[1] The novel is written from the point of view of Mary, mother of Jesus, reflecting in her old age on her son's life and the claims he was a messiah.

At an unspecified age, when Mary is close to death, she is regularly visited by followers of her son who wish to record her testament before she dies.

The three flee through the countryside and do desperate things in order to survive with Mary eventually losing all respect for her guide as she realizes he has no plan to save them.

The trio eventually find safety and Mary, Lazarus's sister, departs to go home and live a normal life.

Initial critical reception for the book was positive,[2][3] with a reviewer for the Irish Independent writing that "To say that this is a departure for the Wexford novelist is an understatement, but it can hardly fail to be a major talking point when it's published in October.

The first version of the text was produced in 2011 by the Dublin Theatre Festival and Landmark Productions, as a one-woman play starring Marie Mullen, Testament.

[12] In January 2013, it was announced that Fiona Shaw would star in a Broadway stage adaptation of the play, titled The Testament of Mary, produced by Scott Rudin.