Without a doubt, the family and friends of fictional sleuths are two of the most endangered species on the planet. Crime novelists seem to have no ...
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May 30, 2011
Stephen
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Jan 19, 2012
Kevin
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Another in the Alan Banks series. Alan Banks recovers from his home being burned down and his life being simultaneously put in danger and saved by his ex-girlfriend and partner on the police force. Annie Cabot his ex girlfriend is trying to figure out how to get Alan back into the fold. While Banks is on leave he gets a call from his younger brother Roy on his machine. The message is one of concern for Banks since he and his brother are mostly estranged. The message also implies that Roy is in d
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Feb 05, 2009
Banks will ferret out the truth, no matter what rules he breaks. In this British police procedural, Robinson offers up a gritty plot with some introspective ruminations on self-identity and personal relationships. As Banks ("not your everyday quaffing plonk") evaluates his relationship with his high-living, shady brother, he examines his own vulnerabilities-heightened, of course, by his nasty divorce and near-death experience in the aforementioned fire. Robinson fleshes out compelling
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Feb 10, 2011
Spuddie
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#15 DCI Alan Banks police procedural set in Yorkshire, UK. Banks, still recovering from the devastating fire at his cottage that almost cost him his life, is on holiday and wondering what to do with his time when he receives a couple of cryptic voicemails from his brother Roy, a wheeling-and-dealing financier in London. Alan and his younger brother are not close and never have been, and they rarely speak on the phone unless there's a problem, so the message--which sounds almost desperate though
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Aug 16, 2009
Maddy
rated it:
RATING: 4.25
PROTAGONIST: Alan Banks
SETTING: UK
SUMMARY: After the fire which destroyed his home (Playing with Fire), Alan Banks has sunk into a depression. When he receives a distraught message from his brother, Roy, he has to find out what is happening. When he arrives at Roy's home in London, he finds him missing. At the same time, a young woman has been murdered, execution style, on a remote Yorkshire road. She has Alan's name and address on a paper in her back pocket. T More...
PROTAGONIST: Alan Banks
SETTING: UK
SUMMARY: After the fire which destroyed his home (Playing with Fire), Alan Banks has sunk into a depression. When he receives a distraught message from his brother, Roy, he has to find out what is happening. When he arrives at Roy's home in London, he finds him missing. At the same time, a young woman has been murdered, execution style, on a remote Yorkshire road. She has Alan's name and address on a paper in her back pocket. T More...
Feb 05, 2010
Debbie
rated it: 
In this Alan Banks mystery, Alan is recovering from his brush with death and the destruction of his cottage by fire. Annie and Alan have not resolved their differences due to Phil Keane. The story starts with the death of a young woman, and a puzzling message left for Alan from his brother Roy. The story takes many turns agter Aln arrives at Roy's house "in the mews". As usual, Robinson builds a moving story, but he also explores the injustices of life. In this story, he uncovers
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Oct 15, 2011
Donna
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While Inspector Alan Banks is on holiday recovering from injuries sustained while his house was burnt down with him in it, he receives a phone message from his somewhat estranged brother, Roy, from London. The message sounded urgent enough that Alan Banks heads for London when he can't reach Roy by telephone. The disappearance of Roy soon seems related to the murder of a young woman who is found to have Alan Bank's name and address in her pocket. Peter Robinson is a very good writer and I par
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Jan 11, 2012
Margaret
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Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks receives an urgent phone call from his brother asking for his help. He has never been close to his brother Roy, but alarmed by the message on his answerphone he sets off from the Yorkshire Dales for London to see exactly what the problem is. But on his arrival he finds his brother s house empty and no-one knows where he is.[return][return]Meanwhile back in Yorkshire DI Annie Cabbott is investigating the death of a young woman found in her car. She had Banks
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Feb 10, 2009
Cindi
rated it:
I'm a fan of Peter Robinson's mysteries featuring DCI Alan Banks, but haven't read one for a while. When I became disenchanted with the last book I read and abandoned it, I went in search of the next novel in this series.
In this book, Banks is on holiday and relaxing at home - a temporary rental flat while his cottage, burned in a fire in the last book, is being rebuilt. Banks receives a phone message from his estranged brother, who lives in London, asking for help in a life or deat More...
