I received this from Netgalley.com.

"Who murdered the highly respected parish priest at Ballyglass House? Detective Inspector St John Strafford is called in from Dublin to investigate."

An okay police procedural/murder mystery. Lagging a bit towards the end as everything comes to a conclusion. Warning: abusive sexual situations

3.25☆

‘The body is in the library,’ Colonel Osborne said.  ‘Come this way.’

Winter 1957, County Wexford, Ireland.  The mutilated body of a highly respected parish priest is found in the library at Ballyglass House, the home of the aristocratic Osborne family.  Detective Inspector St John Strafford is called in from Dublin to investigate.  The doors were locked, the house was not broken into.  The crime scene has been cleaned and Father Lawless’s body has been ‘tidied up a bit’.  Who killed Father Tom Lawless, and why?  A murdered Catholic priest in a Protestant house: the police and the Catholic Archbishop both have an interest.

It has been snowing, and the snow continues to fall.  It is quite a contrast: the pure white snow, masking the usual surroundings as well as making movement challenging.  There’s mistrust as well between Catholics and Protestants, as well as between members of the Osborne family.  Detective Inspector Strafford meets silence at almost every turn.  The Archbishop wants to substitute his own version of what has happened to Father Tom Lawless, members of the Osborne family have some misdirection of their own.

‘A person acting on impulse can be lucky.  He’ll strike out without thinking, and afterwards everything looks natural, because it is.  But a plan always has something wrong with it.  There’s always a flaw.  Our job is to find it.’

DI Strafford and his investigations held my attention.  In the murder of Father Tom Lawless, the why might seem clear and the how will be obvious but the who hangs over the story.  There are secrets to be uncovered and, in an environment where the community is riven by mistrust, where covering up what happened is seen as desirable, finding answers was never going to be easy.  

The characters and their relationships are (mostly) well developed. The snow, by disguising the surroundings, adds a layer to the intrigue.  In this novel, Father Lawless’s murder is secondary to Mr Banville’s depiction of time and place.  

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Faber and Faber Ltd for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.  

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

Interesting book. Curl up with a fire in fireplace and enjoy. We all hope for that suspenseful novel, to hold our interest and satisfy our interest and surprise.

A dead priest in the library heard that one before but this is different the state of the death makes you think what has he done to be murdered in this way.The weather is bad will this help or hinder the invsetigation .The house has not been broken into and the doors are locked so who killed the priest.

The winter of 1957 is a harsh one especially around Christmas time which makes for a chillingly atmospheric setting for the murder of a priest. DI St John Strafford is summoned to Ballyglass House, the Wexford home of Colonel Osborne where Father Tom Lawless has been found murdered in the library. However, this is no Agatha Christie style mystery but rather a snapshot of a community in Ireland at this time. 

The snow is a very important part of the storytelling as it blankets and covers up all and is a metaphor for the ensuing attempt at a cover up by both the community and the all powerful Catholic Church. At many a turn Strafford faces silence or as near as. I like how the author reflects the well documented historic situation and so there are no great surprises here especially with the priests background and death but it is well depicted. I like the character of Strafford who is enigmatic, incisive and quietly determined. He is very unusual too in that he is a Protestant in an overwhelming Catholic Garda.  All the characters are colourful and at times it feels very theatrical which is a good counterpoint or the brutality of the murder. I especially like Lettie Osborne who is very clever and funny and the dialogue when she’s around is whip-smart I really like the way the book is written, at times it all feels a bit mad although you appreciate this is a deflection for Strafford’s benefit. The Osborne household is very intriguing from the hunting, shooting and fishing Colonel to the cook who can’t. The Archbishop of Ireland is a very smooth and powerful operator who is determined that the murder will be his version of truth rather than the actual truth. 

My only negative is the point of view of Father Tom Lawless which appears towards the end which feels very contrived and I don’t feel it adds anything to the story. 

Overall, this is a very atmospheric and interesting read. There are no huge shocks in the plot as the focus in on characterisation and depicting an era which John Banville does really well in this enjoyable book. 

With thanks to NetGalley and Faber and Faber for the ARC.

It’s almost Christmas 1957 and detective inspector St John Stratford is called to investigate a murder of a well known priest in a country house. The winter is severe, snow blanketing and muffling everything. Strafford recognises the cliched setting and the atmosphere of unreality, which affects his investigation. Everyone has secrets, even in plain sight. 
I found this a difficult read in parts - particularly the infrequent scenes of sexual violence. I admired the plotting, the prose and the intent to uncover the stench of corruption under the layers of social mores and concern for status. In the end, did Strafford succeed?  Or is there always a deeper layer?

