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Watching the Dark: An Inspector Banks Novel
Watching the Dark: An Inspector Banks Novel
Watching the Dark: An Inspector Banks Novel
Audiobook12 hours

Watching the Dark: An Inspector Banks Novel

Written by Peter Robinson

Narrated by Simon Prebble

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

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About this audiobook

New York Times bestselling author Peter Robinson brings back Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks and his colleague DI Annie Cabbot in a case riddled with corruption.

A decorated policeman is murdered on the tranquil grounds of the St. Peter's Police Treatment Centre, shot through the heart with a crossbow arrow, and compromising photographs are discovered in his room.

Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks is well aware that he must handle the highly sensitive and dangerously explosive investigation with the utmost discretion. And as he digs deeper, he discovers that the murder may be linked to an unsolved missing persons case from six years earlier—and the current crime may involve some very bad, crooked cops.

A pulsating, electrifying novel of suspense Watching the Dark is one of Peter Robinson’s finest novels.

“Ambitious…Robinson shows a keen awareness of the global reach of crime.”—New York Times Book Review

 

 

LanguageEnglish
PublisherHarperAudio
Release dateJan 8, 2013
ISBN9780062239655
Author

Peter Robinson

One of the world’s most popular and acclaimed writers, Peter Robinson was the bestselling, award-winning author of the DCI Banks series. He also wrote two short-story collections and three stand-alone novels, which combined have sold more than ten million copies around the world. Among his many honors and prizes were the Edgar Award, the CWA (UK) Dagger in the Library Award, and the Swedish Crime Writers’ Academy Martin Beck Award.

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Reviews for Watching the Dark

Rating: 4.126760563380282 out of 5 stars
4/5

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    In this the 20th book in this long-running series, we see Peter Robinson at his best. The story starts off with a policeman being killed while outside his convalescent home, and then an Estonian reporter is found naked with visible signs of torture in an old dilapidated farm house just outside of Eastvale. Alan and his crew are tasked with tracking down the murderer as it is apparent that the same person killed both. Then the story diverges into two storylines. The first is a six-year old missing persons case when a 19 year old girl from the Eastvale area disappeared without a trace while on a "hen" party with five other friends in Tallinn, Estonia, and the other is what appears to be a human trafficking operation in and around Eastvale. The workers that are brought in are subjected to what amounts to slave labour and they appear to come from Eastern European countries. Annie Cabot is back after a very long convalescence after her serious injury in the last book, and she very capably assumes the reins for the human trafficking case, while Banks, accompanied by an inspector from Professional Standards (Joanna Passero) goes to Estonia to follow the other thread.. Back and forth we go following the two investigations. Along the way we get to experience the beauty of Tallinn through Banks' eyes. Robinson describes it as a beautiful seaside town on the Baltic sea.. I love these books because I've gotten to know the characters so well by now, and I love to read how this very talented team works so effectively together, mostly due to Banks' leadership. The only complaint that i had with this book is that it wasn't quite as exciting as these books usually are (especially the last one - Bad Boy). But it did depict how good police work and an effective team can achieve such great results on complex cases. I love Alan Banks and his dogged determination to follow every lead.. He's a good copper with an impeccable taste in music and wine, and the Yorkshire countryside where he lives sounds absolutely breathtaking. The way Robinson describes Alan's little house on the Yorkshire dales makes me wish I could live there with the sound of the sea as my constant companion.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Watching the Dark is Peter Robinson’s twentieth novel featuring Inspector Alan Banks. It begins in the St. Peter’s Police Treatment Centre, an institution for police officers recovering from physical injury or from mental exhaustion, and located only four miles north of the fictional English town of Eastvale which is located in Yorkshire. At the Centre, Inspector Bill Quinn is found murdered, killed by a cross bow of all things. Alan Banks, the Detective Chief Inspector for Eastvale Police, is assigned the case and quickly discovers compromising photographs in the victim’s room. Since the case may involve police corruption, an officer from Professional Standards, Inspector Joanna Passero, is assigned to work with Banks. Banks is not pleased to have someone looking over his shoulder, even if she is beautiful, but he soldiers on dutifully.Quinn’s murder has links to a loan-sharking scam directed at migrant workers. It is also connected to a six-year-old case of a young English girl named Rachel Hewitt who disappeared in Tallinn, Estonia. Banks follows his instincts and a smidgeon of evidence to Estonia, thinking that the solution to the English girl’s disappearance will help solve Quinn’s murder. Sure enough the case becomes very complicated as Banks, his staff, and his unwanted companion, Ms. Passero, manage to wrap up all the loose ends by the conclusion of the book. This book, like the other Inspector Banks book I have read, is not a thriller. It is, however, a carefully constructed police procedure tale in which we watch a cagey detective unravel a complex collection of information. This is an enjoyable read, but not quite as good as his earlier book In a Dry Season. (JAB)
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Robinson is a long-time favorite who continues to write excellent mysteries and keeps us interested in the ongoing personal life of his detective, Alan Banks. Highly recommended.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I love DCI Banks novels. The characters and situations seem real. This one was just as good as the others I have read.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Peter Robinson is nothing if he's not consistent. He puts out interesting mysteries with great characters and interesting plots. Bill Quinn, a police officer, is killed on the grounds of the police rehab center and discovered by another patient. The cause of death? A corss bow to the heart. IN sifting through the possible motives, DCI Banks finds out that Bill had worked on the disappearance in Estonia, six years earlier, of Rachel Hewitt, a 19 year old on a hen's holiday with her girl friends. The body was never found.As DCI Banks and crew, including a newly returned from medical leave, Annie Cabot, investiage further, they find links to people trafficking, loan sharking, etc. Robinson has also introduced a new character in the form of a Professional Standards officer (Quinn might habe been 'bent') Joanna Passero. The equivalent of our Internal Review Board, you know how well police get along with those cops looking over their shoulders.All in all, this is another great book in the DCI Banks series.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    DCI Banks goes to Estonia! This is way up there in my raking of favorite mystery series. In this, a police officer's very odd death leads Banks to Talinn to solve the murder. Robinson keeps this series consistently good and interesting with great characters who continually change over time. Start at the beginning in order to really enjoy these.