Even the Dead

A Quirke Novel

By: John Banville, Benjamin Black

Narrated by: John Keating

A suspicious death, a pregnant woman suddenly gone missing: Quirke's latest case leads him inexorably toward the dark machinations of an old foe.

Perhaps Quirke has been down among the dead too long. Lately the Irish pathologist has suffered hallucinations and blackouts, and he fears the cause is a brain tumor. A specialist diagnoses an old head injury caused by a savage beating; all that's needed, the doctor declares, is an extended rest. But Quirke, ever intent on finding his place among the living, is not about to retire.

One night during a June heat wave, a car crashes into a tree in central Dublin and bursts into flames. The police assume the driver's death was either an accident or a suicide, but Quirke's examination of the body leads him to believe otherwise. Then his daughter, Phoebe, gets a mysterious visit from an acquaintance: the woman, who admits to being pregnant, says she fears for her life, though she won't say why. When the woman later disappears, Phoebe asks her father for help, and Quirke in turn seeks the assistance of his old friend, Inspector Hackett. Before long the two men find themselves untangling a twisted string of events that takes them deep into a shadowy world where one of the city's most powerful men uses the cover of politics and religion to make obscene profits.

Even the Dead - Benjamin Black's seventh novel featuring the endlessly fascinating Quirke - is a story of surpassing intensity and surprising beauty.

©2015 Benjamin Black (P)2015 Macmillan Audio

Probably unfair to review the performance

Any additional comments?

I have read every other book in this series. The voices and mannerisms of the characters were already firmly planted in my head when I started this audiobook. The voices didn't match up, and it drove me crazy. The narrator wasn't bad. He just voiced characters with a different tone than I had imagined them.

Another Quirke Story

Would you listen to Even the Dead again? Why?

No. I don't listen/read book a second time.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Quirke is a fascinating character to me...because he had such a brutal childhood, but seems to be a decent man. I also like Inspector Hackett. The inspector had a very polite manner but is very quick.

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

No.

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

No.

Any additional comments?

I enjoyed the way that prior characters and events were intertwined into the story.

Quirk resolves it all

Having read all the previous books, the strands of each story thread were neatly tied together for a satisfying end. Each character with unique virtues and flaws came alive in the pages of this series. If there is another, I will be in the line to get it.

My first book on Audible

An enjoyable experience. Keating does a great job with voices and accents. Having read several works by John Banville, as well as most of his Quirke series under the Benjamin Black pseudonym, I was not sure how how well Even the Dead would "play" on a recording. It was much better than expected and captured the dialogue and accents so well, along with the languid pacing, musings and the imagery of a smoke-filled atmosphere one expects from Black.

Engrossing and very well read

I love the Quirk books and this odd a a good one. Great narrator and elegant writing, as usual.

An excellent writer writes an excellent story

I tried to read John Banfield, the award winning Irish author, but was intimidated by his literary prowess. When I discovered Benjamin Black, I was thrilled to find a “literary” mystery with a continuing main character. Although Quirke is not a detective, he is an interesting, intriguing presence with a unique back story. This, the 7th book in the Quirke series was as well written, as griping and as entertaining as all the other Quirke stories. Pm

Incredibly well written

This was, to me, a relief in that I had lowered my expectations that the brilliant incognito writer might... well... just mail this one in. Thankfully I was wrong. Totally enjoyable but there is one character that gnaws at my ears and I'm sure most listeners will agree. Highly recommend if you liked any of the earlier books.

An Irish Wexford or Bosch

As I was mourning Ruth Rendell's passing, I have discovered the brooding Quirke -- all appears to be well.

BTW, I loved the brogue of the narrator. His southern drawl for Rose was a bit spotty, but the rest were grand.