Innocent Graves

Inspector Banks #8

by Peter Robinson

When last seen alive, sixteen-year-old Deborah Harrison was on her way home from school. Her friend Megan thinks she saw the shadowy figure of a man behind Deborah as they waved goodbye on the bridge, but the fog was so thick that evening she can’t be sure. Not long after, Deborah’s body is found in the local cemetery. The murder terrorises the wealthy enclave of St Mary’s, Eastvale, and because Deborah was the daughter of a prominent industrialist, high-flying new Chief Constable Jeremiah “Jimmy” Riddle puts pressure on Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks and his team to catch the killer without delay. And soon, partly thanks to the work of new boy Detective Inspector Barry Stott, it looks as if they have done…

But Banks is not convinced. While the community breathes a collective sigh of relief and turns into a lynch-mob, Banks examines the loose ends: a vicar, accused of sexually harassing a refugee worker, who lies about his whereabouts at the time of the murder; his straying wife; a schoolteacher with a dark secret; the accused’s vindictive ex-girlfriend; a teenage thug who has threatened Deborah and her family with violence. And then there are Deborah’s own family secrets. With each new piece of information, a different pattern is formed, until Banks is forced to incur the wrath of Jimmy Riddle if he hopes to solve the case.

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Fiction, Procedural, British Literature, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller

400 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Librarian 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.

Reviews

[Baba · Rating 4 out of 5]

DCI Alan Banks' eighth case is the best of the series so far as far as I am concerned, it deservedly earned him another crime writer's award. Sir Geoffrey's daughter is found murdered and for all intents and purposes it appears to be a sex crime. Banks uncovers a myriad of suspects, but it is the new ambitious policeman on his team that nails the murderer; the person they are 100% sure is the murderer, right?

A great read that tackles miscarriages of justice, career ambition, the British class system, obsession and personal relationships. Robinson kept me thoroughly engrossed throughout, a first, for one of his books! 8 out of 12, Four Star read.

2011 read

[Peter · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was my first Robinson murder mystery. It’s a DI Banks story, set in a fictional Yorkshire town. Just like Val McDermid’s Carol Jordan stories, which are also set in an imaginary Yorkshire town. Furthermore, both Banks and Jordan are former Met detectives. The similarities end there, however, as Robinson is no match for McDermid when it comes to development of plot, narrative, and characters, which are a bit pedestrian in this book. Also it is missing that magical ingredient you need in a murder mystery: ambiance!

[Jill H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am on a bit of a British mystery jag and I always feel that I can count on Robinson's Inspector Banks series as a second "currently reading" book and this one did not disappoint. It holds the attention with a clever story and good character development.

In this tale, the teen-age daughter of a wealthy peer is found strangled to death in a church cemetery. At first it looks like a sex crime due to the arrangement of the body but that turns out to be false. Not a clue in sight until almost half-way through the story and then the police just get lucky. I had suspicions which proved to be correct but I had no reason for the suspicions........I just didn't like the character. The plot is complicated but all falls into place in the conclusion.

An excellent series which probably should be read in chronological order as Banks' life changes dramatically from time to time.

[Lawyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Innocent Graves: Banks at the Bar

Full review to follow.

In short, this is Banks' best outing in the series I have encountered. Peter Robinson departs from his usual plot line. For in this novel, the murder of a sixteen year old girl in a country churchyard leads to the arrest and trial of a small college English teacher. The suspects abound. However, the presence of convincing forensic evidence leads to a fascinating trial of the hapless suspect. This one is not to be missed. Robinson has outdone himself in Innocent Graves.

[Natalie M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like going home to an old friend! Instalment #8 is as good as the previous DCI Banks crime novels. This one is slightly different with much of the case centred around the actual court case of the accused. As per usual, excellent procedural information, beautifully written and deeply engaging. Looking forward to the return of Banks’s family featuring in the next one.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slowly, but surely I am working my way through Peter Robinson's excellent DCI Banks novels. I still have a long way to go though: as I finish book eight my wife is reading Careless Love which is book 25!
Innocent Graves opens with a gripping first chapter in a fog bound graveyard. DCI Banks & his usual group of colleagues investigate a murder, but this time Robinson changes the formula he's used for the last seven books. A large part of the novel is a courtroom drama, & although I preferred the investigation side more it's good to see the story from the viewpoint of the accused for a change.
Robinson once again delivers a solid plot in what is becoming one of my favourite series of crime novels.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I usually like Robinson's books, but this one I really had to make myself finish it. I should have checked the book description a little more closely, and maybe some of the reviewers about what this particular book was about because it was about something I really am not comfortable reading about. I am not crazy about reading about child abuse, in this case the murder of a young 16-year-old because of an older guy's obsession with her. It's one thing if the author mentions it in passing, but it is something else if they go into it in deep detail, which Robinson did. I'm sure other reviewers will disagree with me on this, and that's fine...I just won't read Robinson for a while because of this.