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Watching The DarkByPeter RobinsonMy" in a nutshell" summary...The death/ murder of a police investigator causes an old crime to resurface. My thoughts after reading this book...An officer is murdered while he is recuperating at a police rehab center. He is shot through the chest with a medieval bow and arrow...a cross bow. Questionable intimidating photos of this man with a young girl surface. Some are rather sexual in nature. The case is being handled by Inspector Banks...seasoned...distinguished...loves wine...drives a Porsche and loves music. Because this crime sort of hints of internal corruption...an internal affairs person is brought in to assist...Joanna Passero...much to Inspector Banks chagrin. There is also Inspector Banks returning partner to deal with...Annie. Returning from a serious injury...she is a bit put out by Joanna. And of course...during the investigation...another body is found...which just adds to the mystery. And...there appears to be a connection to a missing girl from a number of years ago...this was a case that the murdered policeman had a strong attachment to. Whew!What I loved about this book...For me...personally...there is nothing more enjoyable than a mystery of this kind. Inspectors and pubs and pints and steak and kidney pies...puzzling clues...windy webs...foreign intrigue...all over the place! This author knows how to tell a complicated story in an orderly manner. It's a suspense filled pleasurable tale...that unwinds in a very pleasurable manner. I loved it. I am familiar with Inspector Banks and have read many of this authors other books. I enjoy them all. This one was particularly appealing and the ending...unique and satisfying. I like the way this author gives each book closure.Favorite characters...Always Inspector Banks...quirky, fervent, a bit irreverent. Annie...battling insecurities after her injury...perhaps thinking of a love lost with Banks. These were my favorites. Final thoughts...This series is always really great and this one does not fail to entertain.O
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Alan Banks investigates the connection between a policeman killed by crossbow and that of a migrant worker, leading him to case of a young woman gone missing in Estonia some years before. As well as listening to music (and making me you-tube some of it) Banks has to contend with being shadowed by a police woman looking for police corruption. As usual an interesting plot and well - drawn characters.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I've been told (source uncertain) that there are only two plots: a hero goes on a journey, or a stranger comes to town. I don't know about that, but this latest entry in the DCI Banks series fits the first category nicely. Every long-term series, but especially police procedurals, seems to come up with two storylines at some point: a member of the protagonist's family is involved (as in Robinson's last Banks book, Bad Boy) and the protagonist must go far from his own jurisdiction to solve a crime, as in Watching the Dark. Robinson, of course, has handled both these scenarios brilliantly.When an older cop, convalescing at a police infirmary, is shot to death with a crossbow (!!), leaving behind some compromising photos, the investigation takes Banks to Tallinn, Latvia and international people-trafficking criminals. But it also involves Banks in trying to solve a cold case -- the disappearance of a young Englishwoman 6 years earlier in Tallinn, the murder victim's one unsolved case.A new character, Joanna Passero from Professional Standards (what we'd call Internal Affairs, the cops who investigate other cops) is involved much against Banks's will; one wonders if she'll show up in future books.Meanwhile, back in Yorkshire, events continue to transpireand DI Annie Cabbot, finally recovered from injuries suffered in Bad Boy, is happy to be back at work and worried that the Superintendent thinks she may not yet be fit for duty. Ably assisted by DS Winsome Jackman -- I'd love to see Winsome get her own case one of these days -- Annie solves her part of the case too. It's good to have Banks, Cabbot, and Jackman back on the job. Highly recommended.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Book Description:A decorated detective inspector is murdered on the tranquil grounds of the St. Peter's Police Treatment Centre, shot through the heart with a crossbow arrow, and compromising photographs are discovered in his room. Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks is well aware that he must handle the highly sensitive—and dangerously explosive—investigation with the utmost discretion.Because the case may involve police corruption, an officer from Professional Standards, Inspector Joanna Passero, has arrived to work with Banks and his team. Though he tries to keep an open mind and offer his full cooperation, the dedicated Banks and his practical investigative style clash with Passero's cool demeanor and by-the- book professionalism. All too soon, the seasoned detective finds himself under uncomfortable scrutiny, his methods second-guessed.As Banks digs deeper into the life and career of the victim, a decorated cop and recent widower named Bill Quinn, he comes to believe that Quinn's murder may be linked to an unsolved missing persons case. Six years earlier, a pretty nineteen-year-old English girl named Rachel Hewitt made national headlines when she disappeared without a trace in Tallinn, Estonia. Convinced that finding the truth about Rachel will lead to Quinn's killer, Banks follows a twisting trail of clues that lead from England to the dark, cobbled alleys of Tallinn's Old Town. But the closer he seems to solving the complicated cold case, the more it becomes clear that someone doesn't want the past stirred up.While Banks prowls the streets of Tallinn, DI Annie Cabbot, recovered from her near-fatal shooting and back at the station in Eastvale, is investigating a migrant labor scam involving corrupt bureaucrats and a loan shark who feeds