Terry Tice was a hitman, although he didn't think of himself in those terms. He saw what he did as a matter of making things tidy. I couldn't resist the thought that he was an extreme version of Marie Kondo. He enjoyed his job, something which occurred to him when he was in Burma with the army where he got the chance to kill a lot of the little yellow fellows and had a fine old time. He was spending a lot of time with Percy Antrobus - who couldn't understand why Terry didn't know the purpose of a swizzle stick - surely he wouldn't drink champagne with bubbles in the morning? It was after Percy's death that he saw the benefits of taking up a job in Spain.

Quirke is in Spain too, on holiday, with his wife, Evelyn, who's a psychiatrist - and a real treasure to Quirke. His wife was not a woman to let a blessing go uncounted, but she was considerate enough to count in silence. They're in Donostia, or San Sebastien as it's better known outside the immediate region. One night Quirke tried to open some oysters with the nail scissors and cut his hand so badly that he had to go to the local hospital and it was there that he encountered Dr Angela Lawless. He was certain that he knew her but it took him quite a while to place exactly why. His suspicions would bring his daughter and Detective Inspector Strafford to Donostia.

It's John Banville, who is now writing the Quirke series under his real name rather than his pseudonym, so the writing is exquisite:

...the trees on the far side of the street leaned down as if to catch what she was saying.

There's a real talent, too, for capturing the moment. Quirke and Evelyn invited Dr Angela Lawless and another doctor to have a meal with them in a restaurant. Banville captures the excruciating atmosphere perfectly - to the point where I was squirming. Brilliant!

The characters all come off the page well: Banville paints their pictures in remarkably few words but they stay in the mind long after you've finished reading. It's been a couple of days now since I finished the book but I'm still worried about what's going to happen next: the ending was stunning and caught me completely by surprise. I really didn't see it coming although I perhaps should have done. It was a real treat of a book and I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to the Bookbag.

What a beautifully written, perfectly plotted and elegant book. Wonderful characterisations and accurate depiction of Spain under Franco.

This has everything. A thriller that thrills and also frightens at times. A terrifying villain and su,ptuos even lyrical writing.

A total pleasure from start to finish.

This is the most perfect thriller I've read in a long time. And, indeed, it's the first time i've read anything by the author and also my first introduction to the main character, the pathologist Quinn. On holiday with his wife Evelyn (a woman who matches him intellectually and for delightful prose), they're enjoying the Spanish Basque town of San Sebastian when Quinn thinks he comes across April, his daughter's friend. But it can't be April - can it? After all she was murdered by her brother - who then went on to commit suicide. The well known and influential Irish family hushed up the scandal around their (and their father's) deaths. Four years later a can is about to be unopened when Quinn calls his daughter and tells her about the sighting. The call and its consequences sets in place a series of events which leads to tragedy. There is simply no weakness in this brilliantly written novel, the plot, dialogue, pacing, characterisation is absolute perfection. The author understands women - they all come alive under his pen. HUGELY recommend.

I could almost feel the warmth of the sun in Northern Spain and the dampness of the rains of Ireland whilst reading this character-driven crime novel.

The second in a series for character "Strafford" (the first being "Snow" which I have not read) I can attest that this installment does stand on its own and no prior character knowledge is required. Banville writes in a way that makes it easy to picture both characters and setting making for an immersive experience.

It's not without its faults - the plot is rather contrived and implausible at times - but these did not detract from what was a great, easy read, crime drama. Ideal for those who prefer a more literary style.

An exceptional crime novel - as good as Snow and I loved that one!
Banville's writing is exquisite, precise and beautiful as he runs his two parallel plots here - the threatening meanderings of Terry, a hitman, and the re-emergence of April Latimer who had disappeared (or been disappeared) for years.
This is simultaneously a thoughtful and beautiful evocation of the brutality of the politics of the time and the locale of Dublin back streets, and also a crackingly tense thriller.

