Snow by John Banville
This book starts with a brutal murder of a priest in 1957 in wexford, the town I live in.
What follows is a mystery, that takes a lot of twists and turns until it is finally solved, I didn't work it out until the killer was revealed.
I loved the Wexford scenery and locations in the book, It was the thing I enjoyed the most 3/5

We have a colonel with a priests body in the library which all seems to be very Agatha Christie, except being 2020, we have gore, mutilation and sexual abuse.

Following the discovery of the priests body of a highly at Ballyglass House - Detective Inspector St John Strafford is called in from Dublin to investigate.
Strafford faces witnesses that appear to be withholding information and pressure from the church to hush the whole thing up. Many of the scenes seem almost TV ready with the colonel and his family of strange characters and the constant snow which gives a rural claustrophobic feel to proceedings.

The crime was relatively easy to solve although there are some twists at the end; however the writing is superb and the novel raises the subject of religion, child abuse and the subsequent cover ups which makes the novel interesting and engrossing.

What an apt title. Snow features in this novel like a true master of suspense. It weaves the story together like a pro. Ireland's landscape is atmospheric in any season, but snow makes the rural town in Ireland feel even more remote.

This remoteness is the perfect setting of John Banville's latest novel. The story takes place in 1957. It starts with the body of a priest in a library and a detective unwilling to return to small town Ireland to solve the murder. The cast of characters are like actors in a play. It feels like an overdone Agatha Christie novel, but the plot never falters and I found the novel impossible to put down because I couldn't wait to find out whodunnit.

What I liked most about the novel is that Banville doesn't shy away from heavy subjects such as the divide between Catholics and Protestants and the struggle with the IRA. The historical setting fits this novel perfectly, as does the small town environment and its people. You have to be ready to face the hard-hitting subjects head-on if you'd like to enjoy this novel.

It met my expectations of murder mystery perfectly. It had the perfect cast of characters and a fantastic historical setting.

I have been a fan of John Banville since I read The Sea on its original publication. This book is an excellent addition to his catalogue, although I am slightly surprised that it's published under the John Banville name rather than his nom-de-plume Benjamin Black.

Set in 1950s Ireland, the story follows Inspector Strafford, a Protestant detective from Dublin, investigating the murder of a Catholic priest at a country house. However, the book is more character led than plot driven - the "snow" of the title being an extra character. Despite a second murder taking place, there is no real sense of urgency or jeopardy to the investigation, which takes place over two days at Christmas. But that is Banville's style, and this is a wonderful book.

Thoroughly enjoyable, although there is a difficult section (hard to stomach, not hard to read) towards the end.

Detective Inspector Strafford (with an 'r') is called out on a snowy, bleak day to investigate a murder at Ballyglass house. However, no one really seems to want the murder solved and in this weather, clues can be hard to come by. So how will Strafford solve the case when no one wants to talk? Funny how secrets come out even in silence.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a review. It is a solid mystery story, but it is very different from the mysteries I usually read. If you are expecting an action-packed thriller, this is not the book for you. I found the book very slow, but then at the end all of the pieces fell right together. The writing is well done and I appreciated the descriptive style Banville uses with regard to both his characters and his scenery. This book reminds me of more old school style mysteries (think Agatha Christie) that are somewhat intellectual in nature. For me, the reason this did not get more stars (don't get me wrong, it wasn't bad) is that the characters were not particularly rounded out. I could tell you relatively easily what they physically looked like, but that is about all. I barely remember the main character's name, much less the rest of them, which, to me, indicates they as characters are a bit flat.

As always, Banville writes an enjoyable mystery. Set in 1950’s Ireland, Detective Inspector Strafford is sent to Ballyglass House to investigate the grisly murder of a Catholic priest. There’s a lot at play here. There is always the tension of Catholics and Protestants. There’s the small town of Ballyglass where everyone want to know what is going on and there seems the be the ever-present aspect of Catholic priests abusing young boys. When the murder is solved, the reader won’t be surprised. The strength of the mystery lies in the characters.

Well, at least you're a Wexford man.

