[#1]

 I'm sure, like me, when you're reading or watching a murder mystery you're playing detective from the start - trying to suss out who's who - if they're suspicious, if they're too unassuming, if they have secrets...

After we were first introduced to Francoise D'Aubigny and Dannie I got that sense of 'errr... something's a bit off here...' but then I wonder if that's what Banville/Black intends.

And what do you think about Phoebe?

[#2]

 I'm sure, like me, when you're reading or watching a murder mystery you're playing detective from the start - trying to suss out who's who - if they're suspicious, if they're too unassuming, if they have secrets...

After we were first introduced to Francoise D'Aubigny and Dannie I got that sense of 'errr... something's a bit off here...' but then I wonder if that's what Banville/Black intends.

And what do you think about Phoebe?

[#3]

The characters were all very different making it easier to keep track of such a large cast however I found the way in which every single one was interlinked with several others somewhat hard to credit and this detracted from the tale a bit.

Phoebe seemed to be the universal aunt in a way, mopping up the problems of all the rest.

[#4]

I thought Francoise was a fairly unbelievable character. She struck me more as a first impression than a real, three-dimensional woman. Although, of course, as we got to know her better, that changed. But I suppose, as we so often saw her through Quirke's eyes, she would come across as this impossibly romantic ideal at first.