From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. In this stunning follow-up to 2007's Christine Falls, Black (pseudonym of Booker Prize–winner John Banville) spins a complex tale of murder and deception in 1950s Ireland. Pathologist Garret Quirke, surprised by a visit from a college acquaintance, Billy Hunt, is even more surprised when Billy begs Quirke not to perform an autopsy on his wife, Deirdre, whose naked body was recently retrieved from Dublin Bay. Though everything points to suicide, Quirke knows something's amiss and begins to retrace Deirdre's steps. Black expertly balances Quirke's investigation with chapters detailing Deidre's past, from her marriage to Billy to her shady business deal with Leslie White, an enigmatic Englishman who knew Deidre as Laura Swan, the proprietress of their joint venture, a beauty salon called the Silver Swan. As Quirke digs deeper, he discovers a web of lies and blackmail that threatens to envelop even his own estranged daughter, Phoebe. Laconic, stubborn Quirke makes an appealing hero as the pieces of this unsettling crime come together in a shocking conclusion. Author tour.(Mar.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --Ce texte fait référence à une édition épuisée ou non disponible de ce titre.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --Ce texte fait référence à une édition épuisée ou non disponible de ce titre.
Audiofile
The eagerly awaited sequel to CHRISTINE FALLS is brought to life by none other than James Bond himself, Timothy Dalton, in a reading so good it will make listeners giddy with delight. Of course, the material is far from delightful as legendary Irish crime novelist John Banville, writing under the name of Benjamin Black, delivers a story steeped in the darkest realms of the human psyche. Dalton is perfectly suited for this sort of tale. His grainy yet charming accent is a great fit for the brooding atmosphere of the novel. As the heavy-drinking Irish pathologist Quirke, Dalton offers a pitch-perfect Irish brogue. It's all thrilling, honest, and raw. L.B. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine
