The Lock-Up- A Novel by John Banville
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Web ID: 16849910Masterful writing
First, some advice for those who might be in a similar state of confusion as me when it comes to the John Banville bibliography! I sought out and read ‘Snow’, the book that is listed as the first installment in the St. John Strafford series on many books sites, before reading this second installment. As it turns out, the stories were entirely separate, and equally effective as standalone works. In fact, ‘The Lock Up’ is actually a follow-on from events in another John Banville novel called ‘April In Spain’, which is where Detective St. John Strafford makes his first appearance, but that book is actually the eighth installment in the Quirke Series, even though the first seven instalments are published under Banville’s pen name Benjamin Black! Confusing no doubt, but entirely worth the effort! In ‘The Lock Up’, what appears to be a tragic but straightforward case of suicide is quickly determined to be anything but. Strafford and Quirke, despite their blatant dislike for each other, must work together to unravel a murder mystery that has its origins in the final days of World War II Germany and consequences in the present for some in Ireland and as far away as Israel. I hadn’t come across John Banville prior to finding this book, but he has quickly become a favourite author of mine. His descriptive prose and imagery in this book is easy to get lost in and completely immerses you in the sights and sounds of 1950s Dublin, while his character dialogue flows so naturally, regardless of the backgrounds and types of the characters involved. I listened to the audio version of this book and the narrator Stanley Townsend was superb, effortlessly portraying and switching between the various Irish, Israeli and German character accents, and really adding my enjoyment of the story.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
highly recommended literary historical mystery
The Lock-Up by John Banville is a highly recommended literary historical mystery. Set in 1950s Dublin, Ireland, pathologist Dr. Quirke and DI St. John Strafford are working together to solve a globe-spanning mystery. Rosa Jacobs, a young history scholar, is found dead in her car. Her death is at first thought to be a suicide, but Dr. Quirke is sure that the death needs to be investigated as a murder. Rosa's older sister Molly discovers a lead that could crack open the case. The quality of the writing is absolutely incredible in this slow-burn mystery. There are complexities in the narrative that the two must figure out by untangling the clues. Those who appreciate literary fiction will immediately be drawn in by the excellence of the descriptive writing. Additionally, the context of the plot is based on historically accurate information for the time period. This is very important to many readers. Both Quirke and Stratford are well-developed. The authentic portrayal of the characters as fully realized individuals as realistic and flawed men is part of what makes the narrative so compelling and interesting. This is really a character driven mystery. They are both working on the case in their own way and must look into Rosa's life and involvement with Kesler, a wealthy German industrialist. Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Hanover Square Press via Edelweiss.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com