The other reason I wasn't crazy about this book, is I got to the end of the book, and there was no closure to several threads in the story. Robinson didn't explain how the man who murder original girl did the job, nor how he murdered the second girl. He didn't explain how the evidence from the man who was originally blamed for the crimes ended up being at the crime scenes. There were so many questions left at the end it was very unsatisfactory...

[Paul Weiss · Rating 4 out of 5]

“… there … goes a true hypocrite, a man who preaches the virtues of chastity, a man who belongs to a church that won’t even ordain homosexual ministers, ...”

“… caught with his hand up the choirboy’s surplice, so to speak.”

You just have to love Peter Robinson’s continued development and narrative of the life of a magnificently rich character in Inspector Banks. He sure isn’t one to hold back his disdain of those around him if he feels it’s justified – religion and clergy; police administration and senior level officers; pedophiles, homophobes and racists; … well you get the idea!

His love of music and his fondness for a couple of fingers of Scotland’s finest golden elixirs as he muses upon the ongoing shortcomings of his love life continues:

“As he walked, he plugged in his earphones … the tape started at the jazzy Forlane section of Ravel’s Le Tombeau de Couperin. Not bad for a walk to work on a fine spring morning.”

Deborah Harrison was sixteen years old when she disappeared on her way home from school. So, while her murderer narrowly escapes the labels of “pedophile” or “child-murderer”, Inspector Banks is charged with the responsibility of relieving the wealthy town of St Mary’s of its terror and bringing the killer to justice promptly … no matter what it takes (and what it takes may NOT include questioning, bothering, or otherwise upsetting or intruding on the lives of Deborah Harrison’s wealthy parents and ongoing supporters of the police administration!!)

When the eager, newly minted, ambitious Detective Inspector Barry Stott comes across the proverbial “smoking gun”, it looks as if the case is done, closed, and a proverbial slam-dunk for conviction. But (you guessed it!), Banks is unconvinced and his efforts to tie up all the loose ends tread perilously close to insubordination as Banks investigates a closed case and, against high level orders, continues to interrupt the lives of the Harrison family.

INNOCENT GRAVES is most definitely not a suspense thriller in the modern meaning of the genre. It is a superbly related modern police procedural with plenty of red herrings, twists and turns, a modicum of blood and violence, and a tremendous amount of credible dialogue and creative character development interspersed with humour and snippets of real-life vignettes.

A four-star winner and an excellent reason to look for the next entry in the series. I’ve already read #s 9, 10 and 11 in the series, so it is with considerable anticipation that I’ll be looking to open #12 AFTERMATH. Definitely recommended.

Paul Weiss

[Bill Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to go away on a short trip and needed a distraction, so something that would be a compelling read. I thought I had two of the late Peter Robinson's books left to read. I've enjoyed them all; partly due to location, Yorkshire, but also they are just well written police procedurals. So I start my journey and start the book. All good. But then a bit of familiarity creeps in and I think I know what is going to happen. Have I read this before? I couldn't have, the spine looks mint apart from anything else. Then when I get the chance to use wifi, I check goodreads and yes, I read it in 2018. However, with no other book with me, I plough on. I really enjoyed it. I like Robinson's writing. It is smooth, good character and landscape descriptions without clogging up the narrative and an unfolding tale that keeps you gripped - even when you know the end. I feel that parts stretch the mechanics of the plot towards breaking point, but not quite. It wobbles on the narrative tightrope but doesn't fall. An interesting experience. Robinson is an author you can read again and again.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Innocent Graves (Inspector Banks,@8) by Peter Robinson.

This is the 8th Inspector Banks novel and my 8th as I continue to read through this wonderful series.
Rebecca Charters, wife of the vicar of St. Mary's, was weaving her way through the headstones towards the Inchcliffe Mausoleum. In her usual drunken state she sought to commune with the statue of the angel Gabriel. Then from behind the Mausoleum she noticed a shoe with a sock and a foot inside that shoe. As she made her way towards that foot a school girl came into focus. A A satchel and a maroon uniform. That of St. Mary's School for Girls. Rebecca Charters began to scream and vomit.

