Mary's the Name

by Ross Sayers

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.

Mary’s quirky outlook on life, loss, and her love of all things Elvis, will capture your heart. Full of witty Scots banter, Mary’s the Name will have you reaching for the hankies, first with laughter, then with tears.

Heart-warming and heart-breaking, this darkly comic debut is from a fresh voice set to become Scotland’s answer to Roddy Doyle.

Genres: Young Adult, Scotland, Fiction

314 pages, Paperback

Published January 30, 2017

About the author

Ross Sayers is an author, originally from Stirling, now based in Glasgow.

His first novel, 'Mary's the Name', was shortlisted for the Saltire First Book of the Year Award.

Reviews

[Abbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s something about Mary…

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.

Mary’s The Name is the story of eight-year-old Mary Sutherland and her grandpa who, after a robbery, move from Stirling to Portree on the Isle of Skye. Mary discovers that her Granpa was involved in the robbery and the robbers have followed them. A real coming-of-age story, we follow Mary as she begins to realise that not everything in the world is as it first appears.

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.

A huge thank you to Ross Sayers and Cranachan for the advance copy in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.

Published on 30 January 2017 by Cranachan publishing.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Utterly smitten with this story and the setting. It made me laugh and it broke my heart. Set in Scotland, mainly on the Isle of Skye where we hear the events that unfold after Mary and her Grandpa leave Stirling to go on holiday to Skye. The story is told from Mary’s point of view. Quite often narratives like that annoy the heck out me but I thought this was incredibly well done.

[Lainy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 314

Publisher - Cranachan

Blurb from Goodreads

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.

Mary’s quirky outlook on life, loss, and her love of all things Elvis, will capture your heart. Full of witty Scots banter, Mary’s the Name will have you reaching for the hankies, first with laughter, then with tears.



My Review


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.

Mary’s quirky outlook on life, loss, and her love of all things Elvis, will capture your heart. Full of witty Scots banter, Mary’s the Name will have you reaching for the hankies, first with laughter, then with tears.



My Review

Meet eight year old Mary Sutherland and her Granpa, a dynamic duo against the world, Mary loves Elvis and Granpa is her whole world. When the betting shop, where Granpa works, gets held up, everything changes for Mary and the two have to up sticks and head to Granpa's pals house for a wee visit to the Isle of Skye. It isn't too long before Mary catches on that everything isn't as it seems and the robbers are coming too!

This lovely wee book arrived with a wee bookies slip, a bag of sweets and best of all an Elvis face mask. As a debut novel you are never too sure what to expect however a book set in Scotland, heart warming and laced with Scottish banter, who could say no! An eight year old's out look on life is always unique, kids are amazing and their view is so pure Mary is no different and hilarious in some of her quips.

A wee book about family, friendships, love, honor and the age old actions and consequences, laced with adventure, humor and sadness this wee book will take you on an emotive roller coaster. You would never guess this is a debut, very well written and I just loved the card trick Iain showed Mary, I have always loved cards so this was just the cherry on top.

A lovely setting, beautiful location and whilst the pace isn't a fast packed action race, it is a beautiful tale that sweeps the reader along. 4/5 for me this time, thanks to Sayers
and Cranachan for sending me a copy of this book. I will certainly be watching out for more from this author and may take another visit along to the bookies, I nipped in after reading this to my nearest Labrokes.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

there is something completely and utterly captivating about this book that just draws you in and churns you up inside out!

Eight year old Mary and her granpa are caught up in a robbery in the bookies where he works. Not long after Mary's granpa tells her they are going on a summer long holiday to the Isle of Skye. She is excited by the adventure and not that sad to leave her Stirling home for the summer as she feels quite isolated and friendless there. However Mary soon begins to realise that her granpa wasn't being entirely truthful with her at all.

This isn't a "wham bam thank you mam" paced read but rather a gentle yet fiercely emotionally read. The narrator is 8-year-old Mary and I immediately connected with her, whenever I picked up the book to read I was transported into the inside of Mary's head. Despite her young years she is a wise wee girl and her dialogue is intelligent beyond her years. There is a charm, an innocence, vulnerability as well as a matureness about Mary that makes her a strong and well-developed character. I think that shows a tremendous skill from the author to form such a well-rounded character from one so young. Mary will have you going from howling with laughter to howling with tears as you read this book.
Initially I completely got granpa and the reasons for his actions - his wee Mary is his whole world and this shines through throughout the book but when they moved to Skye I saw a different side of him that I wasn't so keen on. Despite everything Mary continued to be his protector yet he continued to tell her lies but by the end I got his reasons all over again but was left weeping throughout this story.

