Booktalk: Martyn's dad is a 24-hour drunk who treats him like dirt. He yells at Martyn and smacks him around. Martyn admits it: he hates his dad, hates him from his red-nosed face to his stinking feet. But... he didn't mean to kill him. It was an accident, barely self-defense. And now his dad lies there, in front of the fireplace...dead. Martyn could call the police...and be suspected of murder...or he could get rid of the body and get on with his life. He thinks and thinks. The hours pass...and then a couple of days...and by then it's too late to call the police. Martyn can't deal with all this on his own so he confides in his crush and neighbor, a girl named Alex, and together they come up with a plan to get rid of the body. It's a perfect plan, a foolproof plan. No one would ever suspect what happened . Until the plan suddenly goes very wrong and Martyn finds himself in a position he never expected.

His entire life Martyn Pig has put up with an unlucky name and an alcoholic bully of a father. So when his father accidentally dies in the living room, right in the middle of an episode of Inspector Morse, Martyn sees an opportunity to take control of his destiny. Dreading the prospect of having to live with his loathsome aunt, he decides not to report the accident to the authorities, confides instead in his neighbor friend (and secret crush), and unleashes a morbid series of events that unfold in the week before Christmas. A 15-year-old who finds comfort in detective fiction, Martyn tries to take inspiration from those beloved stories, only to find himself embroiled in a tense noir of his own, complete with blackmail and betrayal.

My VOYA ratings: 4Q ("Better than most, marred by occasional lapses") and 3P ("Will appeal with pushing"). In this debut novel, Brooks has crafted a fascinating narrator in Martyn Pig: introspective dreamer plagued with doubt and ennui, miserable and misguided adolescent striving to become a man. Martyn's story unfolds at an easy pace, alternating between scenes of suspenseful action and intense contemplation. For the budding mystery fan, this is a terrific gateway to the likes of Raymond Chandler and Alfred Hitchcock, and it can also appeal to anyone who enjoys atmospheric, character-based stories with exciting plot twists. Even knowing what was to come I was thrilled by the journey.

I do have a bone to pick, however, with Scholastic for perpetrating another dissatisfying Americanization of an English novel. The publisher decided to translate the currency, fine, but why in the world is Martyn listening to NPR and shopping a CVS pharmacy, when the story clearly takes place in England? This incoherent attempt at localization detracted from the reading experience, and when I go to buy a copy, I'll be sure to seek out a British or Canadian edition. ( )

It only get a 3 because it left conflicted. Which isn't bad I just didn't always get where this story was going. At points it felt too serious or adult-like. It was just an odd duck. ( )

A very dark book about Martyn Pig, a boy that nothing goes right for. His mother abandoned him and his drunk, abusive father. The only bright light in his life is the older girl who lives down the street, Alex. Everything changes when his father is accidently killed. Martyn can change his life with Alex's help. ( )

Martyn Pig has had a hard life. His mother divorced his father and left him with his dad. His father is a drunk who only stays sober when his sister is coming for a visit. She had tried to get custody of Martyn. Martyn finds himself in trouble when he accidently kills his father. Enter his friend Alex and her boyfriend Dean and the trouble has begun. This book kept me on the edge of my seat all the way through. I felt the anxiety that Martyn felt while he was going through all his different situations. I have a hard time keeping this book on my shelves. thiswas a re-read for me. I first read it seven years ago when it first came out. I have had to purchase four new copies since that time because they have been stolen or just loved to death. This book is great for any kid because they can relate to it in so many ways. ( )