It is December 1957 in rural Ireland. 
Detective Inspector St John Strafford is called to investigate the murder of a Catholic priest at the remote Ballyglass House.
This is an richly written book with a brilliant portrayal of icy cold winter in unheated decrepit houses  that will make you want to turn on the central heating. 
The ice at the heart of this novel contrasts with the heat of exploring the depth of sexual depravity, exploitation, abuse, religious prejudice and mental illness at a time when the power of the Catholic Church in Ireland touched every part of the police and judiciary.
Some of the characters are stereotypes from post-war society and unconvincing as a result, but the isolation and flawed morality of ever character, including the police officers, adds layers to the story.
The flashback that explained the motivation for the murder didn't work for me. The motivation was clear from the opening chapters and the method of death.
Otherwise an evocative, well-written account of a time in Ireland's history from which the country has never truly recovered.

"Snow" will probably disappoint the hardcore thriller/crime readers. I'm not one of those. I'm more interested in characterisations, atmosphere and the overall writing style - which, as I've come to expect from John Banville, were top notch. It's a bonus if I don't find any gaping plot holes - there were none.

It's 1957. Detective Inspector St. John Strafford is sent to a small village in County Wexford, Ireland to investigate the gruesome murder of a catholic priest. He was the guest of a retired protestant colonel who lived in a big old mansion. St John a was an interesting main character, not your stereotypical smoker, drink to oblivion kind of detective.

Banville affords us a glimpse of the era - the divisions between the Catholics and the Protestants that penetrated every aspect of life and the overwhelming influence of the Catholic church in all aspects of life.

The novel has a good, steady pace, in keeping with the times, the era, and the season. I could easily imagine the characters and the locations.

The only thing that I found jarring was a small chapter from the deceased priest's point of view, I thought it was random and unnecessary, and I say that as someone who enjoys hearing from unreliable characters. Other than that, this was excellent, as you'd expect from such a talented writer.

This is the first book I have read by John Banville and I was impressed.

It is wonderfully written. The descriptions of places and in particular the weather are striking. They bring the story to life and really make you feel that you are there among the freezing snow.

Detective Inspector Strafford is charged with investigating the brutal killing of a priest. Beginning as it does with news that 'the body is in the library' the book at first appears to be a knowing parody of classic murder mystery stories.

Strafford remarks on more than one occasion how the people he comes across appear as characters in a play, each playing their stereotyped part. But the book is much more than a straightforward 'whodunnit' - and there is a terrible story buried within it that will ultimately explain the murder.

The character of Strafford is very well drawn and it is easy to like and empathise with him. He is one of the main reasons why I liked the book so much. 

During the course of the investigation, a number of other sorry tales come to light. At times there seems to be death, depression and repressed desires everywhere, as various characters appear left reeling by some tragedy or other in their lives.

The broad range of characters, even those who appear only briefly such as Strafford's boss, add to the richness of the book. And things don't always have clear-cut resolutions, making the story seem all the more true to life.

For all the brilliant description in the book, Banville also often writes in a simple and straightforward way. This kind of pared back writing means certain scenes have a bigger impact and the writing doesn't feel 'cluttered'.

Banville has told a very moving and all too real story. I would very much recommend Snow..

An Interesting Irish mystery. The detective, Lt. Strafford  is from the big city of Dublin and there are numerous characters - odd and unusual.  The local priest has been murdered, in a most gruesome way.  It's winter, and the snow falls daily to wash away any overnight activity or clues.  An unexpected conclusion. Not as exciting as I hoped but still a great read.

We’re 1957 in rural Ireland. In the mansion of protestant colonel Osborne, the body of a catholic priest is found in the library. The house friend has been stabbed and gelded. From the start, there’s pressure from the archbishop’s palace to treat the whole thing very discreetly and classify it as an accident (he fell from the stairs) and the details that must not come out, imagine the scandal and the neighbours.
It’s DI Strafford; a member of the same aristocratic minority who is dispatched from Dublin to handle the inquiry. He has the feeling as if he’s landed in a theatre play with everyone in the house an actor, dressed up to say their lines. Will he give in to the pressure from the omnipresent Catholic Church or will his quest for the truth kick against some holy shins? 
With a snow storm brewing up, everybody is cooped up inside apart from Strafford’s (with an R) assistant who’s gone missing.