The characters in this story each have a life of their own and how they relate (if they do) to each other adds a deeper dimension to this mystery. This was a book that drew me into itself. Peter Robinson was indeed a gifted author. He had more than just a way with words and an imagination that just wouldn't quit. File this under "my favorites".

[Eric_W · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not much to add to other reviews and you can read many summaries. Good read.

[Gloria Feit · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is little that Detective Inspector Alan Banks has not seen in this long-running Peter Robinson series, but this novel probably includes more suspects in what appears to be a serial murder mystery of teen age girls than any previous entry. And probably more red herrings to throw the reader off as well.

The first girl, a bright blonde attending a posh, exclusive girl’s school, is the daughter of a titled, wealthy head of a large company. Her body is found in a churchyard she uses as a shortcut home at the end of the school day. Dead of strangulation, the body is left in such a state as to hint at a sexual homicide. Later a second teenager is found in a similar state. A suspect is arrested and brought to trial, only to be found not guilty by the jury. Banks and his team have their work cut out for them after what was initially thought to be an easy solve. And it is not for the lack of additional suspects, a specialty of the author.

The plot unfolds bit by bit, as Banks moves forward to the ultimate conclusion. The courtroom segment, somewhat unusual for its day-to-day detail, demonstrates a degree of legal expertise previously not shown in the series. The portrayal of the attorneys’ examinations and cross-examinations are particularly well done.

Recommended.

[Deb Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Peter Robinson gives his readers plenty to ponder in Innocent Graves. Beyond the investigation of the murder of a teenage girl, there is the issue of class and its relationship to the justice system; the sensationalism of the media and its efforts to try a suspect in the public eye; and not least of all, the life after trial for a suspect found not guilty.

A well-told tale as I've come to expect from Robinson, plenty of suspects from which to choose, and questions to ponder long after the last page has been read.

[Lorraine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Deborah Harrison, a 16 year old school girl, is found strangled in the St. Mary's graveyard on a very foggy evening after a meeting of the school's chess club. Due to physical evidence of the girl's hair and blood found on his anorak, Owen Pierce is arrested and we hear his thoughts during the trial. When he is found not guilty, Owen returns to Eastvale but finds his house vandalized, he's lost his teaching job and his former friends are leery of him. Meantime, Inspector Banks decides that he needs to re-investigate Deborah's boyfriend, the scummy John Spinks, who gives him a clue he can follow up on, but not before another school girl is murdered. I enjoyed the first half of this book, but found the last third or so dragged.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Banks novel went down a different path. Robinson focused much of the story on a perhaps innocent man's journey through trial and ultimate non-conviction. While somewhat diverting, I much prefer when the focus remains on the main characters I have come to know so well are the main POV. Intriguing storyline, as ever. And the unsettling computer diary from the murderer is what bumps it up from three to four stars for me.

[Alison C · Rating 4 out of 5]

The body of a young girl is found in a churchyard in Eastvale, Yorkshire, and Detective Inspector Alan Banks is assigned to investigate. With the aid of his subordinates, he locates a stranger who had been seen in the vicinity at the time of the murder, and while the evidence collected is circumstantial, the implications of it (blood and hair samples, DNA) are grave; but once the man is arrested and brought to trial, Banks begins to have his doubts…."Innocent Graves" is the eighth novel in Peter Robinson’s Inspector Banks series, published in 1996, and the characters continue to develop as people, which I always find intriguing in a long-running series like this one. As ever, the police procedural part of the story is well fleshed out, and it’s quite reasonable to assume the guilt of an individual - until, that is, it suddenly isn’t. This is a series that doesn’t absolutely require the reader to have read the books in chronological order, although of course one gets more out of such novels if one has; actually, in this particular case we meet some new characters and many of the older ones are somewhat sidelined, so this could be a particularly good jumping-off point for the new reader. Recommended!

[Francis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won't comment on the story line plenty of people already have. All I will say is as time goes by my estimation of Peter Robinson rises. Inspector Banks is a little weary, been through a lot, he's a little cynical, yet at the same time sympathetic and compassionate, not unlike a lot of other fictional Detective's. But his character doesn't feel tired or old, He feels comfortable like a well worn leather chair with a side table an old lamp and and a well worn book by a familiar author you want to rediscover ...once again.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the pastor's wife discovers a rich school girl's corpse in the cemetery, suspicion points to Owen Pierce, a teacher with a reputation for enjoying the company of his students and whose home shows a fascination with pornographic photography. Owen maintains his innocence. His attorney shatters the case. When another girl is murdered in a similar fashion, Banks and his team must examine the evidence once again. I enjoyed this story narrated by James Langton who did a wonderful job as usual.