This book was classic Banville style, very atmospheric and immersive. Story was gripping from the first pages and writing was amazing.
Totally recommended.

This latest novel by John Banville continues the Quirke saga and reintroduces Strafford whom we first met in his last book 'Snow'. It is set in San Sebastian, where Quirke and his wife Evelyn are holidaying. It is an atmospheric read, and the plot is interesting. However , there were parts I found a little implausible and too coincidental but overall I enjoyed it. Though it features many of the characters that appear in 'Snow' it can be read as a stand alone story.

Really enjoyed this book. I was very drawn into this book from the opening chapter. I was also very drawn to his descriptions of both Ireland and the Basque Region. His descriptions are luxurious and to be savoured. I loved the different strands of the relationship between Quirke and his wife and the Central story. A captivating read 📚

I am afraid I just couldn't get into this book, quarter of the way through and I have no idea what it is about. Sorry, just not for me.

April in Spain by John Banville
Although April in Spain is the eighth instalment in this historical crime series to feature the Irish pathologist and heavy drinker Dr Quirke this is the first one which I have read. This time he is joined in his sleuthing by DI St. John Strafford.
On the idyllic coast of the Spanish city of San Sebastian, pathologist Quirke finds it difficult to find peace, despite the beaches, the cafes and the company of his beautiful and loving wife, Evelyn. Quirke soon gets himself into a little trouble when he tries to open a can of oysters with nail scissors after forgetting to purchase a suitable tool. The injury is quite nasty and due to the severity of the wound he attends the local hospital. Then he becomes confused by the fact that the doctor who is treating him appears to be April Latimer, a friend of his daughter Phoebe, but that’s impossible because she’s dead, murdered by her own brother. Is it April in Spain???
The characters are very well drawn especially the brutish Terry Tice and April’s unpleasant Uncle William. There’s wry humour, some excruciating scenes when you cringe with embarrassment and some excellent dialogue and verbal sparring. The ending is dramatic if abrupt but does leave you wanting more .
I would like to thank the author the publishers and Net Galley for the opportunity to read the book in return for and honest review.

'April in Spain' is a crime story set in Europe, post-World War II. The Irish protagonists and some of the antagonists travel from Ireland to San Sebastian in Spain, where much of the action takes place. The novel is told in the third person, past tense from multiple POVs, including that of one of the antagonists. I normally don't like this ploy of being inside the criminal's head. The tactic in this book serves to alert the reader that a crime is to take place.

There is a lack of action during nearly 50% of the novel. Some would call this novel, character-driven or literary, others a slow boil, and yet others not page-turning enough. Instead, the reader follows Dr. Quirke, the State Pathologist of Ireland, and his second wife, Austrian psychiatrist, Dr Evelyn Allen, on their April holiday in San Sebastian. She is highly intelligent, calm almost to the point of being docile, but always has the last word. Even at the end. He, intent on being bored despite being on holiday, is a recovered alcoholic, though still drinks heavily, as early as at breakfast. Via the seemingly trivial activities on holiday, there is a strong, unsettling sense of portent.

A chance encounter in a Spanish restaurant, recalls for Quirke another brief, chance encounter a few years prior in Ireland. He'd briefly met April Latimer, a young friend of his daughter, Phoebe. Quirke's recall, to the point of obsession, makes sense as the circumstances around April Latimer's murder and the non-recovery of her body four years prior would have resonated with many in Ireland. Now the dead had arisen. Unable to put the young woman out of his mind, Quirke rings Phoebe, urging her to come to Spain. Through Phoebe we meet a chain of Irish characters, in government, the police or in crime. Phoebe, accompanied by Irish Detective Strafford, goes to Spain.

There is something of the reverse of a Deux ex Machina that takes place. A protagonist inadvertently tells one of the antagonists of a situation, which he would otherwise not have known, and which creates the thriller element in the final quarter. #AprilinSpain #NetGalley

I would recommend this book, and I would like to thank Faber & Faber and NetGalley for providing me with my free advance reader copy in return for an honest review.