So said Colonel Osborne when he welcomed DI St John (pronounced 'Sinjun') Strafford to Ballyglass House just before Christmas 1957. Osborne was master of the Keelmore Hounds and had done something memorable with the Inniskilling Dragoons at Dunkirk. The niceties had to be established even when there was a Catholic priest dead on the library floor with some precious bits of his anatomy missing. Strafford was from Roslea at Bunclody and this, along with his good-but-shabby suit, marked him out as of Osborne's class and obviously Protestant. The dead priest was Father Tom Lawless from Scallanstown, who - despite the different religions - was in the habit of spending time at Ballyglass House. His horse was stabled there.

It's practically a closed-room mystery. Strafford was in charge of the case because he was visiting his father at Roslea and could get to the murder scene, which was no easy matter because of the deep snow, which continued to fall. DS Ambrose Jenkins was on his way from Dublin. There are no signs of forced entry, so it's difficult to think that the murderer is other than someone who was in Ballyglass House the night before, although Colonel Osborne is insistent that a group of tinkers should be rounded up. He's also somewhat surprised that Ambie Jenkins is allowed to speak without getting permission from his senior officer - and that Strafford should expect that the sergeant will eat with them.

The niceties have extended to the clearing up of the crime scene. Copious amounts of blook have been removed and the stair carpet has been cleaned. Mrs Osborne discovered the body but the colonel then adjusted the priest's clothing so that the mutilation was not immediately visible. There was remarkably little for the forensic team to go on but what had happened before Strafford arrived was down to ignorance. He would soon encounter deliberate obstruction. The head of the Catholic Church, Dr John Charles McQuaid, called Strafford in to see him: what had happened would be put down to a tragic accident when the priest fell down the stairs. Investigation was unnecessary. The press release had already been issued.

Strafford's thirty-five but there's an emotional immaturity about him. He occasionally moons over the women he encounters, from the almost-transparent Sylvia Osborne to her step-daughter Lettie and finally the maid at the pub where he's staying. He broke up with his girlfriend some time ago - or rather, she broke it off when she threw a glass of wine at him. But, there's a determination, a stubbornness about him and the more Dr Quaid says to try to persuade him from investigating, the more determined he is to find out what happened.

It's John Banville, so the writing is exquisite. Sometimes I found myself rereading a phrase or a sentence just for the pleasure which the words gave. I'm used to crime novels coming from Banville's alter ego, Benjamin Black, and there is a nod to the Quirke series. Quirke is - apparently - now the State Pathologist and on his honeymoon. The plot of Snow is deceptively simple whilst you're reading but complex and carefully-constructed in retrospect. It's a book to read for the pleasure of reading and then to re-read, just to see how it was done.

I'd like to thank the publishers for making a copy available to the Bookbag.

DI St John Stafford is not only surprised by how carefully a murdered priest is laid out. he's also curious why no one seems that upset. It's a snowy day in Ireland in 1957 and Father Lawless was a guest at the home of Colonel Jeffrey Osborne and his wife Sylvia. Someone not only killed Lawless, they castrated him and, despite this. powerful Church forces demand that the case be closed and called an accident. That doesn't sit well with Stafford. This has some twists and Stafford is a good character but this was most interesting to me for the atmospherics. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

Being Irish helps you to understand this book a lot more. The very obvious cold bleak winter of Ireland, almost a feeling within you growing up in rural Ireland! Catholics v Protestants, murders, whispers, darkness.

John Banville creates wonderful characters that as you read his books, you observe, watch, judge and understand.

A catholic priest is murdered, and a protestant detective is investigating. You might get a small snapshot just from this line, about the story. It is SO worth the read!!

'Snow' takes place in rural Ireland, outside of Dublin, in 1957. It follows Detective Inspector Strafford as he attempts to solve the murder of a mutilated priest. This is a very well-written historical mystery that sheds light on the power struggle between the Catholic Church and the Protestant gentry that occurred after the Irish Civil War. While the reason for the murder is easy enough to guess, the story is still engaging and procedurally interesting. The snow is in itself a character and creates an ominous atmosphere for the story to take part in. This was an enjoyable read and turned me onto this great author.
Thank you to Netgalley and Faber and Faber for the ARC in return for my honest review!

