- Hardcover: 416 pages
- Publisher: Bantam Press; First Edition edition (10 Mar 2008)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0593056418
- ISBN-13: 978-0593056417
- Product Dimensions: 23.8 x 16 x 3.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (51 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 340,992 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Ritual
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More About the Author
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk
When it comes to crime novels designed to chill the blood in their unblinking treatment of the darkest recesses of human behaviour, Mo Hayder is unquestionably in the forefront of British practitioners in the field. What is even more striking is the fact that more than any other female writer, she is moving comfortably in the bloody territory that has long been the traditional prerogative of male writers, and never for a second allows her writing to be any less disturbing than that of her male confrères.
Ritual is par for a course where this writer is concerned: a tough, scarifying novel, delivered with maximum narrative rigour. A police diver discovers a severed human hand in Bristol's floating harbour. Shortly afterwards, another hand -- from the same victim -- is found buried underneath a restaurant. The severed hands are those of a young heroin addict who has recently gone missing from the Bristol drugs scene. A police diver, Flea Marley, finds herself joining forces with DI Jack Caffrey, recently seconded to the Major Crime Investigation unit. Jack is attempting to come to terms with the murder of his brother, but finds himself more than occupied with the details of the death of Mossy, the young heroin addict. It appears that the latter has become embroiled in a sinister black market trade stemming from Africa, where the value of human life is held at less than nothing. Jack and Flea form an uneasy alliance, tackling together a world steeped in the most appalling torture and abuse of human life. Those who have read the powerful predecessors to this novel (such as Birdman and The Treatment) will know what to expect. Mo Hayder is always reliable in delivering riveting (if deeply uncomfortable) reads. --Barry Forshaw
LONDON LITE, 4 March 2008
'There's something almost feral about her fiction compared with other British crime writers. She may be foxy but she's also bloody scary'
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is the first book by Mo Hayder I have read since Birdman and I was not disappointed. I won't repeat the Amazon synopsis printed above as it captures the story very well. What should be added is that not only is the general story compelling, but the quality of Hayder's writing shines and carries the reader along effortlessly. My only gripes are as follows: having two protagonists who are 'damaged' by past tragedy is a little trying. Also, I found the lack of a real psychological explanation for the crimes seriously lacking given their horrific and graphic nature. Nonetheless, I kept reading and on balance it was not a wasted experience.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The subject matter - African superstition - could have been quite interesting, especially as it does seem to have involved murder in the UK.
Also, the idea of a female police diver is unusual, as is the Bristol setting.
So how did the book end up being this boring. I don't know why, really, but I suspect it's the fact that the central characters seemed like cardboard cut-outs. Flea and Caffrey had what might be deemed to be interesting back-stories, but there was nothing interesting about them in the book.
And there is a very fine line between 'interesting' and downright unbelievable; the backstories about Flea's dead parents and Caffrey's dead brother, and especially the one about the Walking Man really were horribly unconvincing, very obviously just decoration.
As for the African superstition - she seemed to handle that quite well, not shying away from being a bit politically incorrect for some people's tastes, no doubt.
But all in all, I can't imagine I would read another book about these people.
Also, the idea of a female police diver is unusual, as is the Bristol setting.
So how did the book end up being this boring. I don't know why, really, but I suspect it's the fact that the central characters seemed like cardboard cut-outs. Flea and Caffrey had what might be deemed to be interesting back-stories, but there was nothing interesting about them in the book.
And there is a very fine line between 'interesting' and downright unbelievable; the backstories about Flea's dead parents and Caffrey's dead brother, and especially the one about the Walking Man really were horribly unconvincing, very obviously just decoration.
As for the African superstition - she seemed to handle that quite well, not shying away from being a bit politically incorrect for some people's tastes, no doubt.
But all in all, I can't imagine I would read another book about these people.
