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Inspector Banks #2
A Dedicated Man
It's Inspector Banks second big case after arriving in the north from London; could it be any more difficult than 'Gallows View?'
The body of a well-liked local historian is found half-buried under a drystone wall near the village of Helmthorpe, Swainsdale. Who on earth would want to kill such a thoughtful, dedicated man? Penny Cartwright, she's the beautiful folk singer with a mysterious past, a shady land-developer, Harry Steadman's editor, and a local thriller writer are all suspects - each is a figure from Harry's previous, idyllic summers in and around Helmthorpe. There's also a young girl, Sally Lumb, who seems to know more than she lets on. Her knowledge could lead her into danger.
Watch as this second Banks case unearths disturbing secrets behind a bucolic façade.
"The novels of Peter Robinson are chilling, evocative, deeply nuanced works of art." - Dennis Lehane. "If you haven't encountered Chief Inspector Alan Banks before, prepare for a crash course in taut, clean writing and subtle psychology. And watch for those twists - they'll get you every time." - Ian Rankin.
The body of a well-liked local historian is found half-buried under a drystone wall near the village of Helmthorpe, Swainsdale. Who on earth would want to kill such a thoughtful, dedicated man? Penny Cartwright, she's the beautiful folk singer with a mysterious past, a shady land-developer, Harry Steadman's editor, and a local thriller writer are all suspects - each is a figure from Harry's previous, idyllic summers in and around Helmthorpe. There's also a young girl, Sally Lumb, who seems to know more than she lets on. Her knowledge could lead her into danger.
Watch as this second Banks case unearths disturbing secrets behind a bucolic façade.
"The novels of Peter Robinson are chilling, evocative, deeply nuanced works of art." - Dennis Lehane. "If you haven't encountered Chief Inspector Alan Banks before, prepare for a crash course in taut, clean writing and subtle psychology. And watch for those twists - they'll get you every time." - Ian Rankin.
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
771 people are currently reading
2291 people want to read
About the author
Peter Robinson
276 books2,272 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Peter Robinson was born in Yorkshire. After getting his BA Honours Degree in English Literature at the University of Leeds, he came to Canada and took his MA in English and Creative Writing at the University of Windsor, with Joyce Carol Oates as his tutor, then a PhD in English at York University. He has taught at a number of Toronto community colleges and universities and served as Writer-in-Residence at the University of Windsor, 1992-93.
Series:
* Inspector Banks
Awards:
* Winner of the 1992 Ellis Award for Best Novel.
* Winner of the 1997 Ellis Award for Best Novel.
* Winner of the 2000 Anthony Award for Best Novel.
* Winner of the 2000 Barry Award for Best Novel.
* Winner of the 2001 Ellis Award for Best Novel.
Peter Robinson was born in Yorkshire. After getting his BA Honours Degree in English Literature at the University of Leeds, he came to Canada and took his MA in English and Creative Writing at the University of Windsor, with Joyce Carol Oates as his tutor, then a PhD in English at York University. He has taught at a number of Toronto community colleges and universities and served as Writer-in-Residence at the University of Windsor, 1992-93.
Series:
* Inspector Banks
Awards:
* Winner of the 1992 Ellis Award for Best Novel.
* Winner of the 1997 Ellis Award for Best Novel.
* Winner of the 2000 Anthony Award for Best Novel.
* Winner of the 2000 Barry Award for Best Novel.
* Winner of the 2001 Ellis Award for Best Novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 598 reviews
August 2, 2018
”By the side of the north-south wall, loosely covered with earth and stones, lay the body. Enough of its covering had been removed to make it recognizable as a man. The head lay to one side, and, kneeling beside it, Banks could see that the hair at the back was matted with blood. A jolt of nausea shot through his stomach, but he quickly controlled it as he began to make mental notes about the scene. Standing up, he was struck by the contrast between the beautiful, serene day and the corpse at his feet.”
Who killed Harry Steadman?
Chief Inspector Alan Banks moved away from London to get away from murder investigations, but here he is in the small hamlet of Gratly, staring at a murder most foul. As Banks begins to investigate the man more than the murder itself, he starts to realize that the key to this crime must exist around something from Steadman’s past.
One problem that Banks is not used to dealing with in London is the clouds of gossip that billow up around every aspect of the case. The cicadaesque chatter among the natives creates layers of misdirection that are difficult to sort through. Steadman was a rich man who abandoned working when he inherited this windfall of money, but was still a dedicated man to pursuing his interests in Industrial Archaeology and the Roman occupation of Britain.
Don’t you love it when the title of the novel presents itself in the book?
There is a small group of men who seem better suited to London life than living in the country, who gather at a seedy pub to have higher level discussions about common interests. The peeling wallpaper, sticky floors, and butt worn booths are made up for with the excellent pint that comes out of the tap. Some of them have known Steadman for decades, but if they know anything relevant, they are not obliging Banks with any of the pertinent information he needs to catch the murderer. When he presses them about the past, they become evasive.
Banks has a second problem in the person of Sally Lumb, who is an aspiring actress and amateur detective who is being moved by her reading of Wuthering Heights to ascribe motives to the crime. ”’She was reading the wrong book,’ Barker said. ‘And misreading it, at that. She should have been reading Madame Bovary.’”
Banks makes a note to pick up a copy of Madame Bovary to read, and so do I. (There is a newer translation by Lydia Davis I’ve been wanting to read anyway.)
There is also the mysterious and beautiful Penny Cartwright, who has connections to nearly everyone in the circle of suspects. She went away to become a successful songwriter and performer, but burned out and returned to her hometown. She had a special relationship with Steadman that is difficult for Banks to understand. ”She looked a lonely, wild figure, Sally thought, like Catherine in Wuthering Heights: a woman of the moors, spirit of the place.” Certainly, Penny is a woman who can inspire grand passions in men. But did she do so for Steadman? Or one of the other men in his circle of acquaintances?
