Snow

A Strafford and Quirke Murder Mystery

By: John Banville

Narrated by: Stanley Townsend

Length: 8 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

'The body is in the library,' Colonel Osborne said. 'Come this way.'
Detective Inspector St John Strafford is called in from Dublin to investigate a murder at Ballyglass House - the Co. Wexford family seat of the aristocratic, secretive Osborne family.
Facing obstruction from all angles, Strafford carries on determinedly in his pursuit of the murderer. However, as the snow continues to fall over this ever-expanding mystery, the people of Ballyglass are equally determined to keep their secrets.

©2020 John Banville (P)2020 Faber & Faber

Critic reviews

'Outstanding.' Irish Independent

'Exquisite.' Daily Mail

'Hypnotic.' Financial Times

"The body in the library."

Just superb.
Yes, it's a murder mystery with somewhat ironic, comic overtones, but it is the characterisations, including those of Irish religious politics and weather, and the cold interplay between the at Christmas time in 1957 which makes this book both unique and, for this reader, totally immersive.
Narrated by Stanley Townsend, his deliciously warm and gentle Irish accented voice comp!Steph compliments the writing. His is a very fine performance, sedate, but replete with understanding of all that he is reading.
The book starts from the POV of the murder victim, Father Tom, a priest well known throughout the country and a frequent visitor to the large and mouldering Bally Glass House where he meets his end. Much later, he returns again to give a first person review of himself and his life, this chapter of itself being a remarkably well presented short story. The rest of the novel is mostly, though not entirely, from the viewpoint of the investigator, D.I.St.John Strafford (with an 'r'), locked into the area by the falling snow. The atmosphere throughout is cold, stark, for protagonists as well as countryside, but with a delightfully gentle humour also, such as the Agatha Christie type setting, the attitudes of almost everyone, and the poor sergeant, Jenkins, virtually invisible to everyone, it seems, and no one can remember his name.

For readers who truly enjoy getting to know the characters, their foibles and eccentricities, rather than placing the murder itself centre stage, this is the book for you and highly recommended.

this is terrible in every way

this has a graphic, unappolegetic, almost gleeful description of a rape of a young boy. dont read this.

a bit besides the point, but all of the other characters are so unpleasant, you keep wishing all of them dead. and the "detective" is constantly hitting on his suspects and ends up sleeping with a 19 year old. what a gross, endlessly horrible book.