Christine Falls

A Novel

By: Benjamin Black

Narrated by: Timothy Dalton

Length: 9 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's summary

It's not the dead that seem strange to Quirke. It's the living. One night, after a few drinks at an office party, Quirke shuffles down into the morgue where he works and finds his brother-in-law, Malachy, altering a file he has no business even reading. Odd enough in itself to find Malachy there, but the next morning, when the haze has lifted, it looks an awful lot like his brother-in-law, the esteemed doctor, was in fact tampering with a corpse—and concealing the cause of death.

It turns out the body belonged to a young woman named Christine Falls. And as Quirke reluctantly presses on toward the true facts behind her death, he comes up against some insidious—and very well-guarded—secrets of Dublin's high Catholic society, among them members of his own family.

Set in Dublin and Boston in the 1950s, the first novel in the Quirke series brings all the vividness and psychological insight of Booker Prize winner John Banville's fiction to a thrilling, atmospheric crime story. Quirke is a fascinating and subtly drawn hero, Christine Falls is a classic tale of suspense, and Benjamin Black's debut marks him as a true master of the form.

©2006 Benjamin Black (P)2006 Audio Renaissance, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishers LLC

Critic reviews

“Christine Falls is a triumph of classical crime fiction, finely, carefully made, not a single false move or wrong word--why don't they write books like this anymore?” —Alan Furst

Great Series, Excellent Narration

This is the first in a trilogy (so far) of Quirke mysteries. The stories are compelling, the characters very real and Timothy Dalton's eloquent narration is spot on. I've listened to all three novels and he enunciates so well I haven't missed a word. Best narration I've heard of the twenty books I've purchased from Audible so far.

Very convoluted story-could have been so much shorter

10+hours laying it out, and the final resolution in the last 10 min?? An interesting plot, and gratifying plot twists-but some got lost in the extraneous characters (how many nuns do we really need to keep track of? And all that nonsense with Rose? Puh-lease). Sex scenes were also oddly placed and awkwardly written.

Good, but could have been a tighter and crisper novel. TD did a great job narrating-so many characters, but you knew who he was with each pitch change.

Would really have preferred a more impactful ending to a couple of the storylines.

Overall good but not great.

Wish I could forget it so I could read it AGAIN!

I absolutely was taken in by this book. I struggled at first with the place and culture, but very quickly I was drawn in and transported. I'm not very critical and generally enjoy what I consume, but this book went so very quickly. I enjoyed the characters, the dilemmas, and the conflict faced by these truly magnificent characters. Don’t pass it up.

Christine Falls

This book has some interesting twists, but it does give you pause to think about what people did to others in the name of "what is best for them", not taking into consideration what the consequences might be for those they were "helping"

Quirkie Quark

Even with Timothy Dalton narrating this story was hard for me to continue listening. People with 'sick' behavior are always distressing. In Christine Falls to right the wrong Quark must destroy a close family member and the book becomes dark and sad. Dark and sad is the case here. I cannot recommend this listen only tell you the situation and let you decide for yourself.

Intriguing and dark, but I'm not sorry I read it!

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

I don't know that I would call this book "enjoyable". The story was compelling and kept me drawn in. It took me awhile to listen to it because some days I needed to hear a story that was less intense, happier, if you will. This story was all in blacks, grays, and slate greens in my mind.

The writing was very good. Timothy Dalton's performance was at times a little too dramatic.

What three words best describe Timothy Dalton’s voice?

I can't describe it in 3 words. Great accent, nice characterizations, at times over-the-top dramatic.

Any additional comments?

I will read Benjamin Black again. But only when I'm in a certain mood.

A Mystery of Interest

The title fooled me at first. I greatlly enjoyed Timothy Dalton's narration. The story was a little difficult to get into at first, but once I did, I truly enjoyed the book. It took me a short time to figure out the characters and to put everything into place. I do recommend this book .

Well Written yet Not Compelling

The prose are excellent yet I never found this novel compelling. It got on my reading list from the Audible Essentials list - but when I checked to see WHY they thought this was Essential - I found it had been removed (good idea). I certainly did not find this an essential read.

It does of a lot going for it with well written prose that flow almost like poetry and subtle and powerful evocations, but it (for me) lacked something essential. I was never the least bit drawn into the story.

The narration was good - clear and understandable, but was a bit soporific.

Brilliant match of narrator and story

Timothy Dalton brings a new dimension to a dark, disturbing mystery. His performance gives voice to each of the characters that brought them to life in my car. This was another example of why I've grown to look forward to my commute with a well done Audible offering.

READ THIS BOOK!!!

This book swept me away for four days of blissful listening! Thank goodness it is a series.... I’m not ready to let the characters go!!