There is more than one instance where Banks questions the integrity of the police force as a whole which dovetails with my own steadily increasing dissatisfaction with law enforcement.
”Banks wanted to argue, to defend the police, but he was too tired and he knew there would be no point anyway. Besides, he also knew that the police were just like everyone else; a lot were bastards and few weren’t.”
”He had many objections to the way the government seemed to look upon the police as a private army of well paid bully-boys to pit against people with genuine grievances and a constitutional right to air them.”
This book came out during the latter part of the Margaret Thatcher regime, and the general discord of the working classes clashing with the police over her policies, that benefited the wealthy and screwed over everyone else, might have colored the author’s perceptions of the police force in general.
I personally just want the police to focus on the protecting and serving part of their creed.
These early Peter Robinson books are more in the line of Agatha Christie’s whodoneits and are cleverly written, but I prefer his later books, when Alan Banks has become more of a brooding, jazz listening, book reading detective. My first Robinson book was In a Dry Season (1999), which I followed with Cold is the Grave (2000), which both feature the Banks I prefer. As the author ages and becomes more interesting, so does his character. My goal in going back to the early cases is to discover exactly when Banks becomes the Banks I appreciate the most. Meanwhile, I can enjoy these very British mysteries, knowing that my interest will increase with each new case he solves.
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visithttp://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten
Who killed Harry Steadman?
Chief Inspector Alan Banks moved away from London to get away from murder investigations, but here he is in the small hamlet of Gratly, staring at a murder most foul. As Banks begins to investigate the man more than the murder itself, he starts to realize that the key to this crime must exist around something from Steadman’s past.
One problem that Banks is not used to dealing with in London is the clouds of gossip that billow up around every aspect of the case. The cicadaesque chatter among the natives creates layers of misdirection that are difficult to sort through. Steadman was a rich man who abandoned working when he inherited this windfall of money, but was still a dedicated man to pursuing his interests in Industrial Archaeology and the Roman occupation of Britain.
Don’t you love it when the title of the novel presents itself in the book?
There is a small group of men who seem better suited to London life than living in the country, who gather at a seedy pub to have higher level discussions about common interests. The peeling wallpaper, sticky floors, and butt worn booths are made up for with the excellent pint that comes out of the tap. Some of them have known Steadman for decades, but if they know anything relevant, they are not obliging Banks with any of the pertinent information he needs to catch the murderer. When he presses them about the past, they become evasive.
Banks has a second problem in the person of Sally Lumb, who is an aspiring actress and amateur detective who is being moved by her reading of Wuthering Heights to ascribe motives to the crime. ”’She was reading the wrong book,’ Barker said. ‘And misreading it, at that. She should have been reading Madame Bovary.’”
Banks makes a note to pick up a copy of Madame Bovary to read, and so do I. (There is a newer translation by Lydia Davis I’ve been wanting to read anyway.)
There is also the mysterious and beautiful Penny Cartwright, who has connections to nearly everyone in the circle of suspects. She went away to become a successful songwriter and performer, but burned out and returned to her hometown. She had a special relationship with Steadman that is difficult for Banks to understand. ”She looked a lonely, wild figure, Sally thought, like Catherine in Wuthering Heights: a woman of the moors, spirit of the place.” Certainly, Penny is a woman who can inspire grand passions in men. But did she do so for Steadman? Or one of the other men in his circle of acquaintances?
There is more than one instance where Banks questions the integrity of the police force as a whole which dovetails with my own steadily increasing dissatisfaction with law enforcement.
”Banks wanted to argue, to defend the police, but he was too tired and he knew there would be no point anyway. Besides, he also knew that the police were just like everyone else; a lot were bastards and few weren’t.”
”He had many objections to the way the government seemed to look upon the police as a private army of well paid bully-boys to pit against people with genuine grievances and a constitutional right to air them.”
This book came out during the latter part of the Margaret Thatcher regime, and the general discord of the working classes clashing with the police over her policies, that benefited the wealthy and screwed over everyone else, might have colored the author’s perceptions of the police force in general.
I personally just want the police to focus on the protecting and serving part of their creed.
These early Peter Robinson books are more in the line of Agatha Christie’s whodoneits and are cleverly written, but I prefer his later books, when Alan Banks has become more of a brooding, jazz listening, book reading detective. My first Robinson book was In a Dry Season (1999), which I followed with Cold is the Grave (2000), which both feature the Banks I prefer. As the author ages and becomes more interesting, so does his character. My goal in going back to the early cases is to discover exactly when Banks becomes the Banks I appreciate the most. Meanwhile, I can enjoy these very British mysteries, knowing that my interest will increase with each new case he solves.
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visithttp://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten
April 27, 2025
Banks is a man with refined, but eclectic, taste in music!
Chief Inspector Alan Banks, CID, recently transferred from London to Eastvale, a town in the Yorkshire Dales, is no Harry Bosch or Harry Rebus. But then Eastvale isn’t New York City, London or Edinburgh either. Alan Banks is a real man with real characteristics – he loves opera (but in A DEDICATED MAN he allowed himself to be “sidetracked … into the world of English vocal and choral music”); he enjoys a jar or two of his favourite beer; he’ll even indulge in a scotch if the problem he’s considering is a little deeper or a little more pressing; he’d much rather deal with the nuts and bolts of policing and crime solving than the management issues of reprimanding one of the officers reporting to him; and he’s happy to be in a small town. In fact, at least one of the local teen ladies thinks him distinctly uncool for that decision. But this small town has a couple of big city surprises in store that Banks would not have expected including a murder for which nobody seems to have had either a motive or the opportunity!
