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Liked It “this fit my mood and the weather perfectly - rather dark and dreary, in a good way. it involves a pathologist looking into the death of a young woman and the disappearance of her baby. the mystery hits close to home and brings up past family sins. it's the first in a series and i'll be checking...” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“This most literary of thrillers introduces Booker prize-winning Irish novelist John Banville's alter ego Benjamin Black's hero, a middle-aged pathologist named Quirke. Not so much a thriller as it is bereft of the fast-paced plotting that so often provides the ... well ... thrills, it also not much of a detective novel as the protagonist Quirke doesn't do a great deal of detecting. The story of the mysterious cover-up of the death of a girl with minimal identity quickly turns into an intricate family saga with a healthy dose of alcohol and Catholic guilt. Black gives 1950s Dublin the noir treatment but the Dr. Jekyll to his Mr. Hyde maintains a poetry which no doubt brings his other work praise in more conventional circles.”
Bhupash wrote this review Friday, November 13 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“this fit my mood and the weather perfectly - rather dark and dreary, in a good way. it involves a pathologist looking into the death of a young woman and the disappearance of her baby. the mystery hits close to home and brings up past family sins. it's the first in a series and i'll be checking out the next book soon. ”
jellyfish wrote this review Monday, October 12 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Again with the .5's, 3.0 - 3.5”
Chas M wrote this review Thursday, October 8 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“Love it so far.”
nasreenaj wrote this review Tuesday, September 29 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Well written, keeps the pages turning. ”
Meredith W wrote this review Tuesday, September 22 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Benjamin Black is the pen name of John Banville- something that didn't register until a friend suggested "The Sea." The characters are dark and distant in this convoluted mystery. But, I liked parsing out both the plot and the protagonist, Quirke- aptly named. ”
Kate M wrote this review Sunday, September 20 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This is a mesmerizing mystery. Quirke, the investigator in the book is a pathologist with a big drinking problem. The mystery revolves around the Catholic Church, his own family, and the question of parenthood. It's beautifully written and leaves you wanting more.”
Julie S wrote this review Thursday, September 3 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Really interesting and original characters. I thought the story was funny and dark and it kept me turning pages.”
Matt L wrote this review Friday, June 26 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“Loved it. Unique in the world of murder mysteries. ”
shane k wrote this review Thursday, June 18 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
