The Drowned is a period series mystery set in Ireland by John Banville. Released 1st Oct 2024 by Harlequin on their Hanover Square imprint, it's 304 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

Banville is an exquisitely writerly writer. The mystery (isn't really much of a mystery until the very end) is 100% character driven and that's what should draw readers to the book. Folks looking for a Poirot style "gather everyone in the library for the big reveal" will likely toss this book out their train window. The ending is *abrupt* and mish-mash and about 87% unresolved at the end. Fair warning.

The book is quite elegantly written and the characters (including the dog which isn't anthropomorphized at all, thankfully) are real and believable. They feel and fight and "have relations" and murder one another and it's believable as written by the author. Most of the characters in the book (sans aforementioned dog) are unlikable or downright loathsome by varying degrees.

It's an extremely broody, threatening book. There's a sense of dread throughout and it's ever so slightly off-kilter. It's disorienting and pervasive. The ending was a major disappointment, and readers who need their mysteries to be resolved by the time the epilogue shows up will not like this one. Readers who read for the joy of the language will be in raptures.

Four stars, almost entirely on the strength of the writing. Continuity from earlier books is tenuous, and some (not all) context is provided, so it does mostly work as a standalone. There are some triggers, such as pervasive racism, antisemitism, sexism, infidelity (from cover to cover), pregnancy loss, child death, pedophilia (with one rather explicitly described scene, but mostly from a character's distant past), alcoholism, and a few others.

Readers will either love or hate it, without a lot of overlap.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I loved this cover!!!!

I didn't realize this was a series. Since i didn't know it was hard to follow the characters and connect with them. I will go back and start over and i am almost certain this will be a great series.

Thanks NetGalley for letting me read and review.

This was my first book in this series.
Throughout, the focus moves from one character to the other. There are many characters all involved in one form or another, with a missing person at the start of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of The Drowned by John Blanville. This atmospheric thriller draws you into a world of rising tension and watery shadows. Blanville’s writing is vivid and immersive, painting a haunting setting that’s equal parts alluring and unsettling. The protagonist’s journey is compelling, filled with slowly revealed secrets and a pervasive sense of unease. While some of the plot twists felt a bit telegraphed, the steady build-up of suspense and the complex emotional undercurrents kept me engaged. The Drowned effectively captures the dread lurking beneath the surface, making it a satisfying read for those who enjoy moody, character-driven mysteries.

This is possibly my favorite of the Quirk novels. Quirk and Strafford (not Stafford, as he likes to point out) are linked together in both personal and professional ways. Banville is truly a wonderful writer. He is able to build tension and curiosity with scene setting descriptions. Although I would read anything that he writes, as a brilliant craftsman his mysteries are my favorite. This is one not to be missed.

John Banville wrote the “serious” books, the award winners. “The Sea,” a book I cherish, won the Booker Prize in 2005. His alter ego, Benjamin Black, wrote crime novels, the entries trapped in that genre, most featuring a pathologist, Quirke. Later, too, he employed detective St. John Strafford. The serious books took years to write, the crime books (“cheap fiction” in his words) came flying out effortlessly. With the publication of “Snow” in 2020, the pseudonym Benjamin Black was dissolved, and work was now solely credited to Banville, as he decided that his crime writing was not so bad, after all.

I recently read Banville’s “The Lock Up” just before reading “Drowned.” Both team the Quirke and Strafford characters and I was a little anxious trying to get the back story on their relationship. I discovered Gabriel Byrne’s mini-series, “Quirke,” and that threw me for a loop as I pictured the character quite differently. This is a case where I would have greatly benefited from reading the earlier entries in the series.

