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Christine Falls: A Novel by Benjamin Black
Book Summary InformationAuthor: Benjamin Black Edition: Paperback Published: 2008-01-22 ISBN: 0312426321 Number of pages: 384 Publisher: Picador
Book Reviews of Christine Falls: A NovelBook Review: Who's Better? John Banville or Benjamin Black? Summary: 4 StarsChristine Falls
Admittedly I am an unusual reader. Years ago I decided to upgrade my shotgun approach to reading and have worked my way through the Pulitzers, Bookers and the National Book prize lists just to name a few. I also love mysteries, mostly focused on international writers and foreign locales.
As an Early Reviewer for Library Thing it was an interesting twist to come across "Christine Falls" by Benjamin Black. Interesting because "Christine Falls" is a mystery and Benjamin Black is the nom de plume of Booker award winning author John Banville. In 1981 Banville received the Booker (now the Man Booker) for "Kepler". Set in the 16th century "Kepler" is an accounting of the life of the astronomer Johannes Kepler and his struggle to pursue his scientific discoveries in a world rampant with political intrigue and religious strife. Much more recently, in 2005, Banville received the Man Booker for the second time for "The Sea", a strikingly different novel. Returning to the seaside village where as a young man he encountered a family that profoundly shaped him, a middle-aged man grieves the death of his wife. Both novels are intricate, layered and perhaps a little mannered.
"Christine Falls" has all the attributes of the Man Booker winning novels, but is an even greater departure in genre, style and tone. Successful mysteries must contain all of the staples: a suspicious death, an engaging detective, seemingly overwhelming odds against solving the crime and carefully sprinkled clues, like crumbs in the forest, eventually leading to the murderer. Imagine all of this being by accomplished by an author who brings the level of mystery writing to that of literature.
Setting is a key element of a good mystery and Dublin in the 1950s feels as atmospheric as Paris in the war years. Quirke, a pathologist, discovers his physician brother-in-law tampering with the body of a murder victim. Like all admirable, and often unwilling detectives, Quirke has a personal history and a set of circumstances that work against him and he pursues the truth despite the opposition of the Catholic Church and men in power in Dublin and in Irish circles in America.
Black's writing is elegant and it powers a story line that takes hold early and doesn't let go until the final pages. Characters are sharply drawn and react and interact in ways that make sense while still providing surprise and suspense. As a reader I experienced a satisfying mystery and a fine novel within the pages of one volume.
Unless Banville wins another award I am not likely to read another mainstream novel by him. But the good news is that "Christine Falls" is the first in a series of Quirke novels. I am eagerly looking forward to reading The Silver Swan, the second. Oddly enough, and despite the recognition of the literary cognescenti, Benjamin Black is a much better writer than John Banville.
Summary of Christine Falls: A NovelThe hero of Christine Falls, Quirke, is a surly pathologist living in 1950s Dublin. One night, after having a few drinks at a party, he returns to the morgue to find his brother-in-law tampering with the records on a young woman’s corpse. The next morning, when his hangover has worn off, Quirke reluctantly begins looking into the woman’s history. He discovers a plot that spans two continents, implicates the Catholic Church, and may just involve members of his own family. He is warned--first subtly, then with violence--to lay off, but Quirke is a stubborn man. The first novel in the Quirke series brings all the vividness and psychological insight of John Banville’s writing to the dark, menacing atmosphere of a first-class thriller.
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