It starts out as a classic murder mystery. How much closer can you come than a body in the library of a remote country house amidst a snow storm? It has a very slow pace as befits the period but it doesn’t take itself too serious with several references to Agatha Christie and Poirot.
Strafford is an enigmatic figure. He’s a man who feels uncomfortable with his place and role in this life. He became a policeman to rebel against his father but asks himself now if he would have been happier if he’d become a barrister as his dad wanted. He also recently split up with his girlfriend and stands very uncomfortable in life. He thinks things through and through but doesn’t relate well to people. They make him feel awkward. He’s an outcast for the gentry but also a weird element in the police force. I couldn’t feel very much sympathy for this aristocrat despite him having a very strong moral compass. I think he’s a rather sad man. Because of his thinking he’s always on the outside looking in but not being part of what’s going on. Well, that’s how I see him, someone else might think differently. 
To 21st century readers, a dead castrated priest means usually just 1 thing, and points to a very distinct motive. But here we are in 50’s Ireland where the church influences and holds power over almost every aspect of everyday life. A murdered priest just does not happen, let alone one mutilated in this manner! As an historical and social document, it paints a bleak picture of post-civil war Ireland, where the Catholic Church had its claws on politics, press, police and anything else you can think of. And how they condoned abuse and swept it under the carpet. That is when the people dared to make a complaint as most didn’t dare to speak out against a priest. Such things were common knowledge but no one would speak publicly about it. The best outcome would be that the offender was placed in another parish, where he’d go his merry way again.
I’ve always wondered how the correlation between pedophiles and priests (of any denomination) works. Do they become priests in order to get in contact with children because they’re pedos or is it the other way round and do they discover this perversion only when they’re already priests? No matter what the answer is, YOU DON’T TOUCH CHILDREN!!! And for those who say that they can’t help those feelings. Well, that’s the lamest excuse of every rapist and killer. You don’t have to act on those feelings. Seek help. So many people have feelings that they don’t act on. They know very well that what they do is out of order or they wouldn’t try covering up their crimes. I don’t want to call for vigilante justice, but the courts should be able to order compulsory castration after serving prison time. 
I want to say that there are no graphic descriptions of these crimes. It’s told very tastefully with the act self, told off screen. This is in stark contrast with the minute descriptions of people, surroundings, and landscape that can be found in the rest of the book. You could almost draw (well, those with a talent for sketching can) the people when Banville describes someone’s peculiar face or the clothing they wear or put on. It’s really beautifully worded. So it certainly fits into the literary fiction box as well as being a police procedural and a murder mystery. It’s a fairly simple straightforward story with subtle layers of historical social comments that’s written in a very beautiful language.
I thank Netgalley and Faber & Faber for the free ARC of this book the provided; this is my honest and unbiased review of it.

Thank you Net galley and  Faber and Faber for allowing me to read this in advance.
John Banville has a great talent for bring characters to life and injecting a little Irish wit into a very good whodunnit.Colonel Osborne ia an aristocratic Protestant figure in 1950ish catholic lreland. Living in the 'big house' with his weakwilled much younger wife Sylvia,son Dominic and daughter Lettie with the proverbial Irish cook downstairs . When a priest Fr Tom is murdered  Strafford with an r is called in . He is Protestant detective in a country with a mostly Catholic gardai. Everyone in the house must be questioned and this includes Fonsey a tall broad awkward man who helps on the estate. He lives in a caravan far in the  woods and keeps many secrets which slowly come out.
Its a very Irish story . Loved the Irishness of the time and the Catholic,Protestant vibe which must have been very prominent at the time. It is based on the church paedophile scandal which is hinted at all the way through but in the second last chapter it becomes very very graphic which I found horrific. This is why I dropped stars. I loved the whole concept and just found it spoiled it for me!

Everything that I didn't like about this book my mum loved.   After much thought and discussion we have come to the following conclusion:

There is nothing in the time or the place that I can relate to so little things like the detective just picking up and wearing boots he found by the door pushed me too far into unbelievable territory whereas the same detail pushed my mum the other way and she was delighted that that was included because it brought back memories of her doing the same thing. 

I think the plot is pretty obvious, 

It is really well written and the imagery it conveys at times is wonderful. 

I've gone with my mum's rating because I think she is more the target audience.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book

A whodunnit in the Agatha Christie mode complete with a body in the library combined with Banville’s delicious prose and dense characterisation, Snow is a delight from start to finish. The first half outlines the murder in a country house and our Poirot is an unlikely Protestant Garda – Strafford not Stafford as he needs to repeatedly remind everyone. However as our victim is a Catholic priest and our setting is mid 20th century Ireland it doesn’t take long before the story takes a turn towards Ireland’s murky clerical past, complete with the inclusion of Archbishop John Charles McQuaid as a supporting character in the drama.

A cast of characters are skilfully drawn and as usual Banville’s language is a joy to behold: ‘reflected light on the cheek of the teapot seemed to wink at him in spiteful mirth’, ‘he would be wearing a dead man’s boots – no end to life’s grotesqueries’ not to mention the ‘snow falling heavily in flabby flakes the size of communion wafers’.