As a “stand alone,” “The Drowned” is still a treat. Banville’s crime novels may seem quite stripped down and to the point, but he cannot keep some wonderful prose out. This is not paint-by-the-numbers whodunit writing. Sometimes you look at what you have read and marvel…

“The day was still fine, but the sky was hazed over, and the sunshine had grown dense and grainy. The Indian summer was even still clinging on— along the roadside most of the trees had not turned yet, though their green was more a dusty grey. And there was that familiar tang of wood smoke on the air. Bonfire season. Strafford had a sense of listless melancholy. Why did this time of year always conjure up childhood and the past?”

And later…

“Even yet the weather held, autumn still masquerading as summer. But there was none of summer’s languorous vibrancy, only a great paleblue stillness, the air shot through with glints of old gold. All was misted, pensive, tinged with melancholy.”

There are very few writers who can build up the pulse of a thriller without sacrificing the richness of language. I find James Lee Burke can floor me with his feel for place, be that Louisiana or Montana.

“The Drowned” starts off in 1950’s Ireland with a missing woman and both Quirke and Strafford are drawn into the case. Strafford happens to be romantically involved with Quirke’s daughter… a potentially explosive situation. This is a quick read; the pages turn themselves (pardon the cliche) and provide for a rewarding experience. I have the first of the Quirke series, “Christine Falls,” sitting on my dresser and I plan on working my way back down to the latest two. Every Banville book is worth the journey.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Hanover Square Press, and NetGalley for providing the reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Based on Banville's reputation as an excellent writer, I requested and received an advance reading copy of this book, not knowing that it was part of a series. And, while it's not necessary to have read the earlier books, there are many, MANY references to previous cases and relationships.

The novel is EXTREMEMLY well written, which is good as there's not a single likable character. Though the story held my interest, and I plan to seek out more of Banville's work, this is probably not a series I'll continue.

Better than the last one, but still not amazing. There are fewer and fewer characters I feel any affinity for in this series. Neutral on recommendation.

Who knew The Drowned by John Banwell was #5 of a series. Certainly, not me! I had a hard time connecting with these characters and found myself confused most of the book. 3 stars from me. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advance copy but I wish I had read the prior books before this one and I think this would’ve made more sense. Just my humble opinion.

Delighted to include this title in the October edition of Novel Encounters, my column highlighting the month’s most anticipated fiction for the Books section of Zoomer, Canada’s national lifestyle and culture magazine. (see column and mini-review at link)

This is John Banville’s fourth book featuring Inspector Strafford and pathologist Dr. Quirke. Banville also has a series that only features Dr. Quirke, but it is written under his pseudonym, Benjamin Black. No matter which name he writes under, his writing is flawless, lyrical, and wry. If you haven’t read any of his books, I urge you to go and borrow one from the library. You might as well start with this one.

After a day of unsuccessful fishing, Denton Wymes comes across a car that has skidded to a stop in a meadow. He approaches the car and notices that the motor is still running, the driver’s door is open, the headlights are on, and there is no one in sight. However, he soon sees someone approaching him from the direction of the sea. It is Ronnie Armitage, who tells Wymes that his wife--Dee--wrecked the car, and then ran off towards the water. They were arguing, he says, and he is afraid she may have thrown herself into the sea. In need of help, they approach the house that overlooks the meadow. From there, they contact the local Garda. While they wait, Wymes notices that Armitage and the occupants of the house--Charles and Charlotte Ruddock—are acting strangely. There is an undercurrent of anxiety; a recognition that belies their protestations that they have never met.

Dublin Inspector Strafford from is sent to the seaside town of Wicklow to head the investigation. Strafford realizes he knows Charles Ruddock and Ronnie Armitage: one from his school days, and the other from a murder inquiry. Like Wymes, he senses a connection between the two men, one that neither is willing to acknowledge. What really happened that night? Did they just happen to be in Wicklow, or was it their destination? Armitage is drinking too much and acting oddly. Can he be trusted? And how—if at all--are the Ruddock’s connected? Strafford must get past the lies, and his own biases in order to get the answers.

