Mary’s the Name

Author/Guide: Ross Sayers

Why a Booktrail?

2000s: An eight-year-old girl and her granpa are on the run…

ISBN: 978-1911279112
Genre: Fiction, Humour

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What you need to know before your trail

An eight-year-old girl and her granpa are on the run… “When me and Granpa watched James Bond films, he told me not to be scared because people didn’t have guns like that in Scotland. That must’ve been why the robbers used hammers.”

Orphaned Mary lives with her granpa, but after he is mixed up in a robbery at the bookies where he works, they flee to the Isle of Skye.

Gradually, Mary realises that her granpa is involved. And the robbers are coming after him–and their money.

Locations

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Travel Guide

Portree

Most of the action takes place in the picture-postcard setting of Portree and this is brought into strong contrast with the underlying criminal aspects of the novel. What better place to hide away than a remote fishing village? The houses may be as colourful as your past but it’s the last place you would think would harbour anything other than boats…An elderly criminal and his granddaughter no less?

They arrive in Portree after having done a moonlight flit and go to stay with her granpa’s friend for the summer. The Scottish twang adds to the warmth of the story and the sense of adventure.

“You could almost always see the sea in Portree. It was always there in the background when you were looking about. Lots of boats floating on it, not going anywhere, just bobbing about.”

Booktrailer Review

Abbie BloominBrilliant Books:

It is always a thrill to discover a great debut author and I always love the anticipation of starting their book. Ross Sayers is one of those fantastic debut authors who blows you away.

The characterisation in Mary’s The Name is wonderful! I absolutely adored Mary and felt a great affection for her. As I was coming towards the end of the book I really did not want to let her go. How Sayers, an adult male, has captured the thoughts and feelings of an eight-year old girl is testament to his talent as a writer. Mary is incredibly lovable and her personality shines through. The affection Sayers has for his characters jumps off the pages. With wonderful prose that draws you deeply into the story, Mary’s The Name is told in first person narrative from Mary’s point of view and I went through a whole sea of emotions while reading this book.

Mary’s relationship with her Granpa is wonderfully portrayed and Mary has reached that age in which she realises there is more to him than just being ‘Granpa’ – that he has a whole history and backstory that goes beyond his role as her care-giver. Their love for each other is incredibly touching and, I admit, it made me cry.

Sayers mixes humour and poignancy with ease, really capturing the child’s view of the world which has you laughing out loud and also those tricky moments children (especially girls) go through in relation to their friendships. He really made me feel as though I were viewing things through a child’s mind and Mary’s observations on life and what goes on around her are funny and acutely written. The reader is engaged immediately and the pace of the book is pitched perfectly, with the right combination of dark humour and hold your breath moments. Portree really comes to life through the pages of the book and I was transported there every time I settled down to read.

Mary’s The Name was an absolute joy to read. Simultaneously humorous and heart-breaking, this bittersweet, tenderly written novel touches you deeply and I guarantee you will fall in love with Mary. An accomplished debut novel, I really look forward to reading more by Ross Sayers in the future.