April in Spain

A Novel

By: John Banville

Narrated by: John Lee

National best seller

Booker Prize winner John Banville returns with a dark and evocative new mystery set on the Spanish coast.

Don't disturb the dead....

On the idyllic coast of San Sebastian, Spain, Dublin pathologist Quirke is struggling to relax, despite the beaches, cafés, and the company of his disarmingly lovely wife. When he glimpses a familiar face in the twilight at Las Acadas bar, it's hard at first to tell whether his imagination is just running away with him.

Because this young woman can't be April Latimer. She was murdered by her brother, years ago — the conclusion to an unspeakable scandal that shook one of Ireland's foremost political dynasties.

Unable to ignore his instincts, Quirke makes a call back home to Ireland and soon Detective St. John Strafford is dispatched to Spain. But he's not the only one en route. A relentless hit man is on the hunt for his latest prey, and the next victim might be Quirke himself.

Sumptous, propulsive, and utterly transporting, April in Spain is the work of a master writer at the top of his game.

©2021 John Banville (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers

Good yarn, laughable accent

I am a fan of John Banville, particularly when writing under his own name. The Sea was the first book I read of his. and I have enjoyed reading all the Dr Quirke books. But listening to this reading was a great disappointment. Some of the words really jarred my listening, the brogue was so extreme.

I grew up spending summers in County Fermanagh, where my grandparents lived. and visited great aunts in Dublin. I know the real voices of these areas. I love the literature of Ireland.

What a writer!

Banville's descriptions are so good you feel like you know the history, foibles and strengths of every character. And he does all that in just a few perfect examples.

Wonderful writing

A good mystery story and written with wonderful descriptions of interesting characters. This author is a fine writer.

Disappointing tale

I read and listen to Banville/ Black for the beauty of the writing, but even that didn’t make this worth Audible credit. Unlike some reviewers I felt the narration was good. I consider the author’s Snow, to be a masterpiece.

Not his best

First half was telling about characters and being this far in a series about Quick, not sure it was needed. Other than a few details about Donostia that we live not sure there is much is a story here. A pretty thin useless plot just to get rid of a new bride. Meh!

Brilliantly constructed; vintage Banville

For those of us who admire the character Quirke, this work pulls you back in place and time. The location of the action is San Sebastián. To say the book is atmospheric does not do justice to it. John Lee’s narration enhances the experience!

I love John Banville and I love John Lee...but...

I bought this book without reading reviews just because I love the author and the narrator, but I'm returning it. I listened to it for over an hour and it consisted of non-witty bickering between Quirke and his new wife, and his constant complaining about being away from home. He hates vacations and travel in general and nothing his wife can do or say can persuade him to have an open mind. Marital arguing is unpleasant to listen to under any circumstances, but especially when it's all there is in the first chunk of what is supposed to be an exciting mystery. Also, the first character to enter this miserable scene is a haughty doctor who does not want to be spending time with Quirke and wife. I didn't want to spend any more time with him either.
I know John Lee's father is/was Irish, but this is a very, very poor, overworked stage Irish accent. Get an Irish narrator next time, please, Mr. Banville.

A disappointment

At least this John Banville book is better than The Sea, which mysteriously won him the Booker prize. The narrator is terrific, but the lack of structure, the disjointed events and lack of a cohesive development toward a worthy conclusion is the reason for my low score. Banville also aborted a true conclusion.

Violent and Sexist

The character Quirke was nothing like the BBC version. It was violent and sexist. This book should have come with a warning

Predictable and not very exciting

I expected more. Very slow start, leading to a mediocre end. Disappointed I stuck it out.