[Renée Mee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not one of my favourites though love this series. Found it quite slow. Robinson does do a good job of making the reader feel the hopelessness and unfairness of a person charged wrongly for a crime and even when found innocent,still carries the stigma. Justice done is not always justice especially in this world of media coverage.

[Charlston Goch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Real score 4.50. There would be spoilers if I put down too much of what I’m thinking about his book, and so all I can say is it goes very interesting places outside the typical order of police procedurals. You’ll have to read it to see what I mean. Beside that, it’s a weird look at how different the world is from the relatively short amount of time since this was set.

[AndrewP · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one worked for me and kept me riveted up until the end. Lot's of twists and turns that kept me guessing. I had a number of suspects at the back of my mind but the final motive was something that I never considered. Great characters and geographical locations.
One of the best in the series so far.

[Colin Mitchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young girl is dead the police have a suspect, senior officers pressing and a man's life is ruined. In this edition of the series, Chief Inspector Banks comes across at times as something of a threatening bully and the Eastvale police as less than competent. Overall a reasonable read without going down in posterity.

[Paula Dembeck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robinson continues the Inspector Banks series with the eighth book.
Rebecca Charters, the wife of the vicar at Saint Mary’s church, is out wandering in the graveyard when she abruptly comes upon the body of a young schoolgirl behind a huge Victorian sepulcher. The girl’s clothes have been torn and her open school satchel lies beside her. The body is identified as that of Deborah Harrison, a beautiful sixteen year old from a posh neighbourhood who attended an elite private school nearby.
As the inquiry begins, there appears to be a number of suspects including a vicar who has had serious allegations laid against him, a Croatian refugee who has been accused of leering at schoolgirls, a teacher who is having an affair with the vicar’s wife, a lecturer at the local college who has lived with a younger student and enjoys taking nude photographs of women and a vain and cocky criminal who supplements his income from the dole by various criminal activities.
This is a complex investigation, made more difficult by the appearance of Chief Constable Jeremiah “Jimmy” Riddle, a man who believes in the pushy “breathe down you neck” style of management. Riddle and Banks do not see eye to eye on anything but Banks must be careful. Riddle is his superior and since Gristhorpe has broken his leg while working on his stone wall and there is no buffer between them things quickly get testy. What makes things worse is that Deborah Harrison, the murdered schoolgirl, was the daughter of Sir Geoffrey and Sylvie Harrison, a wealthy and politically connected family who are also personal friends of the Chief. Riddle is ambitious and sensitive to the important contacts and connections he will need to advance his career and demands the investigation be handled with kid gloves.

Robinson quickly brings us up to date with people and events since the last book: Detective Richmond has gone to Scotland Yard to join a special computer unit and has temporarily been replaced by Detective Sergeant Barry Scott; Susan Gay has passed her sergeant’s exam and is waiting for her next promotion and Jenny Fuller reappears after spending time in America.
Banks is still struggling with his smoking habit and continues with his music which seems to include everything from his classical selections to Jimi Hendrix. He is not making much progress in reconnecting with his wife Sandra and they are growing more and more distant, each deeply involved in their careers. Brian their son, continues his studies at the Polytechnic and Tracy their daughter, has given up on boyfriends and wants to study history at the University of Leeds.

Like his past novels, Robinson places the investigation in a setting which allows him to explore social and political issues. He spreads the net wide in this story as he unearths the sick underbelly of pornography, criticizes the privilege of class and money and questions the painful consequences of bigotry. He also sensitizes us to the influence that public opinion plays on those who have been charged with a crime, whether or not they are proved guilty.
This is also the first novel that takes us into the courtroom. We see Banks on the stand and Robinson uses the court scenes which are excellent, to unravel the complex issues around admissible and inadmissible evidence. He also shows us how that evidence, collected so carefully during an investigation, fares when set before the rule of law and the complexity of trial procedure. It is distressing to see how what had previously looked so solid suddenly becomes dodgy and full of holes.
For those who have followed the series sequentially, it has been interesting to see how Robinson’s novels have evolved. Plots are more intricate, and Banks’ investigative style and skill continues to develop over time. Social commentary has become a larger part of the last novels but Robinson never looses the story or the thread of the investigation. And he seems to have that ability to throw in that clanging wrench, the bad luck of being in the wrong place at the wrong time and the good luck of stumbling upon an important clue.

