Mary's Prayer: a novel of crime [Paperback]

Martyn Waites (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2006

"London's dark heart has seldom been exposed with such surgical precision. Brutal, mesmerizing stuff."-Ian Rankin

"Waites stands out in the crowded field of young British noir writers . . . with his bruised characters, raw-edged dialogue, and extraordinary night vision."-Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times Book Review
"The Mercy Seat is a beautifully written and constructed thriller. . . . Raw -violence -explodes on almost every page, and there are some artfully awful villains."-Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Mary's Prayer is an assured, powerful debut from a writer sure to find his place in modern crime fiction. Contemporary noir with a distinctly Chandleresque flavor. A significant contribution to the genre."-Andrew Vachss

"As John Harvey did for Nottingham and George Pelecanos does for Washington, Waites uses real places in a city he knows intimately to portray an underside even many residents wouldn't recognize. Highly recommended for adult mystery collections."-Library Journal (starred review)

Disillusioned with London, journalist Stephen Larkin reluctantly accepts an assignment to cover a gangland funeral in Newcastle. While there, an old flame asks him to investigate an alleged suicide, which pushes Larkin into circumstances that spin dangerously beyond his control.

From a powerful new voice in neo-noir-and available for the first time in the United States-Pegasus Books is proud to present Martyn Waites' debut crime novel.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Acclaimed British noir author Waites (The Mercy Seat) is somewhat less than accomplished in his debut novel, first published in the U.K. in 1997, a grim look at the Newcastle underworld. Stephen Larkin, a London journalist, is still traumatized by the deaths of his wife and young son at the hands of a man who felt himself wronged by one of Larkin's articles. His current job, for a tabloid, pays the bills, but his life remains empty until an assignment takes him to his hometown of Newcastle to write on a gangland killing. On his arrival, he runs into an old flame, Charlotte Birch, who asks for his help proving that a friend of hers was not a suicide. After the predictable violence and betrayals that follow, Larkin bounces back from the additional pain he suffers rather too quickly. (Nov.)
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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

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 233 pages
• Publisher: Pegasus Books (November 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 193364818X
• ISBN-13: 978-1933648187
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,665,768 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

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.