In The Drowned, we are transported back to1950s Dublin. It is the fourth novel in the Inspector Strafford and pathologist Dr. Quirke. Although there is much they do not agree upon, they share a common goal to find the truth. Adding spice and friction is 40-something Strafford’s relationship with Quirke’s twenty-year-old daughter, Phoebe. This adds a secondary storyline involving Quirke, Phoebe, and Strafford; one with surprises in wait for these three characters.

One can easily enjoy The Drowned without reading the previous books of the series. If you choose to read the others, book one is Snow.

I would like to thank Hanover Square Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

My charitable explanation is that the ARC is incomplete. I have downloaded the Kindle version again, and for double certainly downloaded and opened the PDF. They end with a letter from London, Wymes in jail (gaol?), Armitage uncaught, and nothing settled. I looked at the reviews (few of them, actually, which may be significant) and nobody complained about being led down the garden path and then finding there was no exit, so possibly the problem is me, but I don't think so.

It starts with a car stuck in a ditch and a man who says his wife has run off and thrown herself off a cliff. A great premise.

Detective inspector Strafford is called in the morning after the event that begins the story. His own wife has recently shown up after being absent for a considerable tine, and demanded a divorce. And now he has to travel to rural Ireland from Dublin to find a missing woman.

When he meets the hungover husband of the missing woman, he is struck by the strangeness of it all. Something isn’t quite right. The husband had shown up at a nearby home with a local pariah in tow, asking the occupants of the home for help. Although they claim not to know one another, looks between the couple, indicate that something is not quite right.

The story details the relationships between the Detective Inspector, the Coroner, the Coroner’s Daughter, the local Guarda, the Occupants of the house, and the husband. Spending more time on the individual back stories and relationships than the search for the missing woman.

It took me a bit of time to get into the story. A bit more than I would normally like; and for this reason I would give the Drowned 3 stars.
For me this felt like there were just too many red herrings.

I thought this was going to be a dark, atmospheric mystery, but it was really more about the people, and this wasn't the first in the series and I didn't know enough about them. I also didn't think the characters were very likeable, but I might feel differently if I knew more about their backgrounds. The setting and culture were fun, though, and I felt like I was experiencing a different place. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this.

Every now and then, the most unlikeable characters, and -- in this case one or two despicable characters-- grab me and instead of dropping a book with a loud, "Enough!" I read it to the fascinating end. The Drowned opens with Denton Wymes (pronounced "Weems") walking his dog on a beach in the evening. He spots an expensive car in a field, the door open, no one in it. But all too soon a man runs toward him, shouting for help. He was arguing with his wife and he believes she jumped off a cliff to her death in the nearby sea. Armitage, the husband, involves Wymes, a desperate loner who wants nothing to do with the world, in his problem and off they go to a nearby house with a very odd couple and their very odd four year old who eventually call the Guarda. We are in Ireland. Detective Inspector Strafford becomes involved. He's a grumpy, stodgy, very flawed, yet oddly compassionate man. Strafford is dating Phoebe, daughter of a local doctor and his sometime collaborator, Quirk.. Strafford's wife has met someone and asks for a divorce. The Chief Inspector is dying and we are inside his head as he muses about all this and the various characters he must interview about Armitage's wife's disappearance.

Along the way there is another disappearance. Will bodies or lost people be found? Will Strafford commit to Phoebe despite her father's disapproval and her free spirit. Will she commit to him? What does one owe a dying friend/boss. What happened on the cliffs and why did it seem that the couple who helped out with the use of their phone know something? The drowned is written so well that the incredibly unlikeable characters are humanized and understandable. Its characters are real. Strafford is a great character who I have not previously met. This is the fourth entry in the series. I suspect the average ratings have to do with taste in characters as the writing and plotting is well-wrought. I might go back and read the earlier entries.

