Christine Falls

Dalton uses all his pacing and vocal skills and his wonderful, deep Welsh tones to keep listeners engaged and on edge through this mystery set in 1950s Dublin and Boston. He skillfully sustains our empathy for widowed Dublin coroner Quirke, the alcoholic, angry and acerbic narrator who drags himself into solving the mystery of Christine Falls’s death in childbirth and the disappearance of her newborn—a scenario that parallels Quirke’s own experience. Black (pseudonym of Booker Prize–winner John Banville) is a fine writer, reminiscent of P.D. James in his care for language and his emphasis on psychologically complex characters, including Mel, Quirke’s obstetrician stepbrother; Sarah, Mel’s wife (and sister of Quirke’s dead wife), whose love for Quirke is reciprocated; and Mel and Sarah’s confused daughter, Phoebe. Black weaves his characters through a neat and original plot that descends into the dark depths of Quirke’s family history and rises to the highest ranks of the Catholic church. Detective fiction readers will love Black’s writing and Dalton’s reading, and look forward to more from both. Simultaneous release with the Henry Holt hardcover (Reviews, Nov. 27). (Mar.)