on the poor. As evidence in each investigation mounts, Banks realizes the two are linked—and that solving them may put even more lives, including his own, in jeopardy.My Review:This book is another winner from Peter Robinson in the DCI Banks series. It's about the murder of a local policeman, Bill Quinn, who may have been a dirty cop and the human trafficking of Rachel Hewitt in Estonia. Robinson did a great job merging the two storylines and his research of Estonia was very well done even down to the music of Estonia. I love that he always includes his love of music into his books. His characters are always well-drawn and his plots always keep the pages turning. Robinson is by far the best writer of British police procedurals and you can never go wrong reading one of his books. I look forward to reading the next book in the series and I highly recommend this series to those who love mystery thrillers.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Classic Robinson, classic Banks. Robinson brings out his character's personalities, he paints a vivid description of his settings and he puts together a page-turning plot. What's not to like?!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Detective Inspector Alan Banks is ordered to investigate the murder of a police officer who was at the police convalescent center.Set in the English countryside, we see Banks interview possible witnesses but not have much progress in the early going. Then, another murder victim is found and the case takes on added urgency.Since there is possibility that the murdered police officer might have been corrupt, Banks is ordered to work with an officer from Professional Standards. Although resentful of working with another person, gradually, Banks and the officer form a good working relationship.Then there is a connection found in both victims. They had looked into the six year old disappearance of a young woman who had been at a bachelorette weekend in Estonia.The author demonstrates his excellent character descriptions and plotting and keeps the reader's attention throughout.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This is Peter Robinson by the numbers, as if he was contractually bound to deliver another Inspector Banks manuscript. The work is Banks light; there's none of the complexity, or philosophical commentary, or much of any of the staples that have made this series so enduringly popular. All the usual characters are present, but they lack verve. Banks' private life, which is usually so rich in insights, is almost completely missing. A character is added, but she is so two-dimensional as to render her uninteresting, and at the novel's conclusion, she simply vanishes. There is also an anti-climactic plot element in which the resolution of the main mystery is discovered in two locations, diluting the impact, and making the last 50 pages or so almost a postscript. For the first time, Robinson's work is a disappointment.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I've said it before and I'll say it again - if Peter Robinson's name is on it, I know I'm in for a good read. I enjoyed last year's stand alone novel - Before the Poison. (Winner of the 2012 Arthur Ellis Award for Best Novel by the Crime Writers of Canada) But, I've waiting for the latest installment in Robinson's Inspector Banks series. And it's here! Watching the Dark is the 20th entry in this wonderful series. Watching the Dark opens at the St. Peter's Police Treatment Centre. Annie Cabot has just left the centre, finally ready to return to work after a lengthy convalescence. So, Alan Banks is familiar with the centre, but didn't expect to be working a case there. Bill Reid, a fellow officer has been murdered on the grounds - by a crossbow. On searching Reid's room, photos of a compromising nature are found. Banks is determined to not judge until his investigation is complete, but Inspector Joanna Passero from Professional Standards (internal investigations) is brought in to 'help' Banks with his inquiries. As Banks digs into Reid's past, he wonders if a cold case of Reid's could be tied to his death. Robinson takes us out of Eastvale with Banks' investigation and into Estonia. I must admit, I truly had no firm grasp on this country but Robinson did a great job of setting the stage with detailed descriptions and characters. I was surprised to learn that English stag and hen parties take cheap flights over for weekend parties. I was glad to see Annie Cabot back on the job. She's out to prove herself after being injured and off the job for so long, so she delves into the case with dogged determination. Her investigations keep her in Eastvale, but dealing with the ugly underbelly of this bucolic Yorkshire countryside. She is following the tracks of migrant workers tricked and abused by local criminals. Her storyline takes the stage almost as much as Banks's in this book. That's a good thing, as she's a character I quite enjoy. Inspector Passero was an interesting addition. I was never really sure of her agenda and Robinson keeps us guessing until the very last chapters. And, I'm still not sure if we really know her - I think she'll make an appearance in the next book, but I'll reserve judgment until then. I've always enjoyed Banks's love of music and the references to what he's listening to. However it seemed like there were quite a few this time - enough that I found myself skimming over some of these passages. Robinson has crafted a multi faceted, well paced plot that takes inspiration from current day issues. I did find the end to be tied up a bit too neatly, but all in all it was a read I quite enjoyed. And I'll be waiting for the 21st book!