For the combination of whodunnit with a final twist reserved for the last pages and Banville’s mastery of language, this is a perfect read for a dark winter’s evening – Banville at his best.

This is part Agatha Christie pastiche (' 'It's a library,' he muttered incredulously to Hendricks. 'It's an actual fucking library, and there's a body in it!' ') and part dark uncovering of Ireland's troubled history with scandalous priests and Catholic Church cover-ups. It's pretty obvious where the book is going from the opening pages and Banville doesn't change direction. 

It's a slightly odd combination: the 'cosy' elements of Christie such as the dysfunctional family in the 'big house', complete with a daughter called Lettice (a very Christie name) mingled with traumatic events including multiple suicides as well as murders. I'm not quite sure what to make of it, to be honest - it subverts the cosiness but also taints it with this modern-ish overlay. 

Banville's writing is always elegant and he keeps things moving more briskly than in some of his books - but expect upsetting and disturbing things to happen cocooned in a structure that can accommodate them but only by distorting itself.

I really enjoy John Banville's writing and have read a lot of his novels, so was pleased to see that I could request his latest novel, Snow, from NetGalley.

Detective Inspector St. John Strafford has been summoned to County Wexford to investigate a murder. A parish priest has been found dead in Ballyglass House, the family seat of the aristocratic, secretive Osborne family.  The year is 1957 and the Catholic Church rules Ireland with an iron fist. Strafford—flinty, visibly Protestant, and determined to identify the murderer—faces obstruction at every turn, from the heavily accumulating snow to the culture of silence in this tight-knit community. As he delves further, he learns the Osbornes are not at all what they seem. And when his own deputy goes missing, Strafford must work to unravel the ever-expanding mystery before the community’s secrets, like the snowfall itself, threatens to obliterate everything.

I started reading Snow as a straightforward murder mystery set in a classic isolated (physically and by the constant snow) country home. It did strike me as strange that  John Banville hadn't published it under his preferred pseudonym for his crime novels, and also that it was remarkably cliched. The knowing references to 'the body in the library' and 'Poirot'; the inclusion of the weary lonely detective (who also happens to be 'top drawer a la Ngaio Marsh'), the local yokel police force, the dysfunctional posh family and the suspicious doctor and priest were all just too obvious as characters. And the plot outcome is not difficult to predict - SPOILER ALERT - suffice to say, there is a priest, that he used to work at a boys' correctional home, and you can probably write the rest yourself.

Snow was a confusing read for me.  The writing was gorgeous, Banville is as always a lyricist and a wordsmith. But I kept wanting more. Maybe I was missing something. I would still recommend but it isn't one of my favourite Banville novels.

I really enjoyed this book a lot. The characters were clever and engaging, and getting to spend time with them was a treat. I liked the writing too - it was descriptive without ever veering into flowery territory, and I would certainly be interested in reading more work by this author. The cover is great too!

I love Banville’s ability to describe characters and scenes. I’m put-off by authors that try too hard to tell you what a character looks like or how he/she behaves, usually preferring the opportunity to imagine some of it for myself. With Banville, though, his language creates superior images than I could come up with and he does it in a way that isn’t distracting.

Reading Snow reminded me of watching old episodes of Poirot. The stories are set in Ireland post-civil war and society is very much transfixed on whether or not a person is a Catholic or Protestant. This division of people into groups is a theme throughout the book and the main character Strafford is the go-between as he travels back and forth and among the people of this small village to solve a murder at the home of a prominent family.

There are two chapters in the book written from the point of view of different characters. Normally, I like multiple points of view, but I did find the switch to these other characters abrupt. I know what he’s trying to do here, but it seems more like a plot device than a necessary part of the storytelling.

Strafford is a likable character with idiosyncrasies and behavior that seems out-of-the-ordinary, but he isn’t without feeling. His social confusion and self-analysis add to his charm and set him apart from other detective characters.

Snow, by John Banville, is a historical police procedural, set in midcentury Ireland, a land indepedent of Great Britain, while still exhibiting many class and prejudicial differences between Catholics and Protostents.  This is not, however, without its very dark and disturbing moments.  Perhaps I should have seen them coming, since the victim is a Catholic priest, but I clearly didn't think that through.  Very much worth the read, but this goes beyond the procedural and into cultural commentary - one that is needed and well handled.  Recommended.

A well-crafted Irish mystery in which we encounter Lt. Strafford the detective from the big city [Dublin],  and a host of characters - odd and unusual.  The local priest has been murdered, in a most grisly way.  It's winter, and the snow falls daily to obliterate any overnight activity.  An unexpected conclusion.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Faber & Faber and Net Galley.  The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.  pub date 10/01/20