The Silver Swan cover art

The Silver Swan

Quirke, Book 2

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The Silver Swan

By: Benjamin Black
Narrated by: Timothy Dalton
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About this listen

Read by Timothy Dalton, best known for his role as James Bond.

Quirke returns. The Silver Swan is the second entry in the spellbinding literary crime series set in 1950s Dublin from John Banville, writing as Benjamin Black. Now major TV series: Quirke, starring Gabriel Byrne and Michael Gambon.

Time has moved on for Quirke, the world-weary pathologist first encountered in Christine Falls. It is the middle of the 1950s, that low, dishonourable decade; a woman he loved has died, a man whom he once admired is dying, while the daughter he for so long denied is still finding it hard to accept him as her father.

When an old acquaintance approaches him about his wife’s apparent suicide, Quirke recognizes trouble. But, as always, trouble is something he cannot resist . . .

‘Absorbing, atmospheric and moving. More please’ – Guardian

‘Drug addiction, morbid sexual obsession, blackmail and murder, as well as prose as crisp as a winter’s morning by the Liffey . . . Quirke is human enough to swell the hardest of hearts’ – GQ

‘A romp of a read, a compelling fix’ – Scotsman

The Silver Swan is the second of the Quirke Mysteries. Continue the atmospheric crime series with Elegy for April.

©2007 Benjamin Black (P)2008 Macmillan Audio Crime Crime Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Mystery Police Procedural Political Suspense Thriller & Suspense Fiction

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All stars
Most relevant  
An amazing read for my day off,if you haven't read Christina Falls then I strongly suggest you start with that one before moving on to this as it is it prequel. I love the unforeseen storyline and the conclusions drawing to the end of this book it was such a shocking story that as the reader made me feel that sometimes uncomfortable shocked and on the edge of my seat you must must must read this book

Fantastic story

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An absorbing story line with an unusual structure which had me hooked. Every sentence beautifully written to give tone and colour. The narrator, Timothy Dalton, matched the mood of this dark tale. One of the best audiobooks I have listened to.

In a class of it’s own

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Where does The Silver Swan rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Very high - I love Timothy Dalton's pacy narration, he captures the noirish genre perfectly and distinguishes each character well.

What did you like best about this story?

The characters, their inner thoughts, the descriptions of place and era. My favourite character keeps changing with each new Quirke novel - I adore the frog-faced Inspector Hackett. Glorious nourishment for the mind and ear, a moreish recording. I have never smoked in my life but there is so much smoking in this novel I could practically taste the nicotine, feel the smoke and smell the bitter coffee - the mystery is seedy but believable.

What about Timothy Dalton’s performance did you like?

His delivery is brisk, gripping and pitch perfect for these stories - I wish he had recorded more than 3 of these novels.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes - the gradual, non-linear exploration of each character's experience keeps you guessing and the overall plot is exciting and enthralling.

Impressive

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well read and good pace - I plan to listen to them all and maybe the sea too

Top story

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the interference that begins in chapter 3. Audiobooks need to have a look at this. The narration becomes a massive of crackles, and then when the sound settles down, the recording jumps and skips forward, like an old fashioned vynil record with bad scratches. Hence, the whole thing becomes unlistenable, with chunks of narrative and information missing

Compelling and intriguing story with plenty of atmosphere. Beautifully read by Timothy Dalton.

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A long and tedious piece of work. Dreadfully dull and altogether unoriginal... with a ghastly cynical nod to the corpse of Joyce. A revisiting of old themes, dished-up in a lifeless and typically self-satisfied manners. Knowing the author from earlier work, I can't say I'm surprised by this effort. I couldn't recommend it and I don't. Better to listen to the traffic.

THIS IS AN AWFUL PIECE OF STUFF, I THINK.

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I returned this Book as it just seemed dreary and slow - couldn’t get into it

So Slow...

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