The Silver Swan

A Novel

By: Benjamin Black

Narrated by: Timothy Dalton

Length: 8 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

Two years have passed since the events of the bestselling Christine Falls, and much has changed for Quirke, the irascible, formerly hard-drinking Dublin pathologist. His beloved Sarah is dead, the Judge lies in a convent hospital paralyzed by a devastating stroke, and Phoebe, Quirke's long-denied daughter, has grown increasingly withdrawn and isolated.

With much to regret from his last inquisitive foray, Quirke ought to know better than to let his curiosity get the best of him. Yet when an almost-forgotten acquaintance comes to him about his beautiful young wife's apparent suicide, Quirke's "old itch to cut into the quick of things, to delve into the dark of what was hidden" is roused again. As he begins to probe further into the shadowy circumstances of Deirdre Hunt's death, he discovers many things that might better have remained hidden, as well as grave danger to those he loves. Haunting, masterfully written, and utterly mesmerizing in its nuance, The Silver Swan fully lives up to the promise of Christine Falls and firmly establishes Benjamin Black (a.k.a. John Banville) among the greatest of crime writers.

©2008 Benjamin Black (P)2008 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

“The eagerly awaited sequel to Christine Falls is brought to lief by none other than James Bond himself, Timothy Dalton, in a reading so good it will make listeners giddy with delight...It's all thrilling, honest, and raw.” —AudioFile

“...the second in Black's Quirke series, offers an excellent opportunity for Dalton to flash his acting chops. Dalton's reading is hushed, intense and dramatic, read as if being performed onstage.” —Publishers Weekly

“Elegant and elegiac are not words often used to describe the prose in a whodunit, but author Benjamin Black isn't the usual perpetrator of whodunits...Black casts a slick of despair over his carefully plotted narrative, the characters all seeming to yearn for a ntoe of grace to enter their bleak lives...As before, Timothy Dalton's brilliant performance is as nuanced as the story, his voice a mirror of its moods.” —BookPage

Captures the nature of the book very well.

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Defintely an enjoyable listen, but preferred the first and third books in the series more.

What does Timothy Dalton bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He is very dramatic which worked well with the dark aura of the story.

Could you see The Silver Swan being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

Oh yes! I would love to see Ciaran Hinds as Quirk. He is Irish and could easily portray the broody Quirk!

Utterly compelling and brilliantly read

The richness of Benjamin Black's prose coupled with the emotive reading by Timothy Dalton made for an absolutely compelling listen. This is the kind of literary mystery book I love, laden with atmosphere and filled with arresting descriptions and deeply-drawn characters. I actually re-listened to many parts of this book just to hear the brilliant turns of phrase that Mr. Black has conjured from a seemingly deep well of creativity.

Darkly Irish mystery

This is an engrossing and darkly moody mystery, very well narrated. Several surprising turns of event, and interesting characters. I will read more of Black's books, for sure.

Good read!

What did you love best about The Silver Swan?

The twiists and turns are lots of fun.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Quirk - He is human - makes mistakes - woders what to do - doesn't know it all.

Have you listened to any of Timothy Dalton’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I like his work.

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

Not really, just a good read.

The ending really annoyed me.

I bought this book after reading Christine Falls and like that novel this was equally interesting and compelling. The narration was excellent also. My one gripe is the ending. In light of the way the author concluded the story I suppose the novel is more an emotional tale of a complicated man than detective story.

Disappointing and disjointed

I enjoy complex mysteries but this one simply annoyed me. The author seemed so preoccupied with how many characters could have sex with each other, he forgot to sustain a decent plot. I won't be buying any more if his novels.

Enjoyable

Enjoyed it, but didn't find it as well crafted at the first. perhaps it's just a necessary link in the chain.

A great sequel!

Two points regarding "Christine Falls" and "The Silver Swan":

1) Benjamin Black is a fabulous writer who knows too well the weakness of the human condition. Those who have read Dennis Lehayne ("Mystic River", etc.) will love this series. Highly recommended!

2) Why doesn't Timothy Dalton narrate more audiobooks?! He is simply outstanding.

Wow, can this guy write.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Yes, the plot is woven so artfully that its construction is invisible. I was intrigued from the very beginning. The characters are well developed and interesting.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Absolutely. All of his books are.

Any additional comments?

I can't wait to get the next Benjamin Black book.

Narrator is fantastic -

Timothy Dalton's performance is fantastic, he makes the book. While I do love the characters, and the writing is very strong, I am sure without Mr. Dalton something would be missing. I am going to search for other performances. Excellent.