A Jewish Irish mystery

Fans of mystery novels often have to endure corny dialogues to find out who bumped off the poor victims. Even though the genre can be forgiving of mediocre prose, author John Banville shows off his writing chops in his new mystery: The Lock-Up (Hanover Square Press 2023). More importantly, the novel explores the long, dark shadow of the Holocaust.

On a typically dreary day in Ireland, a mechanic discovers the body of Rosa Jacobs, a Jewish doctoral student and women’s rights activist. He found her in a garage, or lock-up, slumped over in her car. When Detective Strafford and pathologist Dr. Quirke examine the girl, they determine she was murdered. In a world of Catholics and Protestants who still don’t get along, the death of the young Jew stands out more than most.

Rosa had been the darling of the Kessler family. Wolfgang Kessler, a German aristocrat who immigrated to Ireland after the war, gives Strafford a bad feeling. It turns out that Kessler has connections in Israel, helping the Jews “reclaim the desert” in an apparent act of penance for the Holocaust. After the death of a journalist in Tel Aviv, Detective Strafford learns of a secret project underway in Israel, one that the Kesslers have been behind all along.

Quirke, a bitter alcoholic, has long blamed Strafford for the death of a loved one, and tension between the two men makes for a strong throughline.

There’s infrequent strong language, and characters regularly misuse the Lord’s name. Both Quirke and Strafford have extramarital affairs, but the scenes of intimacy aren’t too detailed. One rather effeminate male character is “not interested in girls” and confesses feelings for another man.

Despite foul language and characters with questionable morals, the book is quite a compelling read. Written with the tangential pace of an author like Cormac McCarthy, The Lock-Up is a surprising mystery that most readers won’t find too spooky.

As far as apt takeaways (including a brief nod to the horror of abortion), the mystery doesn’t disappoint. Given the present war in Israel and conflicting views of terrorism abroad, readers may appreciate a story that condemns anti-Semitism.