Christine Falls
Quirke, Book 1
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Christine Falls
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Narrated by:
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Timothy Dalton
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By:
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Benjamin Black
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 AudioListeners also enjoyed...
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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
What listeners say about Christine Falls
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 13-08-23
Gripping story
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.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- The Curator
- 30-11-19
Tortured people being tortured.
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.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Rachel Bell
- 30-01-24
Gripping but devastatingly sad
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.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Michelle
- 31-12-16
Irish Noir
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.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Annie
- 31-08-15
Who Is Christine? Why Did She Die?
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!
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 17-04-23
Good story but
... the narration made it even gloomier than it was. Yes, it's a dark book, but the narration didn't bring it to life.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- caroline Quy
- 29-11-22
Timothy Dalton
Timothy Dalton is spellbinding and each character is wonderfully portrayed.I am going to get the next book straight away.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Liz
- 23-05-18
Dark and a little hard going
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.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- PT
- 25-07-17
An intelligent crime novel
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.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- Tracey wolf
- 17-08-18
Ok
I thought that the plot was all over the place and I couldn't keep up with the story very well
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