Mainly set on the Isle of Skye although it starts off in their hometown of Stirling; the dialogue in the book is local but don't let this put you off - it is not such that you need to be Scottish to understand but it gives you a real sense of authenticity - my internal voice delighted in reading this book in the dialect that just works so well for it.I've never been to Skye before but the author managed to pick me up and transport me there with his description - I could see the big Pink House of Mary's dreams and could imagine Granpa having his wee dram of an evening while telling Mary a merry tale or two!

Honestly this book had my emotions churned up and spat out right from the very beginning; I laughed and cried throughout the book, my heart was warmed and it was broken - this book chewed me up and spat me out. And being Scottish and also having such a close relationship with my own grandparents I could honestly describe this book as opening the pages and crawling up onto my granda's knee as I relived so many happy memories.

Mary's the Name is a quirky yet powerfully evocative tale that will both warm and break your heart simultaneously - go grab yourself a wee corner to read in and settle yourself down, you are going to love it!

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Review & Thoughts By Kelly L
I had heard such great things about the book. The buzz on Social Media and all the chit chat at book events. So I was looking forward to it. The whole book is from wee Mary's prospective and as she's only eight it's interesting to see her world through young eyes. As her parents died in a car crash, it's up to Granpa to look after and care for Mary. However this is a huge responsibility and Granpa falls short at times. Making me very cross I have to add. Shouting at Granpa in my head to take more time to watch the bairn instead of being in the bloody pub. The book will have you laughing out loud with it's humour but it's not all jolly. There is a thread throughout of a criminal behavior and the fear of the ugly misfit brutes that may or may not find Mary & Granpa. The people that Mary meets colour her life's path in all different ways. The much needed friendships that she craves are tested. It's a very valid point that whether you are 8 or 80 we all want is to be accepted for who we are and loved unconditionally.
Being Scottish myself, I love how Ross Sayers kept the books tone true to the dialect. It was a refreshing read. I loved the details about the Isle Of Skye and I would love to visit Portee and go to on a boat tour, walk up to the lump and of course see Mary's Pink House. I know Mary will be one of the book characters that haunts my head in a lovely way. With her beautiful innocence and quite wit.
The core of the store is honesty and trust. I encourage you to read the book. It's a roller coaster of emotions.
You can WIN a copy of the book by entering HERE ~ http://bit.ly/2kk71K6

[Bev · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. Mary's a fantastic character and I loved seeing the world through her eyes. Mary and her Granpa's relationship is so adorable - reading about him from her perspective means you can't help but like him even though, as a reader, it's obvious that not everything he does is right.

[Louisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 v v cute but i will not forgive the ending 😔

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well what is there to say about wee Mary? I just loved her and I loved this book. The story is told entirely from her eight-year old point of view which gives it a conversational, confiding feel. Mary lives with her beloved Granpa Arthur who works in a betting office. She has lived with him since her parents were killed in a car crash when she was very small and they are everything to each other. There is a robbery at the betting office and shortly afterwards, Mary and her Granpa go to stay in the the beautiful island of Skye. Through overheard conversations, Mary begins to realise that perhaps her Granpa was involved in some way and that perhaps they are in danger.

I think that Ross Sayers has done a brilliant job of capturing his young protagonist's voice and you can read more about that in his guest post below. A lot of the humour in the book comes from Mary's very literal understanding - or misunderstanding - of what the adults around her are saying. I liked the way the author used italics when Mary was using words she'd obviously heard adults using but didn't quite understand herself. Her youthful naivety is very sweet, such as when she hears the automated train station announcer: "A posh lady over the speakers told us the next train was on its way....There was a little gap before she said 7.34 and Aberdeen like she was checking her jotter to make sure she said the right thing." The use of dialect for Mary's speech and also for the other characters added a real authenticity to the dialogue.

Mary's the Name will have you wanting to give Mary a cuddle as she goes through the confusion of being dropped by the girl she thought was her friend. I was so pleased when she found a new friend, Grace, in Skye and enjoyed the escapades they got up to. The strong bond between Mary and her Granpa was clear to see though I was beginning to wonder just what he had got them into!

Oh and that bet at the end? (read it to find out) - I'm willing to bet she collects on it! Mary's the Name had me smiling a lot but also left me with a lump in my throat. A wonderfully witty and warm debut by a fresh new voice in Scottish fiction, a real pleasure to read. Ross Sayers is certainly an author to watch in future.

[Nicole Sweeney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review originally posted on The Bibliophile Chronicles.