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I put Peter Robinson up there with Ian rankin, Elizabeth George and Martha Grimes in criminal mysteries set in the UK. They all write with such incredible fascination to details, create characters with multi-layers and plots with numerous twists and turns. Robinson's latest, Watching the Dark, is no disappointment. Banks is once again involved in a complicated murder with tentacles reaching from the illegal immigrants in the Uk, to Estonia, and to an unsovled crime 6 years before involving a young girl on a drunken holiday. Working once again with Annie, back from medical leave after almost losing her life on the job, and a new woman from the Professional Standards division whose icy demeanor riles Banks' ego, Banks has to struggle against his own determination to solve an unsolvable case and his own professional standards. Peter Robinson is always a treat to read.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This story line was not one of my favorites but saying that the Banks series is still way better than many others. Banks is such a well rounded characters, a very likable loyal man and a fantastic inspector who doesn't give up. In this book he was definitely the draw for me since Annie Cabot who has recovered did not travel with Banks but managed things from home base. Plenty of revelations, twists and turns, catching up with Bank's children and seeing how Estonia has fared now that they are no longer tied to Russia. Good read.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Alan Banks is in fine form for his 20th outing. Watching the Dark by Peter Robinson finds him investigating the death of DI Bill Quinn who is shot in the chest with a cross bow. This investigation in turn leads back to other cases that Quinn was involved in. As always Banks has a very capable crew assisting him and his partner, Annie, who has just returned from medical leave, plays a large part. There is a new face with Joanna Passero, a DI from Professional Standards (Internal Affairs) who is on hand as there have been rumors that the murdered policeman could have been involved in some shady affairs. She and Banks butt heads a lot, but I am wondering if she will show up in future books, perhaps as a love interest.This was a solid police procedural that lead off on many different tangents. It was interesting to see how each thread was followed and eventually how so many threads meshed together to help the investigators reach their goal. In this book Banks is following the threads of a 6 year old case of a young British girl who went missing in Estonia, smuggled Eastern European migrant workers, along the murders of a policeman and a journalist that come eventually come together and bring resolution.I enjoyed Watching The Dark and I am very glad to say that after 20 books this series is still fresh and interesting, and I look forward to number 21.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    *goodreads giveaway*When a detective inspector is murdered while at St. Peter’s Police Treatment Center Chief Inspector Alan Banks leads the investigation not knowing how deep the trail will lead. Murder is not the only crime being investigated as Chief Inspector Banks will soon find out when an officer from Professional Standards, investigating allegations of police corruption, intrudes in the case. As he gets close to answers more questions and possible suspects materialize and it’s a struggle to remember his prime objective.This one started out really slow for me. The mystery intrigued me right away so I kept reading and by the time I was a little more than halfway through the book it grabbed me. Usually this type of novel will suck me in and keep me turning pages, but this one I thought about giving up on; I am glad I didn’t. This is my first Peter Robinson book so that could explain the problem since there are 19 more Alan Banks novels before this one. I enjoyed the characters, well I should say a few of the minor characters, and that helped it along while getting to the bottom of the murder. There were a few side stories that were as interesting as the original plot and by the end I felt good about the whole thing. I like an author who can juggle multiple side stories within one plot. So overall I ended up liking this one more than I thought I would and will gladly recommend it.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Well written. Some parts that weren't needed to be so graphic but probably fairly small amt. Just in a few places but I probably won't read anymore. Reminds me of Louise Penny
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I'm not sure why this book took me much longer than usual to read. I think it is probably that Robinson's writing is much more detailed than that of most of his contemporaries. There's always a lot going on in an Inspector Banks novel, not just several plot threads, but also connections with previous plots in previous novels. WATCHING THE DARK is no different. They are novels designed to satisfy fans of the series, to further develop threads, characters, and ongoing stories. That is their value as a series, more like episodes in a saga, and that's why the series grows on you. Readers have been with DCI Alan Banks for over 25 years now. I haven't read them all, but certainly most.Despite, or maybe because, I read the book slowly, I thoroughly enjoyed it: had time to smell the flowers so to speak, to appreciate the connections between the various plot threads. On fairly tenuous evidence, Banks is convinced there are links between the murder of DI Bill Quinn and a case he (Quinn) was involved in 6 years before: the disappearance in Estonia of a young English woman. He decides he needs to go to Estonia to investigate himself, but he will be accompanied by an officer from Professional Standards, and he does not like that one little bit.The character portrayal is excellent, and for the most part, the plot is believable. Just be prepared for it to be a demanding read.