Excellent book….. riveting as 2 separate threads collide. Brilliantly written and difficult to put down

Slow to get into this book but when I did I really liked reading it.

The characters were beautifully described and I could feel as if I was in the room or surrounding areas with Dr Quirke and Evelyn his wife.

I felt more could be made of the story of April and her life exiled from her family and familiar Ireland. However, it may be because I have not read any of the previous books in the series. The end felt very rushed.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A beautifully written book, which is only to be expected from such a prolific writer. A little slow in places, but brilliant characterisations, setting and plot. Recommended.

Pathologist Quirke has been persuaded to travel to San Sebastian in Northern Spain by his wife. After an accident requires a visit to the local hospital, Quirke is surprised to see a fellow Irish doctor. However this is unusual as April Latimer was supposedly dead, killed at the hands of her brother before his suicide. Why is April hiding out in Spain and to what lengths will her family go to silence her?
My first encounter with Quirke and Strafford was through Snow, the last novel, which I loved and this is no different. In complete contrast to the cold setting of that novel, here the protagonists converge in Franco-era Basque Country. What is so good is the languid unfolding of the plot, Strafford doesn't appear until half-way but all the characters are set in place. The final ending is both swift and well-written. This is a wonderfully literary example of the genre.

Maybe I shouldn’t let the name the author is using concern me but I thought that Benjamin Black ‘wrote’ the pathologist Quirke books (with which I am very far behind) whilst John Banville was ‘writing’ the DI Strafford books (absolutely loved the previous novel "Snow"). "April in Spain" certainly can be considered a Strafford novel but he really is a minor character in this; Quirke is the main protagonist. This poses a problem for me as I thought I was picking up the next in the Strafford series (which I am) but I’m also jumping way ahead in the Quirke series. Confused? Not as much as I was!

Strafford is a brilliant character and very unusual in Irish fiction – an ordinary, middle-class Protestant, trying to make his way in the newly formed, and very distinctly Roman Catholic, Irish Free State. Quite fascinating on his own but the complete opposite in background and worldview to Quirke.
Banville will always tackle difficult subjects and often in a way that can be quite unsettling and this book is no exception and it is another factor which makes the Banville/Black books particularly distinctive. The author is also unafraid to tackle the politics and recent history of his own country and as always, we are left in no doubt as to Banville’s honesty and unromantic view when it comes to the Ireland of the 20th century. You can learn a lot from the Quirke novels.

There is no doubt that Banville is a singularly excellent voice in Irish fiction and the fact that he has taken on ‘genre’ fiction so wholeheartedly, yet retaining his literary style and honesty is to be applauded. The fact that these books are genuine page-turners with the shock and crescendo we expect from this form of novel only makes this all the more fascinating. My only criticism of "April in Spain" is that we could do with a bit more of Strafford, and that we are only given a glimpse of him and Quirke together, but I imagine we are going to see a lot more of the interplay of these two characters in forthcoming books; at least I hope we do! Strafford may be where my interest lies in this series, but I’m sure Quirke fans will be very pleased to see him back.

The title doesn’t immediately suggest a mystery or a thriller but this is what the book sets out to do. Although the setting is Spain, the characters are Irish based and have a back history that links them to Irish politics of a previous era - maybe the 1960’s - I couldn’t be sure. The use of “old money” and the casual racism and sexism of some of its unsympathetic characters seemed to suggest it was around 50 or 60 years ago. The premise - seeing the slightly familiar face of somebody presumed dead, in an unfamiliar setting - had the potential to develop into a more interesting story than the one that developed, unfortunately. All in all, it was a bit plodding and lacked tension and intrigue.

With thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an advance copy.