4 stars for an entertaining read about a murder mystery in rural Ireland in the 1950s. This mystery is as much about attitudes in Irish society as it is a murder mystery. A respected Catholic parish priest is found dead in the house of a local Protestant country squire. Religious attitudes and the power of the RC church in 1950s play a prominent role in this book. Detective Inspector Strafford is called in from Dublin to investigate. He and Detective Sergeant Jenkins start to investigate and slowly uncover a tangled web of secrets and lies. The murder was rather gruesome, and there is a pedophile character in the book. This may not be appropriate for cozy mystery fans.
However, the author's description of people and Irish society is full of rich imagery, with a sharp eye for detail.
Some quotes:
Country squire: "Colonel Osborne looked to be in his early fifties, lean and leathery, with a nail brush mustache and sharp ice-blue eyes. He was of middle height, and would have been taller if he hadn't been markedly bow-legged-the result perhaps, Strafford though sardonically, of all that riding to the hounds-and he walked with a curious gait, at once rolling and rickety, like an orangutan that had something wrong with its knees."
Food: "Strafford smiled weakly. 'Oh, I always think steak and kidney pud is better the second day, don't you?' He felt noble and brave. He could not understand how the kidneys of a cow had come to be regarded as food fit for human consumption."
Conversation between Strafford and the local B&B owner: "I read when I have time.
"Ah but you should
make time. The book is one of our great inventions of our species."
Winter: "Frost laden trees, ghost-white and stark, reared up at him in the headlights, their boughs thrown upwards as if in fright."
Thanks to Faber and Faber for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.

John Banville’s Snow started off promising. A murdered Priest bing found in a country house In a remote village just before Christmas in 1957 with snow falling but then it seemed to lose its way and ultimately lost the attention of this reader.

The ending was also weak and overall the book was not a satisfying read which was a shame

Protestant cop Strafford (with an r) is sent to investigate the death of Father Tom, killed (quite graphically) in a fancy mansion - property of old-fashioned Aglo-Irish Protestant Colonel Osborne. There's a lot of religion and a lot of play with the usual themes of classic whodunnits - the snow, the mansion, the 'mad woman', the loner... It was quite atmospheric in a classic but ironic way.

I found the ending reasonably easy to guess - not necessarily who killed the priest, but rather why. But it didn't spoil the enjoyment of the book - it was really well-written, and until the end I felt John Banville kept a few crumbs of information to throw until the last page.

I liked the allusions to characters from the Quirke series as well, although I found the book different from the Quirke series.

Snow is a historical mystery novel set in a village outside of Dublin during the mid 1950’s. Detective Inspector St John Strafford is sent to Ballyglass House to investigate the murder of the parish priest Father Tom Lawless. The priest is found stabbed and disfigured in the library and apparently no one saw or heard a thing.

This was a very atmospheric read with the setting during heavy snow over the period of 3 days around Christmas. The character of DI Strafford is wonderful and I really enjoyed when he thinks about how he is not good at solving puzzles and maybe that is why he was sent to this crime scene (as the Catholic Church wants it covered up). You see a lot of clues through the book as a reader and put them together quicker then DI Strafford does. I found the crime and the investigation well crafted.

There are trigger warnings for sexual abuse of children. There is nothing graphic that is said but the picture is painted on what happens to the children and it is a difficult part to read. There is a lot surrounding religion (Catholics and Protestants) in Ireland in the 1950’s and how the Catholic Churches reach into every part of people’s lives and police processes.

I thought the book wrapped up nicely and was really well written.

Set in rural Ireland during the Christmas of 1957, in ‘Snow’ John Banville appears to be giving us a pastiche of the Golden Age of Detective fiction at the outset: an isolated country house; eccentric family members; ‘simple’ staff; a body in the library, and the arrival of the police in the form of Protestant Inspector St John Strafford.
However, Banville’s intention is not to write a simple imitation. At the core of this novel is an exploration the power of the Catholic church and its effect on society; it is highly symbolic that the murdered priest, Father Thomas Lawless, has ‘been gelded’. Banville also highlights the servitude of women, the rigid class structure, the suppression of sexuality, and the fear of the outsider. Inspector Strafford is one such – a Protestant amongst the Dublin Catholic police force.
As ever, Banville’s prose is elegant, even poetic, and precise. His descriptions of place from Colonel Osborne’s mansion where library books ‘stood shoulder to shoulder in an attitude of mute resentment’ to the ‘feral boy’ Fonsey’s caravan which smells of ‘paraffin and candle grease and rancid meat of sweat and smoke and dirty socks’ linger long after the novel has been laid aside. However, whilst a picture of the snow-bound countryside remains with me, Banville’s portrayal of a hypocritical, brutal Ireland feels very much as if the author is visiting territory that has been explored much of late, yet bringing nothing new to this in his latest novel.
Yes, there is literary ‘cleverness’ in the appropriation of a well-worn genre to scrutinise sociological and religious themes. Yet, for all that, the story drags, perhaps because the characterisation is rarely convincing. Beautifully written but ultimately not as powerful a story as I had expected, given the author’s literary pedigree.
My thanks to NetGalley and Faber& Faber Ltd for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair review.