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Robinson is a master storyteller who has created excellent characters, complex yet coherent plots, and a style that is difficult to fault. Inspector Banks and Annie Cabot are professional and likeable. This book introduces a new investigator from Professional Standards, a polished "icy" blonde, Joanna Passero. She accompanies Banks to Estonia to investigate the murder of a police officer that appears to be linked to an old investigation of an English girl who went missing in Estonia. It was interesting to get to know something about Estonia, a place of which we hear little. All round, an excellent read, with lots of twists and turns. Highly recommended.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I discovered that I had not read a DCI Banks book for a few years, when I noticed that there were three on one of my "waiting to read" shelves and I am happy to report that I enjoyed this one. It is neither the best nor the worst of the series, with a large part of it set in Tallinn. It was a city already on my bucket list, but Robinson's description has raised it a couple of notches. He maintains his position as one of the best police based thriller writers in the UK. It will not be such a long gap before I read the next one.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I have never read a bad Peter Robinson book (knock on wood)...and this one was certainly no exception. This author has a way of setting the scene that raises the reader's anticipation page after page. The only thing that I found slightly "off putting" about this one was the times that Inspector Banks showed an unusual and unexpected childish side with very foolish actions that were unusual and unexpected from a man of his character and reputation. Otherwise a really great read.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Peter Robinson does a wonderful job with his various characters, and his description of the setting. Robinson also enjoys bringing in a social woe. Many writers have embarked on the horrors of forced slavery and forced prostitution, and Robinson has joined this bandwagon. Other writers have done better in exposing the degradation. Inspector Banks has no love interest in this story, and many of the relationships fell flat. Parts of the story are interesting, but many are just words without meaning.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    One of my favorite characters, Chief Inspector Alan Banks, is back in author Peter Robinson's new book "Watching The Dark".This time around inspector Banks not only has to solve the murder of decorated detective inspector Bill Quinn but also has to deal with inspector Joanna Passero, an officer, who has arrived to work with him and his team.Banks finds that the death may be linked to an unsolved missing persons case from 6 years ago.Author Peter Robinson has written a novel about corruption, a dead cop and a missing.I'm a big Inspector Banks fam and give this book 5 out of 5 stars.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Excited to have discovered a writer with scads of books to read. Mr. Robinson was touted in the Wall Street Journal Weekend edition recently, so I rushed out and bought two of his Inspector Banks novels. In this one his depiction of the charm and delights of Estonia is so authentic and compelling --but is that to balance out the corruption and evils of modern society explored in the book or perhaps to protect Mr. Robinson from complaints from fellow authors, travel agents, or even officials in Estonia? I felt this book was at time tedious with repetition after repetition of what the inspector had already determined. Perhaps this series of books is an acquired taste. I am eagerly starting the other novel.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    DI Annie Cabot is ready to go back to work. Only a few days left to enjoy the peace and quiet at the convalescent center where she is healing from a gunshot wound, until she discovers another of the tenants dead. As her boss DCI Alan Banks is assigned to the case, DI Annie will soon be thrust into the middle of the investigation.DI Bill Quinn is the murdered cop, with a spotless record and a known empathy for an unsolved missing girl’s case almost 6 years old. A cloud hangs over his reputation when compromising photos are found in his room. And to further complicate things, a Police Standards detective butts her way into the investigation. This is the 20th book in the DCI Alan Banks series, and as we’ve come to love and expect, Banks is going to run the investigation his way. Although his surly attitude and brusque mannerisms toward the chief appointed Standards officer only makes her dig in her heels and meet him head on. At the outset, she would be satisfied with solving the case of who killed Quinn, and close her case on a possibly compromised cop. Banks in his dogged way finds himself chasing two cases that could be related. As the case takes the investigation to foreign soil the two investigators find not only the language barrier a detriment, but the assistance of the local constabulary seems rather apathetic. Overall, the book has a solid plot, great sense of location and wonderful characterization. Reading through, though, I got the impression that Banks is a tired man. I’m hoping this is just a phase for the character, and Robinson has many more adventures awaiting his fans.Can’t go wrong with anything Robinson pens.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Good quick read - setting Estonia
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Another enjoyable book in the Inspector Banks series.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Another excellent and topical plot, in part set in Estonia, where the author spent some time teaching apparently. His time was well spent as the Tallin and other locations are mostly real, unlike Eastvale. Annie Cabot is just back after recovering from her injuries in "Bad Boy" and Banks has to investigate the murder of a policeman, who may be tainted with corruption, so has a Professional Standards officer shadowing his investigation, much to his disgust. Excellent plotting and characters - highly recommended.