Mary's Prayer [Paperback]

Martyn Waites (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2002

Sober and disillusioned with London, tabloid journalist Stephen Larkin reluctantly accepts an assignment to cover a gangland funeral back home in Newcastle. Several years earlier he had left sick and disgusted, vowing never to return, but the pull of the city, and the promise of a juicy story, finally persuades him to return. This course of action will leave Larkin bruised, battered and with some painful memories of the city he was trying to forget. Dark, compelling and relentless, Mary's Prayer is a razor-edged crime novel from a powerful voice in crime fiction.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Brit noir is alive and well in this brutal but compelling foray into the netherworld of Newcastle, England. When tabloid reporter and former drug addict Steven Larkin, the protagonist Waites introduced in Candleland, returns to his home turf to cover a mob funeral, his unresolved sentiments about the past his wife and son were killed by bullets meant for him come to the fore. His initial apprehension about the gig escalates when he encounters Charlotte Birch, an old flame. Now married and a solicitor, Charlotte asks Larkin to check into the alleged suicide of her friend, Mary, but the simple investigation swiftly evolves into a deadly undertaking when Larkin discovers that Mary's death may be linked to the machinations of an underground drug ring. Waites comes on strong from page one with a journal entry asserting that if someone is reading it, the writer is already dead. On the following page, he describes a multipierced sadomasochist driving a spike into Larkin's hand. Strong language and tough situations like this keep the mood dark and Larkin in and out of the hospital, but those who are able to get past these graphic scenes will be thoroughly entertained by Waites's acerbic wit and flawed but imminently likeable protagonist.

From Booklist

This first mystery introduces a promising new writer on the British noir front. Stephen Larkin, a London journalist stuck working on a sensationalistic rag, is assigned to cover a gangster's funeral in Newcastle. As soon as he gets there, a former lover convinces him to investigate a suicide. It doesn't take long before Larkin realizes he is in way over his head, on both fronts. Originally published in 1997 but only now available in the U.S., the novel effectively juxtaposes an overall sense of bleakness with moments of surprising tenderness. Waites' depiction of Newcastle's criminal underbelly is stark and realistic, and his protagonist is a complex and credible hero. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 254 pages
• Publisher: Allison & Busby (March 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0749005858
• ISBN-13: 978-0749005856
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 4.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,027,115 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fast-paced and finely written, May 13, 2005

By 

Matthew Scarpino (Walnut Creek, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mary's Prayer Hb (Hardcover)

As a devout fan of Meet Danny Wilson and noir fiction, I felt obligated to pick this up. I'm glad I did! Mr. Waites is a fine writer and keeps the narrative moving at a brisk pace. In particular, I appreciated the characters - they were all fleshed out and none seemed like stock detective-novel stereotypes.

The ending bordered on unbelievable and sometimes the fast pace made it hard to distinguish minor characters. But it's still better than many similar novels I've read, and I hope Mr. Waites continues to provide more.