I have to say that I was disappointed with this novel. Perhaps it was because the story took place in 1957, which in some ways was a more innocent time than where we sit in 2020. The plot is about a priest who is found murdered and disfigured in an old Irish home in a small village. Present at the time were the homeowner, Colonel Osborne, his wife, his daughter, his son, and their cook. The murder is being investigated by St. John (pronounced Sinjin) Strafford. It was obvious to me from the very beginning what the motive for the murder was and who the possible suspects would be. It was just all to easy and obvious.

The book was well written, and John Banville is clearly a prolific author, but I was just underwhelmed. My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Given the profession of the murder victim and the nature of his injuries, there was little doubt in my mind where this story was going so I just settled in for the journey and hoped to enjoy some great writing. Apart from some lovely snow-covered landscape and some memorable descriptions of characters - as Inspector Strafford notes, they seem like actors in costume ready to walk on stage and description is confined mainly to their looks, we learn little of their inner selves - I found it all a tad underwhelming. The main message I took away is that the Catholic Church in Ireland in the last century has much to answer for and I knew that already. Not a book I would particularly recommend.

3.5 stars

Being greeted with the words "there's a body in the library" I am immediately expecting a classic country house murder.
To some extent I got that.
A strange family,non more strange than the second wife,who seemed to fit in and out of bring bonkers.
Other cast of characters that made you believe ANY of them could be guilty.
This was a slow burner of a book,and all the more charming for being so.
I think the motive for murder was fairly predictable,and the killer not too much of a surprise.

A very enjoyable read.

A big thank-you to John Banville, Faber and Faber and NetGalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
The story starts as one of the most famous detective story and with a wink from Mr Banville who creates his very own story with the snow and cold in the foreground. Detective Inspector St John Strafford is engimatic, withdrawn and a Protestant delegated to an Irish manor house to investigate the death of a Catholic priest.
His aristocratic background allows him to recognize in Ballyglass House the world from which he escaped but which still holds a steady grip on him. Strafford is not a character begging to be liked but somehow I did take a shine to him, possibly due to his isolation ... Strafford is a lonely man, keeping the distance and trying to do his duty finding the culprit. He is not easily influenced by men of power whose intention is to hide the real motive behind the death of the man of cloth. The motive is easy to guess and in my opinion the murder is just an excuse for Mr Banville to present the situation Ireland in the middle of the 20th century with regard to the Catholic Church and the position of the Protestants. The novel is not a treaty on the complicated relations but a rather insighful glance at the ways the world was run in those days in Ireland.

'The body is in the library,’ Colonel Osborne said. ‘Come this way.’

I love this as a set-up in this book. It immediately puts you in a Ngaio Marsh, Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers frame of mind. A country house murder, with a small cast of potential murderers, and a steady detective to piece it all together. The detective in question is St John Strafford. He has been sent from Dublin to Co. Wexford following the discovery of the corpse of a highly respected parish priest at Ballyglass House – the home of the aristocratic Osborne family. He is sent , in part because it is a world he understands, and in part to facilitate the keeping of a lid on events. He has been chosen to play his part. He is not the only one, as he observes the Osborne family also seem to be playing parts "She too, like everybody else Strafford has so far encountered at Ballyglass House, had the look of a character actor hired that morning"

What follows, in some ways, could seem a cliched Irish novel: a book about the tensions between protestant and catholic, the state and the church, and the behaviour of those within the church. It is not a book that would likely have been published in Ireland during the period it is set. In fact , in some ways you could argue, the resolution to the crime is almost beside the point in this book. And again, with a writer such as Banville and his use of language : "The sky was loaded with a swag of mauve-tinted clouds, and the air was the colour of tarnished pewter" you almost don't care either. However, I did want to know and I was swept along by Detective Inspector Strafford's progress.

But then.

Towards the end we get an interlude from another character in the book, which serves to tell us who the killer likely may be. But, it also felt strangely out of place – to me, at least. It took me out of the book, even whilst its exposition heavy snow covered boots were stomping away with their background information. It didn't feel like it had earned the right to be there. Had the book been more readily interspersed with this other voice from the off it might have worked, but as executed here, I think if fails. This is a shame because I was totally onboard with the book up until that point. Spoilt this being a very good novel.

I was also quite surprised to see Snow released under Banville's own name considering that he has issued a collection of thrillers - — most featuring the character of his Irish pathologist Quirke - under his pseudonym Benjamin Black. Indeed it was only earlier this years that he published "The Secret Guests" where we first encountered St John Strafford. With my cynic hat on you'd almost think that the presence of Lee Child on this year's Booker judging panel made the publishers go ' a thriller could get a nod' this year. After all, Banville is a previous winner - Banville's 14th novel, The Sea, won the prize back in 2005. But, I'm sure that is a coincidence.

"It's a library" he muttered incredulously to Hendricks, "it's an actual fucking library, and there's a body in it!"

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC to read and review.

The body of a priest is found in a library. Castrated.