A DEDICATED MAN is not a big-city police procedural or a gritty suspense thriller loaded with graphic sex and violence. But you can be assured that it certainly isn’t a turn-of-the-century cozy mystery with a drawing room “sleuth reveals all” climax either. It’s 20th century all the way and enjoyable from first page to last. The author ties up all the loose ends and weaves the disparate story lines into a single satisfying climax with a maturity that belies the fact that A Dedicated Man is only the second novel in a very young series.
There isn’t a mystery lover out there who won’t close the last page of A DEDICATED MAN with a note-to-self to head out to the bookstore to pick up A NECESSARY END, #3 in the now wildly successful Inspector Banks series.
Paul Weiss
Chief Inspector Alan Banks, CID, recently transferred from London to Eastvale, a town in the Yorkshire Dales, is no Harry Bosch or Harry Rebus. But then Eastvale isn’t New York City, London or Edinburgh either. Alan Banks is a real man with real characteristics – he loves opera (but in A DEDICATED MAN he allowed himself to be “sidetracked … into the world of English vocal and choral music”); he enjoys a jar or two of his favourite beer; he’ll even indulge in a scotch if the problem he’s considering is a little deeper or a little more pressing; he’d much rather deal with the nuts and bolts of policing and crime solving than the management issues of reprimanding one of the officers reporting to him; and he’s happy to be in a small town. In fact, at least one of the local teen ladies thinks him distinctly uncool for that decision. But this small town has a couple of big city surprises in store that Banks would not have expected including a murder for which nobody seems to have had either a motive or the opportunity!
A DEDICATED MAN is not a big-city police procedural or a gritty suspense thriller loaded with graphic sex and violence. But you can be assured that it certainly isn’t a turn-of-the-century cozy mystery with a drawing room “sleuth reveals all” climax either. It’s 20th century all the way and enjoyable from first page to last. The author ties up all the loose ends and weaves the disparate story lines into a single satisfying climax with a maturity that belies the fact that A Dedicated Man is only the second novel in a very young series.
There isn’t a mystery lover out there who won’t close the last page of A DEDICATED MAN with a note-to-self to head out to the bookstore to pick up A NECESSARY END, #3 in the now wildly successful Inspector Banks series.
Paul Weiss
September 7, 2019
"Makkelijk verteerbaar verhaal dat mooi werd afgerond"
https://elinevandm.wordpress.com/2019...
https://elinevandm.wordpress.com/2019...
December 30, 2020
Harry Steadman was a well-liked man, a dedicated man, a lover of the history of the area, and when his body was discovered, Detective Inspector Alan Banks was stumped. They searched for clues, interviewed everyone near and far, several times, and still the frustration of the police force was high. As the days moved forward and the lack of information continued, Banks had his suspicions. But no evidence. And when a second person was murdered, Banks kept at it – day and night; night and day. But would he find the answers he needed before it was too late for someone else?
A Dedicated Man is the 2nd in the Inspector Banks series by Peter Robinson and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Fast paced, the indepth information on the case was interesting. I couldn’t help them as I had no idea! It’s a while since I read #1 but I remember how much I enjoyed it then. I’ll have to look up #3 now. Recommended.
A Dedicated Man is the 2nd in the Inspector Banks series by Peter Robinson and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Fast paced, the indepth information on the case was interesting. I couldn’t help them as I had no idea! It’s a while since I read #1 but I remember how much I enjoyed it then. I’ll have to look up #3 now. Recommended.
September 9, 2014
I had hoped that I might have discovered a long series of police procedurals that I could work my way through, but I don't think I will be doing that. This is set in Yorkshire and features Chief Inspector Alan Banks, who is trying to solve murder case. He spends a lot of time questioning people quite gently in a Midsomer Murders kind of way, while knocking back pints (and more pints) of beer at lunch time and smoking a pipe.
There were things about this novel which I enjoyed: Banks seemed to be a well-adjusted family man with no hidden past tragedy and his relationships with his colleagues were realistically portrayed. However, the standard of the writing was not great (favourite line: "I think I was responding to her sexual power unconsciously, and I was put off by her appearance") and the female characters were a bit off somehow. Penny Cartwright seemed to spend the novel having massive mood swings and behaving completely incoherently. Her back story was odd - I don't think people do make up incest-style gossip at all readily personally.
While I'm glad the villain was who it turned out to be, I don't think we were given enough clues to work things out for ourselves and Banks kind of stumbled across the answer by discovering the baddies red-handed. Finally, the whole Poirot-style "this is how it went down" explanation at the end was very unprofessional, since it is addressed to his wife and two civilians (and he found out most of it from a confession).
Disappointed.
There were things about this novel which I enjoyed: Banks seemed to be a well-adjusted family man with no hidden past tragedy and his relationships with his colleagues were realistically portrayed. However, the standard of the writing was not great (favourite line: "I think I was responding to her sexual power unconsciously, and I was put off by her appearance") and the female characters were a bit off somehow. Penny Cartwright seemed to spend the novel having massive mood swings and behaving completely incoherently. Her back story was odd - I don't think people do make up incest-style gossip at all readily personally.
While I'm glad the villain was who it turned out to be, I don't think we were given enough clues to work things out for ourselves and Banks kind of stumbled across the answer by discovering the baddies red-handed. Finally, the whole Poirot-style "this is how it went down" explanation at the end was very unprofessional, since it is addressed to his wife and two civilians (and he found out most of it from a confession).
Disappointed.