Another great read.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. It was an absolute pleasure to be back in Eastvale with Inspector Banks and his team. This is an intriguing double murder mystery that plays fair and keeps you guessing to the end. The crimes are sexually motivated but there are no graphic descriptions of intercourse, and one graphic scene of gender violence. I still very much enjoy Banks’s character and love both his investigative methods and seeing how he evokes over the series. This was a fantastic read!

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the eighth book in the crime series set in Eastvale, North Yorkshire, England, featuring Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks. Banks is temporarily the senior man in Eastvale CID (Criminal Investigative Department) and so is called to take charge after the body is found of 16-year-old Deborah Harrison. Deborah’s father is Sir Geoffrey Harrison, knighted for services to industry, and Banks is under pressure to find the killer and not bother the family too much in the process.

There are the usual small number of equally-viable suspects, a host of secrets that gradually get revealed associated with both victim and suspects, and a number of false starts. I admit I figured out the actual perpetrator quite early on, but it did not detract from my enjoyment of following the process. Robinson is a very competent writer, managing to inject moments of poetry into his crime stories, as with this reflection on time Banks spent with his daughter Tracy:

“She would find out soon enough what had happened to Deborah Harrison, Banks thought. It would be all over town tomorrow. But not tonight. Tonight father and daughter would enjoy a quiet, innocent cup of cocoa in the middle of the night in their safe, warm house floating like an island in the fog.”

Rating: 3.5/5

Note: This book was nominated for a number of awards, and won the 1996 CWC Arthur Ellis Award for Best Novel.

[Elizabeth Lloyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose to read Innocent Graves thanks to a recommendation from Amazon and it is only now that I have finished the book that I discover it is one of 24 Inspector Banks novels which have been on TV, starring Stephen Tomkinson. I dimly remember enjoying a few episodes but for me the book is more intense and compelling.
Inspector Banks is an empathetic character, even though, at times, he can be unpleasantly aggressive to the suspects he interviews. Despite the annoying bias his boss shows, in sucking up to rich influential locals, Banks is determined to find the murderer by methodical, thorough police work. The unusual feature of this novel is that we also see the case from the viewpoint of the man they arrest. Without knowing whether he is guilty or innocent we witness the way his life falls apart and he is forced to wait in a sordid, claustrophobic police cell for several months before going to court.
The book introduces a variety of characters who might have had a motive to kill Deborah but circumstantial evidence make it difficult for the police and the reader to select the culprit. I had my suspicions, but the denouement was well constructed. Towards the end I could not put the book down until all was revealed.

[SWZIE · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a page turner. The story is gripping, atmospheric and the momentum is perpetual. It oozes atmosphere:

When a young girl is found dead in a graveyard, Inspector Banks, with his team, lead the murder investigation. Subsequently there commences police procedure, pathology and forensics, which were authentic and absorbing to read about.

The list of suspects was abandoned, while the police began focusing their attention on someone significant since compelling evidence was found supporting their guilt. It ultimately led to a court case, which was played out very realistically. We are given a feast as the top barristers lock horns and pit their legal expertise against one another. I thought to myself, "How is the potential perpetrator going to get out of this?" The evidence was so strong.

In my opinion this is a very superior murder mystery, not the usual run-of-the-mill.

[Owlsinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

An extra star for all the effort Banks & Co. put into this one; following the clues (few as they seem to be), assembling the evidence, winnowing through the suspects, changing direction regularly. Close to the end, wondering how it'll all get tied together: "OK, that almost wraps this one up - we'll have to see how he snaps the trap shut...Oh, yeah, that about does the other one in, let's see how he explains himself...WHAT? Whaddaya mean, "THE END"??? OK, not exactly a cliffhanger, but...oh, man, now I've got to get the next one right away. Dammit, Robinson...

[Julia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Usually really enjoy Peter Robinson's Inspector Banks novels... very disappointed with this. Drastic editing needed! The court/prison scenes were far too long and boring and did not move the story on at all. And as for the ending.... well!! Very disappointed and wished I hadn't bothered. This is the only duff title in this series I've come across so far, so let's hope it's the only one.

[Helen Campbell · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book starts off really good, then the middle third of the book contains an overly-detailed account of an arrest and trial. This section should have been shorter and then the continuing investigation should have continued, even at the expense of shortening the book. Long, narrative passages throughout the books seemed like padding for a thin plot.