Great mistery with heavy and sinister theme. On occasion it was hard to read.

Nevertheless a good read.

John Banville is a master of the classic mystery and SNOW is no exception. From its opening pages, the reader is lured into a spider's web of deception. A treat--rich in character and surprises.

Exceptional Storytelling.....
Exceptional storytelling from John Banville. The death of a parish priest brings Detective Inspector St. John Strafford to County Wexford to investigate. Creating a taut sense of tension and apprehension from the start that simply does not let go, the tale unfolds, characters are impeccably drawn, sense of time and place perfection. Dark and ultimately disturbing. Superb.

Classic whodunit with a twist.
This novel in set in Ireland in the 1950's and a priest has been murdered. Detective Inspector Strafford has to work his way though issues of class and religion to get to the bottom of this case.
There are twists and turns along the way that keep you gripped.
The setting if a snow covered town adds to the mystery and intrigue.
The characters are delightfully illustrated and are visual to the reader.
Themes of secrets and coverups run throughout this well written book.
Recommended to fans of a classic mystery but this is also so much more.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley in allowing me to read in return for a review.

John Banville is one of my go-to contemporary literary authors. I first discovered his work in the book Mefisto, and there is much more to enjoy in Snow.

Banville provides a literary delight that is swept through with atmosphere, working at once as an example of craft and as a book that can be enjoyed for its narrative qualities. It’s a delightful combination.

Although I read good deal of crime/ thriller/ espionage ( genre : suspense) books, the traditional murder mystery is not really my thing. Usually they’re just too formatted for my taste. Snow is definitely an exception because it is not an exception. St. John ( pronounced Sinjun ) Strafford is constantly amazed that this murder has all the elements of a traditional murder mystery. The exception is Strafford himself . As the Chief Inspector he shows no sign of an overbearing ego that often is seen in police detectives. He is simply a man doing his job. Banville himself writes this book in a very workman style way. The characters are not just a cast of red herrings ; the surprises upon reflection are not really that surprising. Aside from a little awkward plotting late in the book,Snow is essentially a plain good read.

Another terrific John Banville thriller..I was drawn right In from the first pages.A story that kept me turning the pages late into the night, highly recommend.#netgalley#faber &faber

I would like to thank John Banville, Faber and Faber Ltd. and Netgalley for the ARC of SNOW in exchange for a fair and honest review.

First off Jon Banville is a brilliant author so if you have not read his previous books do so and of course this one. He is a master of mystery/suspense novels and does not disappoint. I read this in one sitting, I just could NOT put it down. Highly recommend reading this book!!

This is another wonderful mystery from John Banville. His take on a classic British whodunnit is splendid. Cue a house full of suspects, an untiring priest, a snow storm and hidden undercurrents and it's the perfect murder mystery. This book wonderfully incorporates the history of Irish Catholicism will see the cooperation and mentality between Church and State which existed during this time. This is an exceptionally well written story, as most would expect from the author. Mr. Banville's use of language is sparse and yet extensive. I highly recommend this mystery. I could not put it down and finished it over night. Excellent read.

I would like to thank John Banville, Faber and Faber Ltd. and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book and exchange for a fair and honest review.

Thank You NetGalley and Publisher for this ARC!

This was quite a book!
I loved the writing the story around this book!

But it didn't quite hold my attention like I was hoping it would!
To me this wasn't really a mystery novel.
I'm hoping to find more from John that can really hold my attention!

Thank you to NetGalley for the eArc.
Set in a snow covered Wexford, Ireland in the 1950s when Ireland was ruled in all aspects of life by the Catholic Church under the iron fist of the now notorious Archbishop John Charles McQuaid, Detectective Inspector St John Strafford is sent to Ballyglass House in Scarawalsh, owned where a priest has been murdered. Strafford, who we met in "The Secret Guests" written under Banville's pseudonym B W Black is one of the few protestants on the force and is determined find the murderer, despite the snow, the every changing villagers and the silence as was typical of the time
It is a deeply atmospheric book with beautiful descriptive writing. The dark gloomy depressing every life is well painted. Would Recommend

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Snow begins like a straightforward murder mystery (“The body is in the library,” Colonel Osborne said. “Come this way.”), and if one were to read it as a straightforward murder mystery, one might be disappointed; the whodunnit and whydunnits are rather easily solved, and as social commentary, this doesn't really break new ground. So I was forced to ruminate on why a Booker-winning novelist like John Banville put this together (and I especially wondered why he wrote it under his own name instead of the pen name, Benjamin Black, he uses for his Quirke series of mysteries), and I came to a satisfying conclusion: This is a very self-aware and ironic piece of post-modernist writing, and while it may not serve to expose something new about the social constructs of 1950s Ireland (even if this storyline would have been absolutely explosive had it been written in the day), Banville creatively employs the tropes of mystery fiction to provide the ultimate overview of those times. Line-by-line, the writing is just exquisite, and in the large picture, something important is achieved; just don't expect a satisfying murder mystery because I honestly don't believe that was Banville's intent.