Mortal Coil [Hardcover]

Anthony McGowan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 18, 2005

There is a London you might not know. A London of dingy, faceless pubs and brutal alleyway encounters; a seedy, seething metropolis populated by weasel-faced burglars, tattooed doormen, and dead-eyed hatchet-men with cold hearts and cruel intentions. It's a place Matthew Moriarty knows only too well. Soon to be jobless, hopeless, and half-crippled following a beating that teaches him not to insult local gangsters and then screw their wives, Moriarty is at rock bottom, left with only an ever-dwindling supply of prescription painkillers for company. And when he takes up a lucrative offer to track down a missing friend, things start to get a whole lot worse. As the search leads Moriarty into mortal danger, to the corrupt heart of the music business, one thing becomes clear: mess with this city, and it messes with you.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'Ingenious conclusion which mingles murder, nostalgia, a massive cocaine deal and ultimate salvation served up in style with verve, confidence and a relish for all things louche.' -- Literary Review 'It more than fulfils the promise shown in Anthony McGowan's first Matthew Moriarty novel, STAG HUNT ... Littered with memorable characters, a nice line in dialogue and a string of ultra-violent set-pieces, MORTAL COIL eventually works its way towards a fabulous and completely unforeseen twist ... sharp and contemporary, slick, literate, multi-layered and thoroughly recommended.' -- Shots 'MORTAL COILis dirty realism without posing, utterly contemporary, and with excellent musical taste.' -- Sunday Age, Melbourne 'Moriarty is a complex and intriguing anti-hero and McGowan's crisp and witty style delivers us a London steeped in corruption in this new version of the mean streets.' -- Hobart Mercury, Australia 'It combines elements of noir detective story and Elizabethan revenge tragedy with a scary treatise on modern machismo and morality...MORTAL COIL is an intriguing and disturbing book' -- West Australian 'McGowan constructs a suspenseful plot and writes barbed, forceful dialogue, and his account of the mean streets of London and Leeds ... is powerfully grim. Best of all is his portrayal of Moriarty, a man both thoughtful and vengeful, cunning and naive, cynical and guilt-ridden ... A shady and literate thriller that oozes down-and-out ambience' -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review 'His narrative rarely relaxes its grip, clutching the reader all the way to the well-thought-out ending' -- Sunday Morning Post, Hong Kong 'Ingenious conclusion which mingles murder, nostalgia, a massive cocaine deal and ultimate salvation served up in style with verve, confidence and a relish for all things louche.' -- Literary Review 'Articulate on the friction of class, the bonds of friendship and the power of hatred. The suspense is tantalising and the situation marries the gothic quality of a haunted house story with revenge tragedy and the peculiar ambience of British boarding-schooled males at play. An accomplished and thoughtful debut' -- Manchester Evening News on Stag Hunt 'This explosively impressive first novel carries echoes of Agatha Christie, William Golding, PG Wodehouse and MR James - among others. All of it is wrapped up in a thoroughly modern, irresistably readable narrative, propelled by a central character who is considerably more likeable that he himself believes. I loved it' -- Birmingham Morning Star on Stag Hunt 'A cleverly constructed tingler that will make readers want to keep the light on when they go to bed' -- Scotsman on Stag Hunt 'McGowan's debut packs a vicious punch, turning his characters inside out en route to a finely crafted finale.' -- Good Book Guide on Stag Hunt

About the Author

Anthony McGowan was born in Manchester in 1965. He has worked as a nightclub bouncer, Open University philosophy tutor, journalist and civil servant. He is married to the fashion designer and novelist Rebecca Campbell, and has two children.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton Ltd (July 18, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0340830476
• ISBN-13: 978-0340830475
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,700,503 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Anthony McGowan is one of the most widely acclaimed young-adult authors in the UK. His books have won several major awards, and been shortlisted for many more. He has also written highly regarded adult fiction, as well as books for younger readers. He has a PhD on the history of beauty, and has taught philosophy and creative writing. He lives in London with his wife and two children.