THE BOOK FAIR

Review:

Authored by John Danville, the novel, a complex thriller, features a cast of realistic characters, both likeable and unlikeable, and takes place in Ireland, in the 1950’s.

 

Dr. Quirke, the Dublin pathologist enters the morgue after midnight and finds his brother, Malachy Griffin working late, sitting behind his desk.  Quirke looks over the corpse of a young woman labeled Christine Falls.  Mal dismisses Quirke’s curiosity, relieved he is drunk and insists that he go home.

 

The next morning, in spite of a hangover, Quirke pulls himself into work.  He is surprised to find the body of Christine Falls replaced with the corpse of an old woman.  He finds Mal’s pen on his desk and knows he was not dreaming.  So begins Quirke’s mission to discover the identity of the missing, deceased woman.

 

In 1950’s Ireland, the Church held control over the parishioners.  The title, “Christine Falls”, can be nothing less than a taunt in this cerebral, suspenseful, page turner with many unexpected twists.