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.

A woman goes missing near the sea….or does she?

In a rural Irish town on the ocean a loner named Denton Wymes is returning with his dog from a day of fishing when he comes across a flashy vehicle abandoned in a field. His first inclination is to keep walking….seldom does anything good come from interacting with others, in his experience….but as he will come to regret he goes to the car. The lights are on, the motor is running, the door is ajar….clearly something is amiss, but he sees no one and is about to continue home when a man appears, shouting and waving his arms. Ronnie Armitage is in a state, and claims that his wife Deirdre ran off after they argued and, he fears, has been swept into the ocean and has likely drowned. There is a farmhouse nearby with lights on, and Wymes suggests they go there and ask the occupants to call the Garda or perhaps the lifeboat crew to do a proper search….there is a gale moving in, so getting help quickly seems in order. The occupants of the house, Tullyrane. are Charles Ruddock and his wife Charlotte along with their fragile young son Beverly, and after an awkward period of interaction Charlotte calls the local Garda to explain the situation. Sgt Crowley, a less than stellar specimen of his profession, arrives and a search is organized, but no trace of Deidre is found. Wymes just wants to go back to the caravan in which he lives, and leaves with the sense that there was more happening between Armitage and the Ruddocks than it appeared. Detective Inspector John Stratford is sent down to investigate further, and given the many complications in his life (a separation from his wife who is now asking for a divorce, and a girlfriend who is much younger and worse, is the daughter of a professional colleague who is none too happy about the romance) is happy to get out of Dublin for a spell. Upon his arrival in Wicklow, he discovers that he knows not only Charles Ruddock, with whom he went to school years earlier and whom he remembers as an entitled bully, but also Armitage, with whom he crossed paths on a recent case. He also uncovers the reasons for which Wymes has withdrawn from society and why he wants as little to do with this case, and with the authorities in general, as possible. What he can’t determine is whether or not Deirdre is in fact dead, or has just run off. There is definitely something off with the situation, and like Wymes Strafford suspects a connection between Armitage and the Ruddocks. As his personal life continues to careen out of control, Strafford finds the case becoming more complicated. Can he make sense of what has happened before it results in tragedy?
Readers of previous John Banville books are acquainted with Strafford and his pathologist colleague Dr. Quirke (an aptly named character if ever there was one). The two men’s paths cross regularly in a professional manner, given not only their respective jobs but also Quirke’s close relationship with Strafford’s superior, Chief Inspector Hackett, but they generally rub one another the wrong way. Beginning a relationship with Quirke’s daughter Phoebe, to whom Quirke has been a less-than-stellar father, has not improved the two men’s interactions at all. Given that Strafford is still technically married (although his wife Marguerite and her new boyfriend have tasked him with being caught in flagrante delicto so that the divorce will be granted) and is living in the very Catholic Ireland of the 1950’s, the affair is quite scandalous. Something is off with CI Hackett as well, but Quirke has been so mired in grief over the unexpected death of his wife Evelyn that he hasn’t much noticed. No one, it would seem, neither those connected to the seeming disappearance of Deidre Armitage nor those tasked with investigating the matter, are who or what they seem on the surface. As in real life, everyone has secrets in their past and in their life which they prefer to keep hidden, but a police investigation can disrupt the carefully balanced images of many in its pursuit of justice. While The Drowned is a mystery, and an intriguing and suspenseful one, it is also one written with exquisite prose and with characters who are drawn with depth and nuance. Fair warning, the case on which Strafford and Quirke worked previously (featured in The Lock-Up) is lurking in the background throughout The Drowned….those who have read that prior novel will have a slight jump on understanding some of what is in play in both the personal lives of some of the characters as well as in the case at hand. That said, I had not read The Lock-Up (although I intend to rectify that!) and had no difficulty in piecing together what had happened therein. I cannot recommend highly enough this and any other work by John Banville, who has an immense gift for writing literary thrillers of the highest caliber. Readers of Ian Rankin, Peter Robinson and Julian Barnes (to name just a few) should absolutely treat themselves to a copy of The Drowned, as should anyone who is in search of a beautifully written, brilliantly crafted mystery. Many, many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Hanover Square Press for the pleasure of early access to this spellbinding story.

Strangely compelling!

