Holy Orders Audiobook By John Banville, Benjamin Black cover art

Holy Orders

A Quirke Novel

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When the body of his daughter’s friend is brought to his autopsy table, Quirke is plunged into a world of corruption that takes him to the darkest corners of the Catholic Church, in one of The Wall Street Journal’s “Ten Best Mysteries of the Year.”

1950s Dublin. A battered body discovered floating in a canal is quickly identified as Jimmy Minor, an up-and-coming investigative journalist for the Clarion and a good friend to Phoebe, the daughter of pathologist Quirke.

Determined to find Jimmy’s killer, Quirke enlists his sometime partner, Inspector Hackett. As they dig deeper into the stories Jimmy was pursuing and the secrets he was poised to reveal, and Quirke is haunted by the memories of his own grim childhood in a priest-run orphanage, the two men will see just how far the Church and its supporters will go to protect their own interests.

A Macmillan Audio production from Henry Holt and Co.

 Crime Fiction World Literature Mystery Historical Crime Fiction Noir Genre Fiction Literary Fiction

Critic reviews

“Dalton's soul-stirring Shakespearean intonation was ideal for earlier books in the series, as they largely were told from the point of view of the protagonist Quirke, a brooding, alcoholic pathologist. But with that perspective subsequently having been paired with the additional perspective of Quirke's daughter, Phoebe, I now realize John Keating – who most recently read Black's ‘A Death in Summer' – is perfect for these alternating voices.” —The Star-Ledger

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I have enjoyed all of the novels in this series. keeps you coming back for more. the author has the ability to impart psychological depth with the intrigue of the mysterious in everyday life.

consistently well told and well read

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If you could sum up Holy Orders in three words, what would they be?

Rambling, sluggish, uninspired.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

No. It's really a couple of character studies told inside not-quite-a mystery.

Which scene was your favorite?

Phoebe, Sally and David having tea. John Keating was brilliant in developing and distinguishing all three characters.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Rain, rain, go away.

Any additional comments?

I'd listen to anything John Keating reads. He is a gifted actor.

Loose story telling

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Benjamin Black never fails to entertain and what a superb mystery writer with wonderful details

Great book

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This latest installation reminded me of when a new author takes over an established ones work. Regurgitating the back story is half the novel. And the new parts introduced are flimsy and with little consequence. Wait for the next book and all you would have missed is what happened to Jimmy Minor.

Is Benjamin Black ok?

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