Elegy for April is the third entry in the Quirke Mysteries, a darkly compelling 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.

Read by Timothy Dalton (James Bond, Penny Dreadful)

As a deep, bewildering fog cloaks Dublin, a young woman has vanished . . .

Phoebe Griffin is still haunted by the horrors of her past. Unable to discover news of her friend April, she turns to Quirke who – fresh from drying out in an institution – responds to his daughter's request for help. But as Phoebe, Quirke and Inspector Hackett speak with those who knew April, they begin to realize that there may have been more behind the young woman’s discretion and secrecy than they could have imagined.

Why was April so estranged from her family? What is her close-knit circle of friends hiding? And who is the shadowy figure who seems to be watching Phoebe’s flat at night, through the frozen mists?

As Quirke finds himself distracted from his sobriety by a beautiful young actress, Phoebe watches helplessly as April’s family hush up her disappearance, and all possible leads seem to dry up. All, that is, bar one – one she cannot bear to contemplate. But, when Quirke makes a disturbing discovery, he is finally able to begin unravelling the great, complex web of love, lies, jealousy and dark secrets that April spun her life from . . .

‘Quirke is an endearing hero . . . A beguiling read’ – The Times

‘Vivid and compelling’ – Marie Claire

Elegy for April is the third of the Quirke Mysteries. Continue the enthralling series with A Death in Summer.