May 2, 2016
Who would kill Harry Steadman, a man without a single enemy by every account? When he inherited £250,000 from his father, Steadman ditches his job as a lecturer in industrial archeology at Leeds University, buys a former bed-and-breakfast in Helmthorpe in Swainsdale, and throws himself into excavating nails and things from the nearby Roman fort ruins and writing books about his work. But no matter how many times Chief Inspector Alan Banks hears that Steadman was universally beloved, he knows that can’t be true: After all, someone hit Steadman from behind and then hid his body. And the realization that Steadman was murdered not by a stranger but someone he knew and trusted has all Helmthorpe on edge.
I liked A Dedicated Man even more than the first book in the series, Gallows View. Banks emerges as tenacious as the proverbial terrier, and he realizes that Steadman’s death has to do not with the present, but something from his past. He relentlessly questions Steadman’s frumpy wife, associates, and friends until, at last, he pieces together the murderer and the motive. Recommended.
I liked A Dedicated Man even more than the first book in the series, Gallows View. Banks emerges as tenacious as the proverbial terrier, and he realizes that Steadman’s death has to do not with the present, but something from his past. He relentlessly questions Steadman’s frumpy wife, associates, and friends until, at last, he pieces together the murderer and the motive. Recommended.
February 11, 2025
3 Stars. A good read although slow until the last quarter where it picks up mightily! DCI Banks is thoughtful but decisive, one who analyzes a crime, throws in a pinch of intuition, and works methodically toward the answer. Three quotes hit me about his character. When a suspect accuses him of following a silly direction, he says, "It's for me to decide what's relevant and what isn't." A suspect, writer Jack Barker adds, "You pick up bits and pieces from everyone and put them together. None of us gets to touch any more than a small area of the elephant, do we? But you get to see the whole beast." Banks, "Eventually, yes." A history prof with no known enemies is found on the Yorkshire dales with his head bashed in. Later a second person, one who is bright and inquisitive, suffers a similar fate. Can you decipher romances? Such as victim Harry Steadman, his wife Emma and his younger student Penny Cartwright. Or teenager Sally Lumb and her summer fling, Kevin. The answer is there somewhere. That's my clue. Eight-ninths of the way through, Banks' boss, Superintendent Gristhorpe sniffles, "We've got nothing so far." (Au2023/ May 2024)
October 19, 2018
4.5 stars. This is the second in a series that takes place in Yorkshire. I love the sheep and the rolling hills, Banks and his colleagues, and the quirky villagers. This isn't a cozy but there's no gore and little violence, considering they're murder mysteries.
I loved the resolution to this one, and the author leaves us enough breadcrumbs to piece together the solution for ourselves. The audio performances are equally well done, and I'm very happy to have discovered this series. It's very long and still being written, and apparently all or most of them are available on Hoopla. Bonus!
A recommended series I definitely plan to continue.
I loved the resolution to this one, and the author leaves us enough breadcrumbs to piece together the solution for ourselves. The audio performances are equally well done, and I'm very happy to have discovered this series. It's very long and still being written, and apparently all or most of them are available on Hoopla. Bonus!
A recommended series I definitely plan to continue.
January 19, 2024
A Dedicated Man (Inspector Banks, #2) by Peter Robinson.
The first page before chapter one begins is a map clearly marked with the places in Swainsdale you'll be following during this story. Is that important? It's not only important...it's fun!
DCI Banks have believed that a small Yorkshire village would be a peaceful place to live and work in. That idea was before the body of Harry Steadman was discovered. Harry had been a professor and was a very active archeologist of ruins. Those ruins were right there where his body was found in among the stone wall at Crow Scar. The former Professor seems to be the last person who would be murdered.
Then the call comes into the station regarding the discovery of Steadman's body and DCI Banks is at the ready, much to the disappointment of his wife Sandra.
It took me quite a while to begin reading this series, but I'm so glad I finally did. The TV series put me off as I didn't like it at all. This book is being filed under my favorites. I became captivated by the story almost from the beginning and it's hold on me only became stronger as it progressed.
If you haven't yet read a book in this series I highly recommend this one. You may want to start at the beginning and read in order or not.
The first page before chapter one begins is a map clearly marked with the places in Swainsdale you'll be following during this story. Is that important? It's not only important...it's fun!
DCI Banks have believed that a small Yorkshire village would be a peaceful place to live and work in. That idea was before the body of Harry Steadman was discovered. Harry had been a professor and was a very active archeologist of ruins. Those ruins were right there where his body was found in among the stone wall at Crow Scar. The former Professor seems to be the last person who would be murdered.
Then the call comes into the station regarding the discovery of Steadman's body and DCI Banks is at the ready, much to the disappointment of his wife Sandra.
It took me quite a while to begin reading this series, but I'm so glad I finally did. The TV series put me off as I didn't like it at all. This book is being filed under my favorites. I became captivated by the story almost from the beginning and it's hold on me only became stronger as it progressed.
If you haven't yet read a book in this series I highly recommend this one. You may want to start at the beginning and read in order or not.
April 30, 2014
Banks has a tough case this time, investigating the murder of a man who everyone seemed to like and admire. The suspect list is small but the motives are elusive. Complicating matters is a young girl who fashions herself as an amateur sleuth.
This was an interesting case as it was just dogged police work, assembling lots of clues and combinations. I had suspicions but nothing to really back it up and the ending was a bit of a surprise. However, I had focused correctly on the identity of the killer.
I'm enjoying this series, especially the audiobook format. The narrator effectively distinguishes the characters in a way that seems consistent with their personalities.
This was an interesting case as it was just dogged police work, assembling lots of clues and combinations. I had suspicions but nothing to really back it up and the ending was a bit of a surprise. However, I had focused correctly on the identity of the killer.