Bizarre and yet not? The thinking person’s mystery novel or not? A tangled mystery novel from Booker prize winner John Banville.
Downtrodden, slightly worn ex private school characters, come together in this murder mystery that seemingly no-one solves, yet maybe they do! Set in Ireland in the early 1959’s
A middle aged, separated Detective Inspector (Garda) Strafford, a middle aged pathologist, his daughter who’s been dating the detective, and various strange or deadly characters, linked by a previous murder and school days. Then there’s the pedophile!
A Mercedes sports is spotted doors open, light’s blazing. A man approaches it feeling he shouldn’t, suddenly a man emerges from the night claiming his wife has gone missing. Admittedly the man’s behaviour is strange.
The plot becomes more twisted as memories are flayed, even if only to the character.
And yet, despite the half finished conversations and thoughts I found this complex mystery weirdly fascinating!

A Harlequin Trade ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

Kindle Copy for Review from NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Killer Crime Club.

I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review.

A husband who claims that his wife has thrown herself deliberate into the sea and an inspector who is called to work on the case collides. The inspector and his collegue will discover the truth behind the missing wife disappearance. Did the wife drowned or is there more sinister cover up involved? A thriller that jeep you guessing.

Thank you Netgalley & Hanover Square Press for an eARC ♥️


John Banville's latest novel, The Drowned, is a gripping tale that will definitely keep you up late🔥
A woman disappears in Wicklow, Ireland, and suddenly everyone's got secrets.
Was it an accident or something shady? You'll be guessing alongside the detectives and forensic experts as they dig into the mysterious circumstances. The woman's husband is hiding something, the locals are tight-lipped, and the stranger with the fancy BMW seems suspicious.
But here's the thing: this isn't just a whodunit. Banville's got a knack for crafting characters that are messy, relatable, and totally fascinating. You'll get tangled up in their lives, motivations, and dark pasts.
Throw in some small-town drama, mysterious strangers, and a dash of Irish atmosphere, and you've got a story that'll keep you hooked. The writing's lyrical, the pacing's spot-on, and the twists will keep you on your toes.
Five stars, easy.
If you're in the mood for:
🔥•⁠ ⁠A character-driven mystery that'll keep you guessing
🔥•⁠ ⁠Literary fiction with bite and depth
🔥•⁠ ⁠A story that explores the complexities of human nature
🔥•⁠ ⁠Atmospheric settings that'll transport you to Ireland's coast
Give The Drowned a shot!👍🏽

This book doesn’t state anything about being in a series. But I believe you need to have read the other one to completely understand what is happening. I found this book very confusing, and slow . You think the story will revolve around a missing and presumed drowned woman. But unfortunately most of the book is about other characters in the book. The story of the missing woman does get solved but the ending will leave you hanging for another story.
I’m sure if you have read the other books in the series it would tie more together for you but for me it fell short.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

John Banville’s “The Drowned” is a masterful blend of literary elegance and gripping suspense, set against the atmospheric backdrop of 1950s rural Ireland. This novel, part of the Strafford and Quirke series, showcases Banville’s unparalleled ability to weave intricate plots with profound character studies.

The story begins with Denton Wymes, a reclusive figure living in a caravan, stumbling upon an abandoned Mercedes SL in a field. The car’s headlamps are on, but there’s no driver in sight. Enter Armitage, a man claiming his wife has gone missing and may have drowned herself1. Detective Inspector St John Strafford is called in from Dublin to investigate, quickly realizing that nothing about this case is straightforward, as the secrets are unveiled.

Banville excels in creating complex, multi-dimensional characters. DI Strafford is a man grappling with his own personal demons, including a strained marriage and a complicated relationship with his lover, Phoebe.

Banville’s prose is both lyrical and precise, capturing the bleak beauty of the Irish landscape and the intricate nuances of human emotion. His ability to create suspense through subtle details and psychological depth is remarkable.

“The Drowned” explores themes of isolation, guilt, and the search for truth. Banville delves into the darker aspects of human nature, examining how past traumas and secrets shape the present. 

“The Drowned” is a testament to John Banville’s skill as a storyteller. It is a novel that entertains and provokes thought and introspection. Fans of literary fiction and crime thrillers alike will find much to admire in this beautifully crafted book. Banville’s ability to blend a compelling mystery with profound character insights makes “The Drowned” a standout addition to the Strafford and Quirke series.

