John Banville Follow

The first thing that struck me while reading this novel was the absolutely beautiful descriptive prose. His writing elevates this novel from being a run of the mill detective story to something… more. And when I say detective story, I mean just that. This is an old-fashioned detective story with the feel of the classic works of Christie, Sayers and the like.

The characters were almost characterizations, though it seemed to work here. The manor house with the eccentric inhabitants sounded as though they had just jumped off a ‘Clue’ board game. The body was even found in the ‘library’.

The only standout was the main character himself, whom I found to be quite unique. He was a Protestant in Catholic Ireland. He was born with a silver spoon, though over the years this has been dreadfully tarnished… He lost his mother at a very young age and was sent to boarding school by his father. He was a loner who eschewed alcohol in a country known for its drinkers. His decision to join the Gardaí is a mystery to his family and yes… even to himself. Solitary, without friend nor even foe, he presents as a detective who doesn’t look like one, working in a profession that he feels himself unsuited for.

The time period set the prevailing look and feel of this novel. It is 1957 and Catholic Protestant relations are strained to say the least. Also, this was a time of great sexual inequality and social class stratification. The upper class held certain privileges that the ordinary man wouldn’t dream of. The Catholic Church is a law unto itself.

I was not a bit surprised when the murderer was revealed, even the twist at the end was somehow not wholly unexpected. Still… it was a fine novel.

Highly recommended to those readers who prefer a slow paced, literary mystery. I for one, thoroughly enjoyed the read.