781836804079

Release date

Ebook: 7 September 2026