This was another entry into the Strafford and Quirke series. John Banville is a wonderful writer. The way he observes a scene is delightful. I always enjoy the experience. You do need to have read the prior novel or novels to understand this one. I had to remind myself of the plot of the last one. Strafford is much more prominently featured in this entry in the series, with Quirke still grieving in the background. Both are learning to deal with each other in a more mature way. However, Strafford's love life is messy here, and he really shows no signs of emotional maturity with the women in his life. This is full blown midlife crisis Strafford, without an ounce of self analysis. He tries to solve the murder when he gets around to it, but his efforts feel half-hearted. The most vibrant characters in the book are the murderer and the wrongfully accused.

Thank you to Hanover Square Press, HTP Books, and John Banville for this ARC.

John Banville, a Booker Prize-winning author, always seems to combine lyrical and precise prose with an exploration of the immense range of human emotions and motivations. As I embarked on the next book in his Strafford and Quirke series, I knew I was about to embark on a unique, intricate plot.

First, do not read this book if you haven't read the previous book (The Lock Up). You will not understand the complexities in this book, which builds on the mystery in the previous installment.

That being said, one of the things I love about Banville’s novels is that each character is completely flawed. From DI Strafford, who is battling his own demons, to the quirky, elusive Ambrose, the man with a missing wife, Banville uses each character to create suspense and add psychological depth to the overall story.

This is a slow-burn mystery that focuses more on character development and human behavior than on flashy twists or fast-paced action.

Be forewarned: this novel dives into topics of mu*der, abortion, and sexual abuse. While dark in tone and atmosphere, Banville’s metaphors and writing create a beautiful flow that any crime or police procedural fan will enjoy.

So when I requested this title I did not realize it was a blending and continuation of a series. The synopsis made it sound like a stand alone, and it sounded right up my alley! However, there were so many characters with a lot of interactions. These were based (I think) on what happened in previous novels in the series. I was very confused!
I struggled with trying to figure out what the mystery was. The story opens with a woman who supposedly drowns. But then....

For the next 50% of the book I was reading about the drama and trials of several characters lives. I could not keep them straight or see what the point of them were because I had not read any of the other books. This would have been ok, if there were a real mystery involved. I almost gave up half way through the book, but decided to continue. To my dismay, the "mystery" is quickly solved at the end, but there really wasn't an investigation! I could have handled the avalanche of drama about the characters if the mystery was written well and was engaging. I wish the summary would have included that this was part of a series. I either would have read the others, or skipped this. However, this read more like fiction than mystery.

The author has a way with prose, and writes beautifully. Thus the 2 stars. I am undecided as to whether I will go back and read the series from the beginning.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.

In form this is a police procedural, although the murder mystery quickly becomes secondary, and the mechanics of policemen solving a case are practically nonexistent. In content this is sort of an Irish telenovela: everybody is linked to everybody else, a shockingly high number of characters have had affairs with each other, and disaster and woe lurk around every corner. The solution to the case is almost an afterthought, nasty, brutish, and short, with enough collateral damage to pour over to the next installment of the Quirke and Strafford series.

But John Banville is an excellent writer. His descriptions of landscape, weather, emotion, and human interaction are beautiful. The opening scene is a masterpiece - eerie, uncanny, creepy, and tense. You couldn't describe the plot to your friends at the bar without being laughed down, but Banville carries you through it and makes you care,

This book starts off by introducing quirky characters each character more peculiar than the last. This was the first book I have read by this author. That being said I was excited about the premise of the book and looking forward to reading it. Once I began to read it, it became clear this is not a stand alone book. It contains details about prior books and plot/storylines that seem pertinent to making this story make sense.

Honestly, Armitage is very very peculiar complains his wife is missing. But doesn’t seem in dire distress to want to find her. Joking around, running around being frivolous and dragging others into his mess.

Then you have Wymes who was in the wrong place at the wrong time but honestly I don’t know what his character added to the storyline at all.

If you’re looking to continue the series then yes this is the book for you. But it is not a stand alone in the slightest. The pace is incredibly slow too.