Cruel Mercy

Praise

“Effortlessly blends the brutal and the tender, the dark and the light. Aector McAvoy is a true original. So is David Mark.”—Mick Herron, author of Dead Lions

“McAvoy must be one of the most fascinating fictional detectives out there—a true original. This is an intoxicating brew—Catholicism, travellers, underground fight scenes, the mob—and rumbling through it all like a bear with a blush is DS Aector McAvoy. Superb writing. A truly fantastic read.”—Michael J. Malone, author of A Suitable Lie

“To call Mark’s novels police procedurals is like calling the Mona Lisa a pretty painting. Beautifully crafted, filled with flashbacks, horror, angst, and chilling detail, this one is his most complex and best yet.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“[A] strange but compelling brew.”—Thomas Gaughan, Booklist

PRAISE FOR TAKING PITY
“A police procedural thriller that pulls no punches… Another terrific mystery/suspense novel by a master of the genre.”—Midwest Book Review

“There seems to be no end to the vile deeds to be encountered in [Hull].”—The Wall Street Journal

“Hurry up and read the first three novels in this amazing series, because the fourth installment featuring the huge and huge-hearted Aector McAvoy is the best yet…Author Mark creates vivid, poignant characters that drive this series, from the complex McAvoy to his gypsy wife; from the tenacious Pharaoh to various supporting saints and villains. The ending is a stunner.”—The Cleveland Plain Dealer

“Mark’s excellent fourth novel . . . weaves a complicated web of deception, betrayal, and violence as the action builds to a stunning conclusion.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“A dark, bloody, twisting tale of love, hate, and greed you can’t put down.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Det. Sgt. Aector McAvoy is recovering from tragedy, living with his young son in a flat near the burnt skeleton of his old home and easing back into work with what should be a straightforward investigation of suspected police wrongdoing. But it leads him to some very bad guys. Fourth in a dark and much-starred series.”—Library Journal 

PRAISE FOR SORROW BOUND
“Each McAvoy novel has been dark, but Sorrow Bound goes beyond dark to near-apocalyptic. Mark pulls it off, though, and fans of the giant Scottish detective will lose sleep reading this one.”—Booklist (starred review)

“Mark adroitly weaves all these threads together during a sweltering Hull summer full of lowering clouds but no rain, ‘a feverish heat; a pestilent, buzzing cloak.’ The physically imposing Aector, a terrific lead, hews closely to the rules. Well-fleshed out supporting characters round out the cast.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“McAvoy is a sure bet for fans of dark crime fiction set in Britain. Mark is particularly skilled at brief, effective characterization and at establishing an ominous, suspense-ridden setting in which his hero must struggle to reconcile his concept of justice and his admirable integrity with the evil that men do. VERDICT: A satisfying read-alike for fans of Peter Robinson or Val McDermid.”—Library Journal 

“Compelling characters and a knotty mystery make the third from Mark (Original Skin, 2013, etc.) stand out from other procedurals.”—Kirkus Reviews 

PRAISE FOR ORIGINAL SKIN 

“Dark, disturbing and gripping… Graced with a complex plot and stunning imagery, Original Skin stands as a worthy successor to Mark’s debut, The Dark Winter…. Readers who revel in thrillers marked by intelligence and originality will celebrate the continuation of a fresh and fascinating series.” –Richmond Times-Dispatch 

“Compelling … Richly satisfying and told with remarkable flair, [Original Skin] confirms Mark as one of the darkest of the new faces in British crime writing, and not one to miss.” —Daily Mail (UK) 

“Sophisticated plotting, in-depth characters, and sharp dialogue elevate British author Mark’s gritty second police procedural featuring Yorkshire Det. Sgt. Aector McAvoy. Mark expertly brings together two seemingly unrelated investigations while weaving in McAvoy’s devotion to his young family and sensitivity to the Roma background of his wife, Roison, whose extended family becomes involved in his inquiries. Fans of John Harvey and Peter James will find much to like.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review) 

“A dark and nasty police story with strongly drawn characters, an unsettling story, a twisty plot, and a surprising ending… Snap it up.” –Examiner.com 

“McAvoy’s second is an excellent police procedural featuring sex, violence, and complex characters who are quirky but likable.”—Kirkus 

“Readers will immediately be drawn to the compelling, contradictory personality of McAvoy. Grade: A.” –Cleveland Plain-Dealer 

“Equally good read as a stand-alone or as the second in a series, Mark’s fast-paced police procedural featuring a likable and compelling main character is sure to keep fans of dark UK crime fiction entertained.” –Library Journal  

PRAISE FOR THE DARK WINTER

“David Mark’s British police procedurals are a wholesome corrective to cop novels starring prima donna detectives who single-handedly solve major murder cases. Sgt. Aector McAvoy, the ‘gentle, humble, shy giant of a man’… is clearly the hero of this brawny series set in the north of England… But Mark surrounds his Scottish detective with fellow officers who make vital contributions to the case and are interesting in their own right.”—The New York Times Sunday Book Review

“British crime reporter Mark’s outstanding first novel, a suspenseful whodunit, introduces Det. Sgt. Aector McAvoy…Readers will want to see more of the complicated McAvoy, who well deserves a sophisticated and disturbing plot.”—Publisher’s Weekly (starred)

“[A]n impressive debut. John Harvey readers should take note.”—Booklist (starred)

“With a poetic intensity in its prose, an unpredictable plot and a Scottish detective, Mark’s novel gripped me from its opening pages.”—Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

“It will not be long until new voices in the genre are hailed as the ‘next David Mark.’”—Bookpage.com

“Fast moving and tightly plotted, with strong characterization and a likeable protagonist, this is an extremely promising debut.”—The Guardian

“A promising debut by David Mark… certainly provides a trip to Hull and back.”—The Telegraph

“A fantastic debut of a police procedural series that takes place in northern England. Just as Detective Sergeant Aector McAvoy seems to be able to put himself in the mind of a killer, David Mark has developed his characters so completely that the reader can almost put himself in the mind of McAvoy as he is connecting dots that no one else even sees. McAvoy may be a gentle giant of a man but he is also determined to get at the truth even if his job is in jeopardy. Luckily, he finds a believer in his boss, another dedicated officer who also is fighting to keep her job.”—Nancy McFarlane, Fiction Addiction

“An exceptional debut from an exciting new talent. David Mark is an original and captivating new voice.”—Val McDermid