This is the second mystery I have read by Black, and I liked it well enough to try his third attempt at this genre. As do the others, the main protagonist is the morose coroner, Quirke, an alcoholic widower, who ended up marrying the wrong sister, yet must live his life knowing that his brother Mal Griffiths, married the one he loved. The book blends the personal with the troubles of acquaintances, in this case the death of Christine Falls, the daughter of a women who once worked for Quirke's father, the judge. The mother, too, dies mysteriously, not before mailing her diary to an unknown, which piques Quirke's interest. In his quest to find out the whole story, his niece/daughter Phoebe plays a central role, finding out late in the book that Quirke is actually her father. When his wife Delia died in child birth, he gave the baby to his brother and Delia's sister, Sarah, who brought Phoebe up as their own. There's also the catholic church, its nunnery and charities, at the center of these mysterious disappearances and deaths. It moves from Ireland to Boston, where Quirke, when just a resident, met his wife, some twenty years ago. As I mentioned earlier, Banville knows how to write and I am continually in awe of his language, his insights, and ability to help me see things differently. I was a bit bored in the beginning but it picked up its pace and I like it quite a bit by the end. Quirke has a very difficult time forming relationships, though women seem to be attracted to him, and he ends up bedding at least one or two each novel.
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