I absolutely loved this book. Since finishing its I think I've recommended it to about seven different people. It's sweet, funny and very moving. This already hits one of the top spots for favourite books of the year, and it's only February. Mary's the Name is absolutely a must read.

The whole book is told from the perspective of Mary. She's eight, and has a very interesting outlook on life. She's hilarious, her thought processes and some of the things she says had me laughing on the bus and during my lunch break. I took a while to read Mary's the Name, because it's such a lovely wee story. I loved seeing things from Mary's perspective. She's so witty and clever, she has an opinion on just about everything, and I loved that about her. Sayers did a fabulous job of writing from a wee lassie's perspective, you can imagine a young girl asking speaking the way she does and behaving that way.

Mary and her Grandpa have such a wonderful relationship. With her parents dying in a car crash, it's just the two of them. They're so close - watching James Bond films and doing all sorts together. Their relationship got me misty eyed more than a few times, and it's such a lovely story of family and trust. I rooted for them from the very first chapter right to the very end.

The story is a fascinating one, and has a roller-coaster of emotions. To be entirely honest, I felt like I needed a lie down after finishing it, I was so invested in these characters, and I had one hell of a book hangover after I'd finished reading. The book is also starts off in Stirling in Scotland before Mary and her Grandpa move to Portree in Skye. Being a Stirling resident myself I loved the style of writing and the Scottish dialect that was included. It's a great touch and makes the characters seem all the more realistic.

I do also feel like the book stays with you after you've finished reading. I found myself still thinking about it even though I was moving on to read other things. It really is a fantastic début novel, and one I would definitely read again.

[Lisbeth Davies · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this because the publisher (Cranachan Books) and the author are such lovely people on Twitter so I was delighted to find that I absolutely loved this book from start to finish and I'm going to start picketing both publisher and author for a sequel I can cry happy tears over.

I'll have to "make do" with anything else he writes in the meantime :-)

Recommended to just about everybody I know. And those I don't.

[Anne Hamilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

After her granpa is mixed up in a robbery at the bookies where he works, eight year old Mary finds herself on the run with him. They flee from Stirling to the Isle of Skye, where Mary starts to realise that this is no holiday and that granpa isn’t as truthful as he always expects her to be… The robbers are chasing him – and they’re fairly sure he has their money.
Mary’s the Name is the debut novel from Scottish writer, Ross Sayers. Narrated by a highly observant Mary, this is fiction that will appeal to adults and young adults across the board. It’s an ‘easy’ read in the sense of being a proper old-fashioned story, with strong characters, well-drawn settings, authentic language, and a sense of humour that successfully combines comedy and tragedy. There are goodies and baddies, too, but deciding who is who and to what extent is one of the interesting undercurrents of the novel.
Mary herself is highly engaging. Establishing and maintaining a child’s voice for three hundred pages requires meticulous precision – the end result needs to read effortlessly – something which Sayers has achieved. Mary has an old head on young shoulders, she’s smart and there’s more than a bit of her granpa in her, but there’s also all the innocence you’d expect, and that combination makes her character, and the story she’s telling. Granpa is a skilful mix, too…
A nicely paced novel, that – for me – picked up a bit too much at the end, with drama done and dusted and all wrapped up a bit too quickly. Maybe, though, I just didn’t want my journey with Mary to be over.

[Xabier Cid · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have many personal issues against this book: I don't like stories of deception to kids, and I ran exhausted of these novels where the main character is a little girl to make us laugh with her lack of understanding of the world. I read three or four very recently, and I would reckon that this may be a contemporary trend: girl meets girl and they solve a mystery while getting shocked by the inconsistency of the adult world.
However, there are many good things in this particular novel: how easy the writing is (and the reading), how interesting characters are the two old men, and even how close to me are both cities, Stirling and Portree. Actually, not just Stirling, but my very area in Stirling. Eventually though a feeling of void, maybe because the story is rather simple, maybe because of the insistence in those inconsequential jokes about children confronting the adult life, maybe because the end is as unlikely as foreseeable. A relaxing, easy book, perfect between two challenging reading experiences.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Mary's the Name for a book club I have recently joined in the place I work and I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

Being from Scotland myself, I really appreciated and related to the language, minor plot details and character behaviours and mannerisms. Usually, Scotland is exaggerated in film and literature but Mary's the Name was perfectly balanced and fun to read. The writing style made the book very easy to read. The fairly simple, yet detailed story line full of themes of family, kinship, friendship and sacrifice makes the book more compelling to read and difficult to put down.

