Martyn Pig (New Longman Literature 11-14)

by Kevin Brooks (Author)

• Used

  Hardcover
  2004

  $4.64

  A rollercoaster of deceit, mystery and betrayal - Martyn Pig loves detective stories, but never meant to end up starring in one himself! What's the hook? An intriguing back-to-front murder mystery story. Tension and comedy ensure that both boy and girl readers are equally hooked. What are the themes? Death, growing up, responsibility, bullying, loyalty and relationships. Teaching points? Ideal for class reading in mixed-ability classes. An excellent springboard into explorations of narrative composition, the conventions of mystery and suspense novels, and introduction to black comedy.

• Used

  Paperback
  2006

  $3.22

  With his father dead, Martyn has a choice. Tell the police what happened - and be suspected of murder. Or get rid of the body and get on with the rest of his life. Simple, right? Not quite. One story leads to another. Secrets and lies become darker and crazier. And Martyn is faced with twists and turns that leave him reeling. Life is never easy. But death is even harder.

• Used

  Hardcover
  2002

  $3.22

  Darkly funny, strangely moving, and completely riveting, Martyn Pig is a powerful debut novel from a talented British author. Martyn Pig is a boy trapped in a miserable world with a terrible name. His mother has left home and his father is a pathetic, bullying, self-pitying drunk. Did I hate him? He was a drunken slob and he treated me like dirt. What do you think? Of course I hated him. You would have hated him, too, if you'd ever met him...I hated every inch of him. From his broken-veined, red-nosed face to his dirty, stinking feet. I hated his beery guts. But I never meant to kill him. With his father lying dead at his feet, Martyn Pig has two choices - he can either tell the police what happened, that it was an accident, or he can get rid of the body and pretend to get on with the rest of his life. He decides on the latter and with the help of Alex, a girl who has become more to him than just-a-friend, he travels down a frightening road where the escalating lunacy of events is quite breathtaking. Brilliantly paced and plotted, this is an accidental, back to front, murder mystery. The characters and environment are powerfully realised and Martyn's internal dialogue is both and authentic and thought-provoking with shades of Holden Caulfield. This compelling book will make you laugh out loud from sheer nervousness at the madness of it all. It's a cracker