3.5*
A man is coming back from fishing off the coast of Ireland when he finds an abandoned Mercedes Benz sport car, opened and with its lights on, in a meadow at the bottom of a hill. Later, he encounters the man who claims came with the woman who was driving the car; that man says his wife has just jumped off the cliff to the sea. Two days later the police still can’t locate the woman. Was she a victim of foul play? And if so, what role does the couple who owns the house at the top of the hill, from which her husband went to call the police, has in the disappearance?

The Drowned is a slow-burn mystery, set in late 1950s Ireland—the precise date is never given but historical name dropping and other tidbits provide historical context and enrich the narrative, like the mention of the technicolor era, James Dean, Billie Holliday, and the Mercedes Benz model. There are beautiful metaphors and the narrative has a nice flow to it that it’s easy to follow despite the darkness of the topics (murder, abortion, sexual abuse), which get increasingly darker as the story progresses.

The case is not cut-and-dry and the main witness is a man so twisted that is hard to feel sorry for the way things go down, however, the story reflects the thinking of a small community and a society at large.

Thanks to the publisher for granting me access to a free digital copy via Netgalley.

Right from the start, the tension surrounding Dee's disappearance had me hooked. The atmosphere/setting was creepy, and the quirky behaviors of everyone involved really kept me guessing. I could have read a book solely focused on this group because the behaviors were completely unhinged, and I ate it up.

The main investigator was a standout character for me. I appreciated how his personal life was woven into the story—it made him feel real and relatable. And 1950s Irish setting was perfect. I felt completely transported to that time and place, which made the mystery even more engaging.

That said, I did find myself wanting a bit more detail about the investigation itself. It felt like some key parts were glossed over, and I was left craving more info about the suspects and what was happening with the case. At times, it felt like I was sitting at a café listening to a group of friends talk about people and things that happened that I didn’t know, which was charming but also left me a bit disconnected from the main plot.

If this is part of a series, I’d definitely want to check out the earlier books for more context. Overall, though, this book was such a fun read! If you love a good mystery with rich atmosphere, I highly recommend it!

The Drowned left me feeling unfulfilled and unsatisfied. In the last few pages, a cup of coffee became a cup of tea through poor editing. The plot fizzled out without any clear answers and I didn’t enjoy the characters enough to read a sequel.

William John Banville is an Irish novelist, short story writer, and screenwriter. He’s published around a dozen novels to international acclaim, winning a range of prizes. Under the name Benjamin Black he wrote a historical crime fiction series about an Irish pathologist named Quirke in 1950s Dublin, releasing seven books between 2006 and 2015. The series resumed in 2021 under Banville’s name.

The Drowned (Hanover Square Press, 1 October 2024) is the ninth book featuring Quirke. Detective Inspector Strafford with whom he has an uneasy relationship is also involved. A recluse near the coastal town of Wicklow discovered an abandoned Mercedes in a field, with the key still in the ignition and the engine still running. As he lingers in indecision another man wanders up to say that his wife has disappeared and he is looking for her. He fears she has jumped from one of the nearby cliffs into the sea. The recluse draws him to the nearest house for help, where the residents call the local Garda, who in turn quickly call in reinforcements from Dublin.

The writing is possibly the most beautiful I have ever seen: melodic, flowing, and cogent. About a third into the book is a poignant multi-page meditation on grief. It describes the feeling with the clarity and understanding that only someone who has experienced deep sorrow can have.

On the other hand, the characters conveyed by this exquisitely beautiful writing are among the most unhappy I have ever seen stroll across the pages of a book. They are caught up in sordid situations, some of their own making, and it speaks volumes for the quality of the writing and the intricacies of the plot that I continued to read about these deeply unpleasant people.

The resolution is neatly imagined and completely unexpected, another plus for this complicated book.

Starred review from Kirkus: "Banville remains a master of suspense; it’s not easy to stop turning the pages until the novel’s genuinely surprising end. This is yet another fine thriller from an author at the top of his game. Excellent writing and a clever plot make this one stand out."

The Drowned by John Banville

This book begins slowly, but having read a few of Banville’s Strafford and Quirke books, it was expected. I like his writing style and appreciate the details (about the main characters, their personal history and relationships; and Ireland at the time). If you are someone who prefers to delve right in to action, this may be a bit of a slow burner for you.

While it can be read as a standalone, I found myself wondering what was it about the Rosa Jacobs case. Strafford reminds us that he has met Armitage (husband of the missing woman) before - during his investigation into the Rosa Jacobs case. I pulled out my copy of The Lock-Up (Quirke #9) to refresh my memory as it was nearly a year ago that I had read it (reading the epilogue was enough). Now that I’ve finished the book, I recommend that you read The Lock-Up first, mainly so that you can draw your own conclusions about Armitage (rather than rely on Strafford’s memory and observations.

