The gospel traditionally attributed to Mark is probably the one least associated with prayer, but it can still be unearthed there by those willing to dig. The author begins with a warning about the dangers of books on prayer and how they can become substitutes for the real thing. Then follows an introduction to the series – Prayer in the Four Gospels – detailing how they complement each other while each has its own intrinsic value, and a further introduction specifically addressing the beauty and worth of the pared-down brevity that is Mark. This takes up the first forty pages – about a third of the book. The rest comprises forty days of reflections on the text, working systematically through the gospel, ‘to encourage you as you pray... in your own particular situation and with your own perspective.’ The reader is urged to let the living Word of God apply itself first and foremost, but the devotionals are well-written, thought provoking and informative without being too intrusive. The deliberately anonymous gospel writer whose only spotlight is on his Lord and who provided no neat conclusion, because Jesus’ story has not ended and never will, becomes an example in spite of himself. Thoroughly recommended.