Black - Christine Falls - 08/01/07 - 16/01/07

Benjamin Black is a pseudonym...of John Banville (MAN Booker Prize Winner in 2005). As you would expect, this book is well written and for the most part an easy enough read. Having said that, I didn't find it to be a 'page turner' - for me, the story never captured my imagination. The book centres around a woman's death and follows the investigations of Quirke, a pathologist who is intrigued to find his brother-in-law altering the death certificate. Black's style is smooth and he makes efficient use of words; the result of which is that one never seems to get to know the characters in the book (perhaps he intends this - but why?).

Certainly I will read other books by Black, and I may even try some of his other work.