The Lock-Up

JOHN BANVILLE was born in Wexford Ireland in 1945. He is the author of many novels including <i>The Book of Evidence The Sea</i> winner of the 2005 Man Booker Prize and most recently the bestselling crime novels <i>Snow</i> and <i>April in Spain</i> both of which were shortlisted for the CWA Historical Dagger. <b>The <i>Sunday Times</i> bestselling author of <i>Snow </i>and <i>April in Spain </i>is back as Quirke and Strafford return with their most troubling case yet.</b> A compelling thriller resonant with love grief and vengeance. As much a study of two troubled men as a cunning murder mystery. It is full of grief rage pain and horror ... Reading [Banville] is like drinking Bollinger when your usual tipple is Babycham.' 'He is a master of the set scene . . . The Lock-Up is to be relished above all for its richly realised characters and their understanding of the vagaries of human nature.' The ultimate page-turner expertly paced and beautifully written. 'A hypnotic thriller. . . with prose this lush and mordantly funny it's a shame it has to end.' 'Propulsive . . . [and] a novel of great sensory description whether Banville is capturing the<br>pungency of a pub at closing time or the shrieking cacophony of a kitchen manned by aflustered cook.' Elegant and acute . . . masterly. Deeply atmospheric; forensically psychological. 'Banville's elegant crime novels [are] almost as addictive as Simenon.' The author lays on increasing layers of entangled plot keeping us engrossed not merely in a whodunit sort of way but in the manner in which he probes deeply inside the souls of his characters especially those of Quirke and Strafford. While the book is full of grief rage pain and horror it also contains elements of Banville's vintage wry humour . . . wonderfully lyrical and atmospheric. The Strafford and Quirke novels give the sense of a writer content in his rare ability to fashion a novel that will have his readers hooked. That they are also beautifully written is with Banville a given. <b>'A compelling thriller.'</b><br><b><i>DAILY MAIL</i></b><b></b><br><b></b><br><b>'Superb.'</b><br><b><i>SUNDAY TIMES</i></b><br><b><i></i></b><br><b>The <i>Sunday Times</i> bestselling author of <i>Snow</i> and <i>April in Spain</i> returns with Strafford and Quirke's most troubling case yet.</b><br><b></b><br>1950s Dublin. The body of a young woman is discovered in a lock-up garage an apparent suicide. But pathologist Dr Quirke and Detective Inspector Strafford soon suspect foul play.<br><br>The victim's sister returns from London to help the two men but with relations between them increasingly strained and their investigation taking them back to events from the final days of the Second World War can they join the pieces of a hidden puzzle before it's too late?<br><br><b>'Atmospheric and sinister with simmering tension . . . Once you start reading it's impossible to stop.'</b><br><b><i>DAILY EXPRESS</i></b><br><b><i></i></b><br><b>'Addictive.'</b><br><b><i>DAILY TELEGRAPH</i></b><br><b></b><br><b><u>Readers are gripped by <i>The Lock-Up</i>:</u></b><br><b><u></u></b><br>***** 'A real page-turner. . . Highly recommend!'<br>***** 'Crime writing at its finest'<br>***** 'Quite spectacular! John Banville is a wonderful writer'<br>***** 'I had an absolute blast reading this novel. I genuinely didn't want it to end.'<br><br><b>**<i>THE DROWNED</i> - THE CHILLING NEW STRAFFORD & QUIRKE MURDER MYSTERY - AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER NOW**</b><br><b></b>