In this book, Banks is on holiday and relaxing at home - a temporary rental flat while his cottage, burned in a fire in the last book, is being rebuilt. Banks receives a phone message from his estranged brother, who lives in London, asking for help in a life or deat More...
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Mar 22, 2009
Barbara
rated it:
This is the first title I've listened to by Peter Robinson. I really liked Banks and Cabot. Alan Banks's estranged brother Roy called and left a desperate life and death message on Alan's machine. After having no luck reaching Roy by telephone, Alan traveled to London to investigate his brothers disappearance.
Annie Cabot, on the other hand, was working a supposedly unrelated death by gunshot. She also traveled to London to investigate. The two cases converge and interesting thing More...
Annie Cabot, on the other hand, was working a supposedly unrelated death by gunshot. She also traveled to London to investigate. The two cases converge and interesting thing More...
Jan 27, 2009
Jeff
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This book was very exciting and more than a little bit creepy. I really like the Alan Banks series from this author. He’s the kind of character that you like to win and you can really get behind. He does seem to have a lot of emotional baggage, which, while it does make him a believable human character, in some ways makes him a little hard to read. But, for the most part I do really like this series and will continue to follow the series.
Nov 17, 2011
Leah
rated it:
A simple police procedural, a big detour for me but enjoyable enough. Pretty straightforward story, a lot like watching a movie-length episode of The Bill.
The characters spend most of the novel recovering from events that occurred in the last DCI Banks novel but it doesn't affect the singularity of the story.
Characters 'resolve' and 'make mental notes' a lot, which feels very plot-device-y.
Overall, exactly what I expected from it.
The characters spend most of the novel recovering from events that occurred in the last DCI Banks novel but it doesn't affect the singularity of the story.
Characters 'resolve' and 'make mental notes' a lot, which feels very plot-device-y.
Overall, exactly what I expected from it.
Mar 06, 2010
Carrie
rated it:
This Inspector Banks story takes place mostly in London. It's interesting to be so familiar with the tube and train stations and neighborhoods mentioned, and to be able to follow the journeys of the characters. This story was a bit more in depth than others, which made it more interesting. It also was very clear that one needed to read these books in order to understand the nuances of the sub-plots.
Jul 23, 2009
Carol
rated it:
Great suspense? Check. Believable characters? Check. Sitting on the edge of your seat? Check. Detective Inspector Banks has been going through the motions since a fire destroyed his home, his possessions and nearly his life. All that changes when he gets a call for help from his estranged brother Roy - who has vanished when Banks goes looking for him. While Banks tries to find his brother, Detective Annie Cabot investigates the murder of a woman who is found with Banks' address in her ba
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May 05, 2009
Sherie
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I have just gotten re-acquainted with Inspector Banks and discovered that many events have changed in his life. Guess I need to read the previous stuff to catch up, but in the meantime, this turned out to be one of the better Alan Banks mystery. He is beset by feelings of inadequacy in his family, which is made worse by the murder of the "favorite" brother. In the end my sympathy for him evaporated for being so thick about women in general.
Dec 20, 2008
Lourdes
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This is the 15th book in the series, but you can still read it if you haven't read the rest (though now I do want to go back and read his others). Robinson writes great police procedurals.
May 27, 2011
Lesley
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I would be hard put to say which is my favourite DCI Alan Banks novel. This one was as good as they all are. Even though I am reading the series out of order, they still read well.
Sep 17, 2010
Desiree
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Just enough for a seven-hour flight. One of the better Banks' mysteries which stands out in what's been a very strong mystery series.
Oct 21, 2011
Josephine
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Interesting blend of thriller with police plodding investigation with the protagonists' character development and personal lives.
Sep 04, 2010
Wens
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Peter Robinson gives Inspector Banks a torrid time. Each book, either he or a close family member has a close brush with death.
Aug 06, 2011
This was a good set of twists and trurns that echoed the changes in Banks life... good one!
Jan 04, 2012
Sue
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I always enjoy this series. In this book, there is another loss of a loved one.
Sep 23, 2011
Adithyajones
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A fairly good mystery,able to keep your attention throughout,straight to the point without any unnecessary literary pretensions..
Aug 09, 2011
Marisa
rated it:
Excellent police procedural series.In this installment, the murder mystery hits close to home for our hero, DCI Alan Banks. The series keeps getting better and better with every book. Which is really saying something, since it was good from the get-go.