This is less a police procedural and paints more of a picture of the relationships between the main characters (Strafford, Quirk, the suspects), each other, and with their partners; their personal lives – past and present; and the societal “norms” of the time - 1950’s, Dublin, Ireland. This exploration into these relationships and the times is why I enjoyed this book. The resolution of the mystery of Deirdre Armitage’s disappearance was a bit of disappointment (to avoid a spoiler, I won’t say more), resulting in the 4 star review.

Thank you to NetGalley; John Banville and Harlequin Trade Publishing, for the advanced copy.

Review posted on Goodreads and will be posted on Amazon at the time of US release.

I liked the mystery of Armitage and his wife throughout this read, but thats about it. I did not like this book, as I felt like it was all over the place with characters and with the plot.

John Banville started the Quirke series under the name of Benjamin Black, crafting well thought out mysteries in the setting of 1950's Dublin, featuring a pathologist with troubles of his own. As he expanded to include DI St. John (Sinjin) Strafford, he dropped the nom de plume and went back to using his own name, that of a Booker prize winner of extraordinarily literary novels featuring deep psychological insights not only of the major characters, but secondary ones as well. Giving the reader pleasure and satisfaction and a total immersive experience. Such is the case here. Those who have complained that they didn't realize this was part of a series should not blame the book or the marketing. Those of us familiar with Banville can rejoice with every installment. After all, the backstories are what make these series so enjoyable.

Three years ago, reviewing JohnBanville’s “April In Spain,” I wrote “Banville is an outstanding writer, and he is great at developing both setting and character — but you have to be REALLY patient or just one of those readers who likes to savor a well-written story. The ending was a surprise, which is generally the case for me — and Quirke’s story is unfinished at the end, presumably to set the stage for more about him.” So I was pleased to receive a copy of Banville’s The Drowned from Harlequin Trade/Hanover Square Press in exchange for my honest review.

This latest book features Detective Inspector St. John Strafford (“Sinjun” and “with an R”) as an Irish Detective Inspector. As noted then, Strafford “didn’t really know himself and didn’t care to.” Although he’s apparently a good detective, he “…wasn’t good at solving puzzles…always the danger, in his job, of seeing things that weren’t there, of making a pattern where there wasn’t one.”Also in this one is Dr. Quirke, a pathologist who is Strafford’s buddy…or is he? Now that Strafford is involved with Quirke’s daughter Phoebe, things may need to change.

Interestingly, this book is sometimes identified as being part of the Quirke-Strafford series. What, what? There’s a series? Both of them are repeat characters in Banville books, and this book, while not exactly a sequel to the earlier Lock-Up, is definitely a continuation of the events in that earlier book and I HIGHLY RECOMMEND reading the earlier book first. It isn’t bad,or impossible to follow, but there are many instances where mention is made of characters, events, etc.and their actions, and the reader needs to infer relationships and connections. Not impossible to follow but there are definitely benefits from knowing who is who and what happened earlier.

In this story, a somewhat weird loner comes across an empty car in a field by the ocean. It becomes a missing person case, as the man claims his wife may have thrown herself into the sea. Detective Inspector Strafford is called on to come down from Dublin to unravel the strange events, and Quirke works with him to try to unravel the mystery.

I suspect that if I had read the prior book recently I might have had an easier time following the people and events, and I felt like I had to look up characters and events as they came up to get who they were and where things were going. The mystery unravels slowly and might be a bit slow for many but as usual Banville’s language is beautiful and his storytelling unmatched. I am unsure about the stars on this one. The writing deserves 5, but I just wish there had been more explication before the story unraveled at its pace. So: 4 *s.

I feel that I would have enjoyed this more if I was familiar with the series. A missing woman and how she is linked to the players is the premise of this character driven novel. The side stories are more compelling than the mystery as they interact in unexpected ways. I cringed a bit on the ethnic slurs of the time period but no doubt that Banville is a strong story teller.

Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley

I'm always excited to see the publication of a new Quirk novel. The Drowned did not disappoint! Lots of twists and turns, and no sense of resolution at the end...Not for those who need a happy ending or even an ending with everything tied up neatly, but more a sense of real life and real, fallible people. I look forward to the next Quirk novel!