A priest, Father Tom, is found murdered in the library of a Protestant house in Southern Ireland. The story may sound cliched and the characters stereotyped but the writing is superb. The characters are like actors in a play, they know their lines and dress the part but somehow they seen to be more important than the murder itself.
As the background stories emerge, so the pristine white snow is sullied and dark undertones are uncovered, but the religious code of silence remains!
Amazing writing.

I love a good Golden Age detective novel, and Snow starts out very promisingly with a body in the library of a country house and a number of suspicious characters with excellent motives. However, Snow is not just a whodunnit, it’s also a sensitive portrayal of 1950’s Ireland exploring the power of the Catholic Church and the position of the old Protestant landed gentry left hanging on after independence from the British.

Banville’s writing was great and the snowy chill atmosphere pervaded the book so much that I needed a blanket and a mug of coffee while reading.

A recommended four star read.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing a review copy in exchange for honest feedback.

A murder mystery sets in 1950's Ireland. This is the first book I've read by this author. It was an easy read and one which I got into very quickly. The story is set in County wexford in Ireland. A priest is found dead in the home of a well to do family. Detectives are sent from Dublin to investigate what happened. An entertaining and enjoyable read.

John Banville's historical mystery is set in s heavily snowed in Christmas period in Ireland, County Wexford, in 1957, featuring 35 year old Protestant Dublin Inspector St John Strafford sent to the scene of a gruesome murder of a Catholic Father Tom Lawless at the dilapidated and cold manor, Ballyglass, belonging to the aristocratic Colonel Geoffrey Osborne. Discovered in the early hours of the morning by Sylvia, the insomniac wife of Osborne, the body is in the library, all so very Agatha Christie, and the crime scene has been interfered with. The victim was a regular house visitor, with his horse, Mr Sugar, stabled there. It is an unheard of crime, the stabbing of a member of the Catholic clergy, the horror compounded by the removal of his genitals.

Powerful influences make their mark, particularly the raw absolute power of the Catholic Church under Archbishop Dr McQuaid, there is little intention of making the true details of the murder public, with mendacious press statements that refer to the murder as an accident and there is distinct pressure to try to ensure Strafford's investigation fails. Strafford, like the Protestant Osborne, is from the same class and background, an outsider in the mainly Catholic police force, an isolated observer, alone and lonely, cut adrift, feeling out of his depth. His interior life reveals a uncertain, detached and under-confident man, dwelling on how he is in the wrong profession, that he should have been a lawyer, but there is a core within him that rebels against the cover up, driving his determination to find the killer. The case reeks of theatricalism, given the snow, the killer must have been a member of the household, all of whom are acting roles that come across as inauthentic.

Banville's focus is on revealing a detailed picture of Ireland in the 1950s, the lowly position of women, the suppression of sexuality, the turning of blind eyes to overt wrong doing, the religious and class divisions, the propensity of the powerful, individuals and institutions, like the Catholic Church, to feel untouchable, covering up abuses with impunity, and totally unaccountable. Given the spectacular fall from grace of the Irish Catholic Church in more recent times, the motivation behind the killing of Father Tom Lawless is not that hard to figure out, the author gives Lawless a voice in the narrative, providing a personal explanation of how he came to be who he is. A fascinating and engaging read of a specific period of time in Irish history. Many thanks to Faber and Faber for an ARC.

DI Strafford is called to a country house where there has been a grisly murder--a priest has been stabbed and castrated. He was obviously murdered, but the Catholic archbishop insists that the press release say only that he fell down the stairs. We eventually learn that the priest had a disturbing predilection, ruining lives before his misdeeds finally caught up with him. The cold and snowy Irish winter is almost as much a character as the players in this atmospheric novel.. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.