21 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
In her previous book (the fairly bad 'Pig Island') Mo Hayder depicted mystical/supernatural events which eventually proved to have a much more commonplace rationale behind them.
There's more of that in here, where she focuses on African folklore and tribal rituals and it's refreshing to see her debunking this kind of nonsense. When I began reading I thought the book would be heavily supernatural, but this proved erroneous: 'Ritual' is more or less a straightforward crime novel
Bafflingly billed as the first in 'The Walking Man' series it actually features this character in only a few non-crucial scenes; he's not central to the plot or in fact necessary at all other that to introduce us to him. What Mo does do however is bring back police detective Jack Caffery - last seen in 'The Treatment' - and a new character, the flawed, 29 year old police diver Phoebe 'Flea' Marley, who has demons in her past just like Caffery.
There's one or two loose ends left dangling - particularly relating to Jack Caffery - but no doubt these will be further explored as the series develops.
Mo Hayder is a very talented writer and has at least one great book in her. This isn't it, but it's a decent enough read and genuinely creepy in parts. A nice start to a series that could develop into something special.
There's more of that in here, where she focuses on African folklore and tribal rituals and it's refreshing to see her debunking this kind of nonsense. When I began reading I thought the book would be heavily supernatural, but this proved erroneous: 'Ritual' is more or less a straightforward crime novel
Bafflingly billed as the first in 'The Walking Man' series it actually features this character in only a few non-crucial scenes; he's not central to the plot or in fact necessary at all other that to introduce us to him. What Mo does do however is bring back police detective Jack Caffery - last seen in 'The Treatment' - and a new character, the flawed, 29 year old police diver Phoebe 'Flea' Marley, who has demons in her past just like Caffery.
There's one or two loose ends left dangling - particularly relating to Jack Caffery - but no doubt these will be further explored as the series develops.
Mo Hayder is a very talented writer and has at least one great book in her. This isn't it, but it's a decent enough read and genuinely creepy in parts. A nice start to a series that could develop into something special.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Ritual
An odd book this.
While apparently starting a new series featuring Flea Marley, police diver, Mo Hayder also seems to be re-booting the Jack Caffery series. Read more
While apparently starting a new series featuring Flea Marley, police diver, Mo Hayder also seems to be re-booting the Jack Caffery series. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Rich
poor
Having read birdman i was looking forward to another instalment of jack cafferty,but i am afraid i really had to push myself to finish this one. Read more
Published 7 months ago by tara scarlett
Ritual
I couldnt wait to pick it up each day - it kept you guessing - still some surprises - cannot wait for her to write the next one - just love the character Jack that she has created... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Kate/Bushey
Weird but WOW!
Weird and WoW! Jack Caffrey returns having left the big city for Bristol. Caffrey has moved with a few things in his life since The Treatment, and we see a darker side to him,... Read more
Published 12 months ago by C. BROWN
Great
I don't understand all these bad reviews this is a great book, it is a really gripping story but graphic in parts so it may not be for all readers. Read more
Published 12 months ago by tg
disappointing
This book is like a 200 page story with 300 pages of long winded accounts which add no read value, the sure sign of writer's vanity, she's obsessed with giving a prosaic weather... Read more
Published 13 months ago by diane
Edge of your seat thriller
I loved this. It's the first Mo Hayder I've read and will be back for more. It's a deep thriller filled with suspense. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Araminta
Ritual, Mo Hayder
Another excellent book from this author, not as good as Bird Man but I could not put it down. Typically Of Mo Hayder, it is about more of the horrible things people do to each... Read more
Published 22 months ago by julia coffey
Mo Hayder is excellent
Although not as good as when she's on top form, Ritual is still a good read, with enough turns and twists to keep you reading, and still has the ability to creep you out.
Published 22 months ago by Kelly-ann Semper
Ritual
My first and last Mo Hayder. Dismal characters - in both senses of the word - a hinted at but go nowhere romance,interesting idea for a plot fails to ignite. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Ian
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