John Banville's latest instalment in his Quirke series (previous books have been published under his pen name Benjamin Black), draws in a new recurring character, D.I. St. John Strafford, with whom readers will be familiar from Banville's 2020 release Snow.
The book is set in the late 1950s - early 1960s. After an opening chapter told from the perspective of an Irish hitman living in England, the tone turns rather languid and reflective with State Pathologist Quirke (also Irish) and his wife, Austrian-born psychiatrist Evelyn, on holiday at the northern Spanish beach resort of Donostia-San Sebastián.

"There was a café on a square in the Old Town that became their favourite haunt of an evening. They took to sitting outside there, under an old stone arcade, as the nights grew increasingly warm." (loc. 219, Banville's description fits Constitución Plaza)

Quirke is jolted from his preoccupations and ruminations when, after an accident involving an oyster and nail scissors, he meets a young Irish doctor, Angela Lawless, at the local hospital. Although his recollection is based on a single passing introduction several years ago, when he was characteristically drunk, he becomes convinced that Dr. Lawless is, in fact, April Latimer, a friend of his daughter Phoebe's, who went missing, believed murdered, four years earlier.
Following an excruciatingly awkward dinner during which Quirke tries to draw Angela-April out, the action moves to Dublin, where Quirke's daughter Phoebe is reeling from the news her father has just relayed via telephone. By contacting April's uncle, Irish Defence Minister William Latimer, she unwittingly sets off a series of events which will put April's - and her own - life in danger.
Using alternating perspectives, Banville creates a palpable sense of tension and foreshadowing as Phoebe sets off, accompanied by D.I. Strafford representing the Garda Siochána, to join her father and step-mother in Spain.
The cleverly-titled April in Spain is high quality literary mystery-suspense, featuring Banville's characteristically elegant prose, simple but exquisite use of descriptive language to evoke setting and deep character exploration. Despite not having yet read the earlier Quirke books - I now intend to - I found myself quickly immersed in his mid-20th-century world. His relationship with Evelyn is portrayed with sensitivity and a lightness of touch, and the picturesque setting is rendered lifelike through his lens. While Strafford plays only a supporting role in this book, his character taciturn but highly-perceptive as in Snow, his involvement is pivotal as the story unfolds towards its shocking conclusion. The ground is set for him to remain a recurring character in future Quirke outings.
I'd highly recommend April in Spain to readers who appreciate a literary style of mystery, with evocative prose and well-developed characters. While the plot is a slow-build, committed readers will be well rewarded.
My thanks to the author, John Banville (aka Benjamin Black), publisher Faber and Faber Ltd. and NetGalleyUK for the opportunity to read and review this stimulating title.

I never realised this was part of series, felt stand alone. I am disappointed with the plot, far too plodding. The character descriptions are not believable neither are all the relationships.

I must confess I had no idea John Banville wrote crime fiction under the name Benjamin Black, so didn't realise this was part of a series.

I note Banville says he writes crime fiction far faster than he writes literary fiction but his prose remains elegant, though perhaps a little more accessible than in some of his other work.

I very much liked the characters on offer including the complex Dr Quirke and his daughter Phoebe, as well as Quirke's wife Evelyn. I particularly loved the way Banville writes about Quirke's feelings towards his new/recent wife:

<i>"He always resented the expanse of time that had passed before he knew her. It seemed to him astounding that they had both been in the world at the same time, having their lives, being themselves, and each ignorant of the other's existence for so long.' </i> 8% through book

The potential reappearance of April (in Spain) means revisiting a previous book in this series. I didn't feel as if I was missing any vital information but did find the pacing a little uneven and wonder if Banville spends a long time introducing Quirke (in San Sebastian) and having him meet the person he believes to be April because he didn't feel he needed to spend much time on her.

Certainly we race to the climax here. We'd spent so long getting to that point - including meeting Terry Tice, the young killer - that the conclusion felt a little rushed.

Having said that I actually quite enjoyed getting to know Quirke (as it was my first outing with him) and his backstory is an intriguing one. I'm actually now keen to go back and read previous books in this series.

3.5 stars