The location/setting development of Portree was vivid and detailed which made the small village of Portree come to life for the reader. Even over a week later I can picture the quaint village and community come to life in my imagination. The characters were well developed as if Sayers knows them personally in his day to day life. Each character is unique and personal, from their accents and language, to their mannerisms, behaviours, likes and dislikes. I feel like I know these people because they were portrayed and created so vividly within the story. The characterisation of Mary was executed excellently. Sayers captured the mentality and essence of an eight year old girl perfectly, allowing the reader to become immersed in the mind of Mary and explore her world from her point of view. Mary is a lovable character with an innocent view of the world and a personality weaved through the roots of the book, she brings the book to life.

[Kirsty Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first book of the year and it didn't disappoint. Mary is a great wee character that the reader is drawn to from page 1. This is a novel about an innocent child and a corrupt granddad - a diamond of a man who loves his granddaughter dearly. The author did a great job of writing from Mary's point of view when the character is so young. My only criticism would be the explaining of Scottish words - trust your reader. Otherwise, it was great. The plot was brilliant and I even had a gasp, right in the middle, but I won't spoil it for anyone. Well done Ross, looking forward to the next one.

[SALLY WHITE · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Goodreads for sending me this book. This is the authors second novel, and I must say it is a great story. It is written and told through the eyes of Mary, who has been orphaned. She is now being cared for by her grandfather and unfortunately, and although he loves her, he has got himself mixed up in some trouble which has an effect on young Mary too. The setting is Scotland and the descriptive aspects of the country are great. I also think that the relationship between Mary and her grandfather is something very special. A touching story.

[Sandra Ireland · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful book! I feel like I'm a bit late to the party with this one, and my only regret is that I didn't read it sooner. Not only is this a page-turning, memorable story crammed with nuance and irresistible observations from our 8 year-old protagonist, it is also a masterclass for other writers. The author's skill in sustaining the child's voice throughout the narrative is incomparable. It's laugh-out-loud funny, sweet and nostalgic, but also unflinching in its portrayal of this little girl's chaotic home life with her adored Granpa. Read it!

[A.A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this read. Mary was a wonderful protagonist, and I loved seeing the story told through her eyes. As an adult reader, you instinctively know something more has gone on than Mary's aware of, but you also become a bit more trusting of her because of her youthful perspective. Her relationship with her Granda was heartwarming and I loved watching them interact together. I also loved the setting of the Isle of Skye in Scotland. Great characters, interesting story, wonderful setting, and compelling writing - what more could you ask for?

[Moira McPartlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eight year old Mary is an orphan who lives with her granpa. When Granpa gets mixed up in a robbery the two go on the run to Portree, Skye where things don't go according to plan. This is a delightful book told from Mary's perspective and it is this perspective that makes it so enjoyable for the reader. Not only is Mary's voice captivating but because of her innocence she doesn't get the whole picture whereas the reader does. It's a heartwarming tale filled with good and evil, lots of flawed characters and tons of humour.

[Ceri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell in love with wee Mary and her granpa!
A brilliantly written book (a debut?) with excellent characterisation - I completely believed in these two and their relationship. Mary’s granpa absolutely doated on her and their time in Portree was hilarious, with the end being just a wee bit heartbreaking! Full of witty banter, I did laugh out loud a few times and enjoyed every page of this book.
Absolute belter of a novel, will definitely read more from the author.

[Margaret McCulloch-Keeble · Rating 4 out of 5]

This meanders along, with no sense of urgency until the the last 50 or so pages and then it fairly thunders along. I would say there's a bit of unnecessary padding here and there, but he writes Mary's character so well that I suppose a child like Mary would ramble a bit and become easily distracted. No a bad wee book.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredibly evocative journey told through the eyes of an eight year olf girl that made me laugh, made me think and definitely made me cry. Unashamedly Scottish and all the better for it, I very much look forward to the second book from this Author coming out this year.

[Luca · Rating 3 out of 5]

poor mary ):

3 stars because i don’t like books being written from a child’s pov. there’s a lot going on with mary’s granpa but you don’t really actually know what’s going on with him, which kind of “ruins” the story for me.

[Barbara Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book: Moving, funny, observant and real. I actually loved it.

[Amelia Bassiti · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it. The "chaff" brought back my childhood in Scotland and the story-line was authentic and poignant.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant! Such a great book.

[Andy Mac · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable read x

[Fiona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely book, brilliantly written. Takes quite some skill to write from the POV of a wee girl without either being boring or inauthentic, but Sayers manages it.

[Nicola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful!!

[iona · Rating 5 out of 5]

“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.”

[Nicola · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 💫