April in Spain
A Strafford and Quirke Murder Mystery
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3.7 • 16 Ratings
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- £8.49
Publisher Description
'Deeply atmospheric.'
MICK HERRON
'A joy to read.'
SUNDAY TIMES
'The ultimate page-turner.'
IRISH INDEPENDENT
The sumptuous, propulsive, sun-kissed follow up to the bestselling Snow, from the Booker Prize winning author.
'He wanted to know who she was, and why he was convinced he had some unremembered connection with her. It was as simple as that. But he knew it wasn't. It wasn't simple at all.'
When Dublin pathologist Quirke glimpses a familiar face while on holiday with his wife, it's hard, at first, to tell whether his imagination is just running away with him. Could she really be who he thinks she is, and have a connection with a crime that nearly brought ruin to an Irish political dynasty?
Unable to ignore his instincts, Quirke makes a call back home and Detective St John Strafford is soon dispatched to Spain. But he's not the only one on route: as a terrifying hitman hunts down his prey, they are all set for a brutal showdown.
Praise for Snow:
'Superb ... crime fiction for the connoisseur.' The Times
'Outstanding.' Irish Independent
'Exquisite.' Daily Mail
'Hypnotic.' Financial Times
'Compelling.' Sunday Times
'Superb to the last drop.' Independent
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Banville's slow-moving eighth crime thriller featuring Irish pathologist Quirke (after 2015's Even the Dead) finds Quirke and his wife, Evelyn, vacationing in San Sebastián, Spain. When the couple forget to buy an oyster-opening tool, Quirke tries to use a nail scissors instead and accidentally wounds himself badly enough that Evelyn insists they go to a hospital. There, he's initially examined by Angela Lawless, an Irish physician who looks familiar, but who never returns to the exam room, leaving another doctor to tend to the injury. Her appearance and her initials lead Quirke to suspect that she's actually April Latimer, a woman believed to be dead. April's brother, who was sexually involved with his sibling, had confessed to killing her before taking his own life. Quirke shares his suspicions with his daughter, Phoebe, who had been April's friend, and Phoebe travels to Spain to see for herself. Meanwhile, a psychotic hit man emotionally attached to his gun lurks in the background. The melodramatic ending doesn't compensate for a story line too slight for the book's length. Banville has been much better.
Customer Reviews
Police investigation set in the 1950's
This is my first book by John Banville and not recognising characters from his previous books didn't spoil my enjoyment at all.
From Dublin to northern Spain. The time is the 1950's, no modern technology, high speed car chases or gangland warfare, quite a change from modern police investigations. The author's descriptions initially seemed lengthy but were all essential to the story.
The two main characters are the moody and constantly pessimistic Irish pathologist Quirk, who, while on holiday in San Sebastian, Spain, recognises someone who was presumed murdered and declared dead four years ago back home in Dublin. He can't resist probing …..
And Terry Tice, a psychopathic serial killer for hire, sent to San Sebastian by someone high in the Irish government with instructions to liquidate a problem.
I found the slow speed an interesting change and was soon riveting as the plot unfurled. This is less a police investigation and more uncovering the reasons why someone would disappear, all culminating in a dramatic end.
My first John Banville book and certainly not my last, I have no problem recommending it, and look forward to reading more in the series.
A terrific read
This is the first of The Quirke novels I have read. Beautifully written with not a word wasted. An interesting tale of corruption interwoven into troubled but very human lives.