John Banville has done it again—creating another thoroughly engaging and literate murder mystery with a winning combination of old characters (State Pathologist Quirke, his daughter Phoebe, and Chief Inspector Hackett), a recent addition from his previous book (Detective Sgt. John Strafford),  and a new batch of memorable figures from the murder-for-hire, Terrence Tice, to the Minister of Defence William Latimer and his drug-addicted, thought-to-have-been-murdered niece, April, and a few other notables.

Banville sets himself apart from most mystery writers (the exception being his predecessor in literate crime, Georges Simenon) by writing artful descriptions and dragging out the final act of the book until one wants to cry ‘uncle’ and be spared further tension.

The plot in this book is rather thin, but serves as the scaffolding for character studies of those individuals who are destined to appear in the next Banville book—Phoebe and Strafford for two.  The former is in a long-term relationship, and the latter is married though separated which gives Banville ample material to work with.

If you enjoy fine writing, a good mystery, and tension enough to dampen your axillae, read Banville.  After winning the Booker Prize in 2005 for ‘The Sea’, he wrote several Quirke mysteries under the nom de plume of Benjamin Black.  He’s now content to write both his literature and  his mysteries using his real name. Good decision.