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.