I'm enjoying this series, especially the audiobook format. The narrator effectively distinguishes the characters in a way that seems consistent with their personalities.
April 24, 2017
The second in Peter Robinson's series featuring DCI Banks starts off promisingly enough, but it lost my attention half way through. Some of the characters appeared a little lacklustre and it was only really the character of Banks that kept my interest. Having seen the TV series (& thoroughly enjoyed it) it is interesting to see how the main character differs in many ways from his screen counterpart. I like the differences between both versions & will continue reading more of the novels, not having been put off by this weak entry.
December 13, 2015
3 1/2 stars for this second Detective Alan Banks mystery from Peter Robinson.
The body of a local historian is found buried under stones in a local farmer's field.
This book lacked some of the pace of his first in the series Gallows View, but it made for lovely easy listening.
There is a serous lack of suspects in this murder - everyone seemed to have admired the man - which kept it interesting.
On to # 3 in the series A Necessary End as soon as it is returned.
An interesting series. I enjoy Peter Robinson's writing. It is not dramatic, but not quite a 'cosy' either. I am enjoying getting to know Inspector Banks and his family (although they featured much less in this book than the first) and his colleagues.
The body of a local historian is found buried under stones in a local farmer's field.
This book lacked some of the pace of his first in the series Gallows View, but it made for lovely easy listening.
There is a serous lack of suspects in this murder - everyone seemed to have admired the man - which kept it interesting.
On to # 3 in the series A Necessary End as soon as it is returned.
An interesting series. I enjoy Peter Robinson's writing. It is not dramatic, but not quite a 'cosy' either. I am enjoying getting to know Inspector Banks and his family (although they featured much less in this book than the first) and his colleagues.
June 16, 2021
3.5 Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks - also the first book I've read by Peter Robinson. The story line can across as somewhat formula driven. High flying London detective moves to the country. A brutal murder takes place. Almost all the characters are interviewed. Something nags at the detectives' brain.
But I did finish reading it. Perfect read for my mood that particular day.
But I did finish reading it. Perfect read for my mood that particular day.
August 21, 2018
After a less than satisfying experience with Gallows View, the first book in this series, I loved this book.
A really baffling mystery where you flounder along with DCI Alan Banks because the victim as the title suggests was a man dedicated to his study of industrial archaeology and Roman ruins with apparently no skeletons in his closet and with no apparent enemies, at least to the extent of a cold blooded murder. This, of course, makes the denouement even more successful as the clues were actually all not that hidden. Don’t get me wrong. This is not Agatha Christie as Poirot never openly speculates or wanders off onto paths which turn out to be dead ends.
In fact this a perfect police procedural as you are completely along with Banks as he follows one lead and theory after another by questioning the available suspects again and again not only as to alibis but to the perplexing question about motive and you are right there when he gains the crucial insight.
Two things which also endeared me to this book were the depiction of the attitude of the Yorkshire residents who are now coming to partially accept Banks who is a recent import from London and the atmosphere in the police station where his boss Superintendent Gristhorpe is even more of a generous soul than Banks with an office full of books! There are no intra office politics, at least for the duration depicted in this book.
I am well aware that the positives that that I find will for others be red flags which will send them running towards apparently more realistic detective fiction where unhappiness and cynicism are a must even if the readers own lives resemble lives like Banks’. It is not that I don’t enjoy those books also but for me detective fiction is allowed more than one flavour and here Robinson has managed to carry out the task he set himself very well.
A really baffling mystery where you flounder along with DCI Alan Banks because the victim as the title suggests was a man dedicated to his study of industrial archaeology and Roman ruins with apparently no skeletons in his closet and with no apparent enemies, at least to the extent of a cold blooded murder. This, of course, makes the denouement even more successful as the clues were actually all not that hidden. Don’t get me wrong. This is not Agatha Christie as Poirot never openly speculates or wanders off onto paths which turn out to be dead ends.
In fact this a perfect police procedural as you are completely along with Banks as he follows one lead and theory after another by questioning the available suspects again and again not only as to alibis but to the perplexing question about motive and you are right there when he gains the crucial insight.
Two things which also endeared me to this book were the depiction of the attitude of the Yorkshire residents who are now coming to partially accept Banks who is a recent import from London and the atmosphere in the police station where his boss Superintendent Gristhorpe is even more of a generous soul than Banks with an office full of books! There are no intra office politics, at least for the duration depicted in this book.
I am well aware that the positives that that I find will for others be red flags which will send them running towards apparently more realistic detective fiction where unhappiness and cynicism are a must even if the readers own lives resemble lives like Banks’. It is not that I don’t enjoy those books also but for me detective fiction is allowed more than one flavour and here Robinson has managed to carry out the task he set himself very well.
September 12, 2018
Detective Chief Inspector Richard Banks has enjoyed several months with only relatively minor crimes to solve since his first homicide case since moving to rural England. Now though, the body of a former university professor is found hidden beneath rocks near a wall and everyone who knew the man swears he didn't have an enemy in the world. Banks knows better -- the man had at least one person who wanted him dead. Finding that person with almost no clues to go on will be live finding a needle in the proverbial haystack.
This character-driven police procedural is a joy to read, a few notches above cozy mysteries but with little emphasis on gory details. I've found that the books in this series can be read as stand-alones, but as with any character-driven series, it is preferable to read them in order to be able to thoroughly enjoy the subtleties of growth and change in those characters.
This character-driven police procedural is a joy to read, a few notches above cozy mysteries but with little emphasis on gory details. I've found that the books in this series can be read as stand-alones, but as with any character-driven series, it is preferable to read them in order to be able to thoroughly enjoy the subtleties of growth and change in those characters.
