Good book again!  But, and I emphasize this, although it’s the same guy Benjamin Black is quite a different writer from John Banville. Sometimes I think Black gets back into the groove of writing literary novels even though as Black he writes crime novels of various sorts including this series. 

** PLEASE READ THESE IN ORDER! **

Even the Dead 
by Benjamin Black – 2016
Read by John Keating 9h 27m
Rating –  8/A+ Literary crime
(#7 in Quirke series) 

Fom the beginning of this book we have Quirke seeing a new woman, Doctor Evelyn Blake, a psychiatrist. His adult but motherless daughter Phoebe has gotten a job in Blake’s office and has also just met a new friend with the unlikely name of Lisa Smith, Lisa is in trouble because her boyfriend was just killed in a car collision with a tree. Lisa was a witness AND she’s pregnant. Phoebe, being Phoebe, has to help.

Meanwhile, Detective Hacket, Quirk’s police force buddy, finds that the dead man’s father is an old, long-time “friend” who happens to owe him some favors. The tale gets messy with history, both personal and Irish. 

Quirt’s half brother Mal and new wife, Rose, are involved in this story. but now Mal is seriously ill and Rose is … um .. rather forward, imo, but … 

This book is lighter in some way with hints of humor, but the darkness is always there, just waiting to come out and show itself. 

I look forward to April in Spain, number 9 in his series of 10. I read Snow (#8) awhile back and out of order. (My review is here.) The author went back to the name of John Banville for Snow and for these next 2 books, too.