Christine Falls cover art

Christine Falls

Quirke, Book 1

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Christine Falls

By: Benjamin Black
Narrated by: Timothy Dalton
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About this listen

Introducing Quirke: a pathologist uncovering darkness in 1950s Dublin. Christine Falls is the first in the enthralling literary crime series from John Banville, writing as Benjamin Black. Now major TV series: Quirke, starring Gabriel Byrne and Michael Gambon.

Read by Timothy Dalton (James Bond, Penny Dreadful).

Quirke’s pathology department, set deep beneath the city, is his own gloomy realm: always quiet, always night, and always under his control. Until, late one evening, he stumbles across a body that should not be there – and his brother-in-law falsifying the corpse’s cause of death.

This is the first time Quirke has encountered Christine Falls, but the investigation he opens into her life and death uncovers a dark secret at the heart of Dublin’s high Catholic network. A secret with the power to shake his own family and everything he holds dear.

Continue the spellbinding crime series with The Silver Swan.

©2008 Benjamin Black (P)2008 Macmillan Audio Crime Fiction Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Medical Movie, TV & Video Game Tie-Ins Mystery Police Procedural Thriller & Suspense Tie-in Ireland

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Critic reviews

‘A superb stylist . . . His control and pacing cannot be faulted, and the final outcome is almost unbearably moving . . . You’re in for a treat’ – Michael Dibdin, Guardian

‘Succeeds sensationally . . . An absorbing plot, beguiling characters and evocative settings . . . His pacing is impeccable’ – Marcel Berlins, The Times

‘A gripping, beautifully crafted thriller . . . A one sitting-read, an all-night enticement’ – Scotsman
All stars
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I really enjoyed this, having only recently discovered John Banville, I have Irish family so it's a setting I'm very familiar with, thought the characterisation and plot we're really gripping, and Timothy Dalton read it well EXCEPT the accents were all over the place, as were his pronunciation of Irish names & places, I found that pretty irritating, lord knows there are plenty of great actors of Irish heritage who would have done such a quintessentially Irish novel greater justice in terms of it sounding more appropriate for the setting.

Gripping story

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Bloody hell Irish writers love a bit of misery don’t they.

Despite all the Oedipal red herrings, this is a book about unintended consequences or as Wilde probably said “No good deed goes unpunished “.

It’s very well read by Timothy Dalton too.

Tortured people being tortured.

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Grim 50’s Dublin brought to life, with a twisting plot, beautifully read by Timothy Dalton.
The women characters are very well realised. Loved it.

Gripping but devastatingly sad

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Timothy Dalton is a pleasure to listen to. The story is a slow burn & kept my interest until almost the end. I found Quirke ultimately annoying but I will try another. 1950s Ireland is beautifully evoked.

Irish Noir

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What made the experience of listening to Christine Falls the most enjoyable?

I think that reading Christine Falls was enjoyable, because it was written about something that I have been interested in. As this is a review, I don't wish to give away too much of the plot!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Of course, Quirke was and is my favourite character. Apart from his 'niece' the other characters demand little liking!

Which character – as performed by Timothy Dalton – was your favourite?

By starting the story with Quirke and the body, he ignites our interest. There are not hundreds of characters, so each one is better drawn for us and thus, more memorable.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I didn't find anything wrong with the narrator's performance, though I did have to turn the volume up, as his voice is soft and melodic.

Any additional comments?

I enjoyed this book, you might too!

Who Is Christine? Why Did She Die?

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Timothy Dalton is spellbinding and each character is wonderfully portrayed.I am going to get the next book straight away.

Timothy Dalton

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... the narration made it even gloomier than it was. Yes, it's a dark book, but the narration didn't bring it to life.

Good story but

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Is “Christine Falls” the greatest crime novel ever? Possibly. Is it beautifully written? Definitely. What a treat that this is just the first in a series.

Best crime novel ever?

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I'd not seen the series and came to this book fresh. I enjoyed it, but it's sense of time extended to feeling that the writing style was dated as well. I was quite surprised to discover when it was written. In many that's a plus - it creates a strong feeling of place and time.

But on the upside, it's hard going and full of the prejudices of the time. Also, and this is just a personal thing, I feel I've read a little too much in literature recently about the Irish Church doing despicable things to women who fall and have illegitimate children.

That said, it's beautifully written. And the dirge like narration perfectly suits the dark character of Quirke.

Dark and a little hard going

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A wonderful main character, flawed but fundamentally good. A well structured story but one in which the interaction between the characters, and their lives, is more important than 'who did it'. I look forward to reading the series.

An intelligent crime novel

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