July 16, 2018
The second in the Inspector Banks series by Peter Robinson. (I've yet to read No. 1, had to go on a wait list in my Cape Cod library system for it - can you imagine? :D )
Inspector Alan Banks is investigating the murder of a 'dedicated man' in this one, an ordinary sort of fellow with an interest in industrial archaeology, who, after inheriting a good sum of money, heads to rural England to do what he loves - digging up Roman ruins. Sadly, the poor guy is found dead and partly buried and Banks has to figure out when, why, and most importantly: who killed him.
This is not a book with a heavy tilt to evidence, clues, forensics, etc. (It was written in 1988, but there was a whole lot going on at that time, forensically speaking.) It is Banks' continual interrogation of the locals - and they can get mighty testy at times - that help him sort this one out. (In other words, it's personalities and Banks' understanding of human behavior which lead to the killer.)
Interesting, very 'talky,' lots of description, though it doesn't take away from the story. What I would call a 'serviceable' addition to a series, which I will continue reading.
Three stars.
Inspector Alan Banks is investigating the murder of a 'dedicated man' in this one, an ordinary sort of fellow with an interest in industrial archaeology, who, after inheriting a good sum of money, heads to rural England to do what he loves - digging up Roman ruins. Sadly, the poor guy is found dead and partly buried and Banks has to figure out when, why, and most importantly: who killed him.
This is not a book with a heavy tilt to evidence, clues, forensics, etc. (It was written in 1988, but there was a whole lot going on at that time, forensically speaking.) It is Banks' continual interrogation of the locals - and they can get mighty testy at times - that help him sort this one out. (In other words, it's personalities and Banks' understanding of human behavior which lead to the killer.)
Interesting, very 'talky,' lots of description, though it doesn't take away from the story. What I would call a 'serviceable' addition to a series, which I will continue reading.
Three stars.
July 27, 2021
"Life And Death In The Yorkshire Dales"
I have read books from later in the `Alan Banks' series, so I already know what happens to the character in his personal life, although this does not detract in any way from my enjoyment in back-tracking a little, in this, the second book in the series.
Peter Robinson is still establishing the character and his family, fleshing them out, to give them a life of their own. They are becoming totally believable, not too exuberant or larger than life, as they strive to fit into their new home and community in the Yorkshire dales, after the hustle and bustle of life in London.
Banks is coming to like his new found peace and quiet, mentally leaving the investigation for short periods, to share his random thoughts and to wax lyrical in his very vivid and real descriptions, of his adopted Yorkshire Dales.
Much of the investigation seems to take place in or around various public houses and involves quite a large intake of both alcohol and tobacco, with much of the time in between spent driving between remote locations in the Dales, to the accompaniment of his latest interest, folk music. I found this flawed side to his character quite endearing and in keeping with the whols ethos of this intimate community, although I did have more than a passing thought that the similarity of the character with that of Colin Dexter's character of `Morse', was quite uncanny in many instances, although of course Morse had his musical tastes firmly rooted in the Classical genre.
In fact, all of the characters in the story are well developed and believable, in their individual roles, within this tightknit community. Banks is still treated as something of an outsider, with the locals reluctant to talk to, or confide in him, despite the fact that everyone knows everyone else and everyone has an opinion to share. As is so often the case in smaller communities however, they are so busy minding everyone else's business, that they have been caught unawares and are blissfully ignorant about the identity of the murderer in their midst.
The plot isn't hurried along, which is a little unfortunate for Banks, who subsequently and very emotionally for him personally, has two crimes on his hands. We now get to go beyond that bluff exterior and see the softer side to his personality, as he strives to come to terms with his own shortcomings in the investigation, in this often reflective study of human nature.
Banks is a man of great tenacity in his ability to solve a crime, despite the many false leads and intricate sub-plots, that stand in his way and following his thought processes and powers of deduction was quite interesting, changing my mind about the identity of the person he was seeking out several times and keeping me guessing right until the end.
This book was nothing less than the quality of writing and levels of suspense, that I have come to expect from Peter Robinson and personally, I would highly recommend it, if you are in the market for a great crime fiction read.
I have read books from later in the `Alan Banks' series, so I already know what happens to the character in his personal life, although this does not detract in any way from my enjoyment in back-tracking a little, in this, the second book in the series.
Peter Robinson is still establishing the character and his family, fleshing them out, to give them a life of their own. They are becoming totally believable, not too exuberant or larger than life, as they strive to fit into their new home and community in the Yorkshire dales, after the hustle and bustle of life in London.
Banks is coming to like his new found peace and quiet, mentally leaving the investigation for short periods, to share his random thoughts and to wax lyrical in his very vivid and real descriptions, of his adopted Yorkshire Dales.
Much of the investigation seems to take place in or around various public houses and involves quite a large intake of both alcohol and tobacco, with much of the time in between spent driving between remote locations in the Dales, to the accompaniment of his latest interest, folk music. I found this flawed side to his character quite endearing and in keeping with the whols ethos of this intimate community, although I did have more than a passing thought that the similarity of the character with that of Colin Dexter's character of `Morse', was quite uncanny in many instances, although of course Morse had his musical tastes firmly rooted in the Classical genre.
In fact, all of the characters in the story are well developed and believable, in their individual roles, within this tightknit community. Banks is still treated as something of an outsider, with the locals reluctant to talk to, or confide in him, despite the fact that everyone knows everyone else and everyone has an opinion to share. As is so often the case in smaller communities however, they are so busy minding everyone else's business, that they have been caught unawares and are blissfully ignorant about the identity of the murderer in their midst.
The plot isn't hurried along, which is a little unfortunate for Banks, who subsequently and very emotionally for him personally, has two crimes on his hands. We now get to go beyond that bluff exterior and see the softer side to his personality, as he strives to come to terms with his own shortcomings in the investigation, in this often reflective study of human nature.
Banks is a man of great tenacity in his ability to solve a crime, despite the many false leads and intricate sub-plots, that stand in his way and following his thought processes and powers of deduction was quite interesting, changing my mind about the identity of the person he was seeking out several times and keeping me guessing right until the end.
This book was nothing less than the quality of writing and levels of suspense, that I have come to expect from Peter Robinson and personally, I would highly recommend it, if you are in the market for a great crime fiction read.
March 12, 2018
A Dedicated Man is the 2nd Chief Inspector Banks mystery by Peter Robinson. Once again I found it to be quite different to the TV series that was based on the books. But that matters not as both are enjoyable in their own way.
Banks is called to a small town in his district in Yorkshire to investigate the murder of a local professor / historian. It's a very small hamlet with basically one police officer. He brings along Sgt Hatchley to assist. It's a typical case, the professor is well-loved, seems to have no enemies and even though he has friends, they all seem to have little motive and reasonable alibis.
The pacing is excellent; we aren't caught up with countless murders to cope with. It's Banks and Hatchley investigating, talking to possible suspects as they try to gather information and we also get the perspective of a variety of the locals; young Sally, the budding actress with her own ideas of the murder, the local singer who may have had a relationship with the victim, etc.
It was a pleasure to read and just enjoy the thought processes, the locality, the people and the case. I had ideas of how the murder might have happened but for some reason, never considered the final solution which was presented and I must say I found it very satisfying. Banks is not really like the TV version; he has a much smaller staff to work with and his personal circumstances are different, at least for the first two books, but I like him very much and was very satisfied with this most enjoyable mystery. Now to find the 3rd book. (5 stars)
Banks is called to a small town in his district in Yorkshire to investigate the murder of a local professor / historian. It's a very small hamlet with basically one police officer. He brings along Sgt Hatchley to assist. It's a typical case, the professor is well-loved, seems to have no enemies and even though he has friends, they all seem to have little motive and reasonable alibis.
The pacing is excellent; we aren't caught up with countless murders to cope with. It's Banks and Hatchley investigating, talking to possible suspects as they try to gather information and we also get the perspective of a variety of the locals; young Sally, the budding actress with her own ideas of the murder, the local singer who may have had a relationship with the victim, etc.
It was a pleasure to read and just enjoy the thought processes, the locality, the people and the case. I had ideas of how the murder might have happened but for some reason, never considered the final solution which was presented and I must say I found it very satisfying. Banks is not really like the TV version; he has a much smaller staff to work with and his personal circumstances are different, at least for the first two books, but I like him very much and was very satisfied with this most enjoyable mystery. Now to find the 3rd book. (5 stars)
February 3, 2019
The second instalment in the DCI Banks series is a far slower plot and far less complex development of relationships than the first. The story builds slowly, in an oh so very British vein. The characters are interesting but you don’t learn much about Banks in this one. A couple of clever little twists but nothing earth-shattering.
March 8, 2019
Inspector Banks and his colleagues investigate murders in the rolling hills of Yorkshire. It is not a cozy mystery, yet there is little gore in the book.
November 26, 2009
Good gracious - "murder in Yorkshire" appears to be an entire mystery subgenre. I never knew what I was missing.
The back cover of one of the Reginald Hill novels that I checked out of the library suggested that I would like it if I liked Peter Robinson. I liked the Reginald Hill novel, so I decided to try Peter Robinson.
I did enjoy this book. It's a good solid detective story - I particularly liked the fact that while I didn't guess the identity of the murderer, once it was revealed I was able to think back and notice all the little clues that pointed in that direction. There were some fun characters, too, although I'm not quite sure what to make of Robinson's depiction of Sally Lumb, a 16-year old girl. I'm pretty sure that I wasn't much like Sally when I was 16, but then again, I can't make any claims to having been a typical 16 year-old girl. (Is there such a thing as a typical 16 year-old girl? I'm not sure.)
I'm also not 100% sold on Robinson's Inspector Banks. His being a police officer from London in a small Northern town gives him an interesting outsider status, but it sometimes feels like Robinson is trying a little bit too hard to give him quirks, dwelling on his fondness for opera and folk music and playing with toy trains a little too much. Banks even spends most of this book trying to learn how to smoke a pipe, partly because he's trying to give up cigarettes, but partly because he seems to think that he needs a shtick. Still, I'm willing to see how the character settles out over another book or two.
If I had to pick only one writer of mysteries set in Yorkshire, Hill would be the clear winner based on what I've read so far. However, since there's room on my reading list for more than one, I'll be reading at least a few more of Robinson's books as well.
The back cover of one of the Reginald Hill novels that I checked out of the library suggested that I would like it if I liked Peter Robinson. I liked the Reginald Hill novel, so I decided to try Peter Robinson.
I did enjoy this book. It's a good solid detective story - I particularly liked the fact that while I didn't guess the identity of the murderer, once it was revealed I was able to think back and notice all the little clues that pointed in that direction. There were some fun characters, too, although I'm not quite sure what to make of Robinson's depiction of Sally Lumb, a 16-year old girl. I'm pretty sure that I wasn't much like Sally when I was 16, but then again, I can't make any claims to having been a typical 16 year-old girl. (Is there such a thing as a typical 16 year-old girl? I'm not sure.)
I'm also not 100% sold on Robinson's Inspector Banks. His being a police officer from London in a small Northern town gives him an interesting outsider status, but it sometimes feels like Robinson is trying a little bit too hard to give him quirks, dwelling on his fondness for opera and folk music and playing with toy trains a little too much. Banks even spends most of this book trying to learn how to smoke a pipe, partly because he's trying to give up cigarettes, but partly because he seems to think that he needs a shtick. Still, I'm willing to see how the character settles out over another book or two.
If I had to pick only one writer of mysteries set in Yorkshire, Hill would be the clear winner based on what I've read so far. However, since there's room on my reading list for more than one, I'll be reading at least a few more of Robinson's books as well.
March 17, 2013
As I often do, I have read Inspector Banks out of sequence, which is only a problem in that I know about some of his personal life problems before they happen. (I am reading this in 2013, the book having been published in 1998) But in an attempt to rationalize my Banks reading, I have gone back to the beginning of the series. This book is the second in the series, and I found it to be significantly different in tone and feel from the later ones. It is certainly not the DCI Banks of the TV series. (He smokes, is married and is described as small). This book hewed much more to the tone of the original book of the series, where Banks had just arrived in Yorkshire and was seen as an outsider, and where he is in love with the country idyll. I liked the map drawn at the front too, a feature that seems to have disappeared from the later books. What was strange to me was that we immediately met one character who had featured in the last Banks book I read, which was about the 12th in the series! That happened to me with the first Donna Leon book too.
As for the story itself, it was good. An ex-professor, a man “dedicated” to his research, whence the title, is found dead on the hills. He was apparently loved by all (with obviously one notable exception!). This makes Banks’ job difficult; he decides that the motive must be in the past, and accordingly spends much of his time digging said past up. The book is relatively slow for most of the story, with lots of leads turning out to be dead ends, until a second murder takes place, upon which the book climaxes very quickly. The motive is logical – if you had a better imagination than mine, you might even have spotted it, and so satisfying from that point of view.
As for the story itself, it was good. An ex-professor, a man “dedicated” to his research, whence the title, is found dead on the hills. He was apparently loved by all (with obviously one notable exception!). This makes Banks’ job difficult; he decides that the motive must be in the past, and accordingly spends much of his time digging said past up. The book is relatively slow for most of the story, with lots of leads turning out to be dead ends, until a second murder takes place, upon which the book climaxes very quickly. The motive is logical – if you had a better imagination than mine, you might even have spotted it, and so satisfying from that point of view.
April 28, 2020
DCI Alan Banks second case involves the murder of wealthy academic. There are a lot of possible suspects, many that have known the victim for several years, but nobody out there seems to have a motive, which leaves Banks fishing around trying to get a real lead... meanwhile a sixteen year old amateur sleuth is working the case for her own reasons. Another Yorkshire Dales set case set amidst the idyllic villages and towns of the area. 5 out of 12.
May 16, 2011
What can I say? Crime fiction as it should be, when you reach the denouement and think "That was so obvious, why didn't I get it sooner?" Chief Inspector Alan Banks is a policeman that I would love to meet in real life, not just in fiction. Peter Robinson never fails to please. His desriptions of the Yorkshire countryside and towns make me want to visit. I'm just about to start reading the latest in the series.
August 27, 2017
A little slower moving than I remember others in the series being, but it was nice to finally find it and fill in some background.
June 9, 2020
#2 in Robinson's Inspector Alan Banks series, which is now up to 26 books. In a small, tight knit English community, a scholar on the local area is found murdered and everyone in town is a suspect. Not a ton of action as Banks interviews everyone and then does it again trying to slot everything together to make the pieces fit. Reminds me a lot of Inspector Erlendur of Arnaldur Indridason's books. Slow but enjoyable..........will continue to catch up with this British series.
February 4, 2020
Very run of the mill murder. A few suspectals but really predictable and plods gently to a nothing ending.
November 16, 2013
The second novel in the DCI Banks mysteries is about the murder of Harold Steadman, a historian who appeared to have lead an impeccable life. The writer apparently has done a lot of research as the methods he uses to solve the murder look very professional. He is very thorough and meticulously describes all his actions and steps. The reader forgets that he is reading a work of fiction.... The characters are ordinary people which makes the story more credible. The descriptions of the landscape and the environment of the murder scene are also quite realistic albeit a bit lengthy to my taste. Throughout a large part of the story, DCI Banks and his team have no clue about the murderer and the victim's wife and friends a well as some colleagues all become suspects. The resolution of the case is only being revealed in the last 80 pages and ultimately came as a surprise to me.
October 23, 2015
Another quick read. This time the body of a local man is found buried in a dry stone wall. Banks spent most of the book frustrated - as he knew pretty much everyone had something to hide, but its tricky when you have a victim that seems to have no enemies.
Harry Steadman was a lecturer - local historian enthusiast/author with lots of friends - so who would want to kill him? A man of leisure after coming into an inheritance he is the most unlikely man to be murdered.
The solution came a bit out of nowhere and final chapter is just Banks relaying to other people what actually happened and then it just ended.
It did show it's age a bit, as a possible witness used a phone box. Banks asked another person if they had a phone (to which the response was that they'd had one for a couple of years) - but this did come out in the late 80's.
It was fine.
Harry Steadman was a lecturer - local historian enthusiast/author with lots of friends - so who would want to kill him? A man of leisure after coming into an inheritance he is the most unlikely man to be murdered.
The solution came a bit out of nowhere and final chapter is just Banks relaying to other people what actually happened and then it just ended.
It did show it's age a bit, as a possible witness used a phone box. Banks asked another person if they had a phone (to which the response was that they'd had one for a couple of years) - but this did come out in the late 80's.
It was fine.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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