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Inspector Banks #15
Strange Affair
'Move over Ian Rankin - there's a new gunslinger in town looking to take over your role as top British police procedural author . . .' Independent on Sunday
Following on from Playing With Fire, Strange Affair is the fifteenth novel in Peter Robinson's Inspector Banks series, which inspired the major British ITV drama DCI Banks.
When Alan Banks receives a disturbing message from his brother, Roy, he abandons the peaceful Yorkshire Dales to seek him out amidst the bright lights of London. But Roy seems to have vanished into thin air.
Meanwhile, DI Annie Cabbot is called to a quiet stretch of road just outside Eastvale, where a young woman has been found dead in her car. In the victim’s pocket, scribbled on a slip of paper, police discover Banks’s name and address.
Living in Roy's empty South Kensington house, Banks finds himself digging into the life of the brother he never really knew, nor even liked. And as he begins to uncover a few troubling surprises, the two cases become sinisterly entwined . . .
'The Banks novels are, simply put, the best series now on the market' - Stephen King
Following on from Playing With Fire, Strange Affair is the fifteenth novel in Peter Robinson's Inspector Banks series, which inspired the major British ITV drama DCI Banks.
When Alan Banks receives a disturbing message from his brother, Roy, he abandons the peaceful Yorkshire Dales to seek him out amidst the bright lights of London. But Roy seems to have vanished into thin air.
Meanwhile, DI Annie Cabbot is called to a quiet stretch of road just outside Eastvale, where a young woman has been found dead in her car. In the victim’s pocket, scribbled on a slip of paper, police discover Banks’s name and address.
Living in Roy's empty South Kensington house, Banks finds himself digging into the life of the brother he never really knew, nor even liked. And as he begins to uncover a few troubling surprises, the two cases become sinisterly entwined . . .
'The Banks novels are, simply put, the best series now on the market' - Stephen King
448 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2005
541 people are currently reading
1794 people want to read
About the author
Peter Robinson
276 books2,277 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 357 reviews
August 2, 2019
Peter Robinson vuelve a subir el nivel con su decimoquinta entrega. “Strange affair” va un paso más allá que la anterior “Playing with fire”, pues en esta novela graves asuntos familiares (la desaparición de su hermano Roy) le meterán de lleno en la trama. Aunque no es que tenga un final feliz, la novela está escrita para el disfrute del amante del género policíaco. El autor sigue cuidando tanto la descripción de personajes como el procedimiento que conlleva la investigación en sí. La novela es creíble al cien por cien. El personaje de Banks es fácilmente reconocible, como también sus demonios personales. También me agradó que gran parte de la historia transcurra en Londres, haciendo más reconocibles los paisajes por los que discurre la novela.
Sigo recomendando su lectura en orden cronológico. Aunque se pueden leer por separado, se gana mucho siguiendo el orden establecido por el autor.
March 1, 2019
“British crime writing at its very best!”
Without having read many of the other books in this most enjoyable series, I came to the conclusion that this must have been the most emotional and difficult case for Alan Banks.
With his personal life the proverbial shambles and his career hanging in the balance, we find Banks in a state of almost catatonic depression at the start of the book. He is morose and reclusive and it is with great difficulty that he finds the motivation to travel down to London, to try and find out what is so worrying his brother.
As Banks has always felt himself to be the outsider of the family, with his perception that Roy is the favoured son, and with the knowledge that the two of them have never been particularly close, he is still questioning Roy’s motives in calling him, so his investigation starts off at a very slow pace.
Once the enormity of Roy’s predicament starts to unfold, we can visibly see Banks begin to rally, although he then makes perhaps a huge mistake in judgement, in not involving, nor even informing the local policing authorities of his growing concerns, especially when he realises just how close to the wind Roy is sailing, in some of his business connections.
He has realised that despite their differences, Roy is the brother for whom, when he analyses his motives he does still have feelings, so the urge to give Roy the benefit of the doubt and protect his parents from the truth for as long as possible, is a strong one.
Instead, Banks enlists the help of his long-time rival, of dubious integrity, Detective Superintendent Burgess, who is surprisingly co-operative and, for him, discreet. Then, Roy’s disappearance starts to converge with a case being investigated back in Yorkshire and Banks has no choice but to engage with some of the colleagues he has been avoiding and also with a new character, that Peter Robinson introduces quite near to the end of the book, but who plays a pivotal role in the plot’s outcome.
Banks discovers that despite his estrangement from Roy, the younger man is still deep down, looking for his older brother to help him out of a hole, just as he had when they were children, but has maybe left it too late to let Banks know the respect he actually has for him. Banks in turn reminisces about times past, when he may have avoided Roy, because of the jealousy he felt, over the attention he was given by their parents.
Banks also has to come to terms with his parents vulnerability and frailty, although we see that this is quite difficult for them all to deal with, as they seem to be a very undemonstrative, insular family, unused to showing their true feelings and emotions.
Working on a case where family is so involved, would be an emotional roller coaster for anyone, but given Banks’s fragile grasp on reality, Peter Robinson has done a great job at guiding his character through the minefield and back to a sense of reality.
Banks’s professionalism wins through in the end, although there are a couple of heart stopping moments along the way, and the climax is redemptive, but uncomfortable.
By the time he returns to The Dales, Banks is well on his way to recovery and ready to pick up the pieces of his professional life, whilst his private life will need considerably more work on it, before it can really be seen as back on track.
I thoroughly enjoyed this brilliant homage to ‘The Great British Detective’
Without having read many of the other books in this most enjoyable series, I came to the conclusion that this must have been the most emotional and difficult case for Alan Banks.
With his personal life the proverbial shambles and his career hanging in the balance, we find Banks in a state of almost catatonic depression at the start of the book. He is morose and reclusive and it is with great difficulty that he finds the motivation to travel down to London, to try and find out what is so worrying his brother.
As Banks has always felt himself to be the outsider of the family, with his perception that Roy is the favoured son, and with the knowledge that the two of them have never been particularly close, he is still questioning Roy’s motives in calling him, so his investigation starts off at a very slow pace.
Once the enormity of Roy’s predicament starts to unfold, we can visibly see Banks begin to rally, although he then makes perhaps a huge mistake in judgement, in not involving, nor even informing the local policing authorities of his growing concerns, especially when he realises just how close to the wind Roy is sailing, in some of his business connections.
He has realised that despite their differences, Roy is the brother for whom, when he analyses his motives he does still have feelings, so the urge to give Roy the benefit of the doubt and protect his parents from the truth for as long as possible, is a strong one.
Instead, Banks enlists the help of his long-time rival, of dubious integrity, Detective Superintendent Burgess, who is surprisingly co-operative and, for him, discreet. Then, Roy’s disappearance starts to converge with a case being investigated back in Yorkshire and Banks has no choice but to engage with some of the colleagues he has been avoiding and also with a new character, that Peter Robinson introduces quite near to the end of the book, but who plays a pivotal role in the plot’s outcome.
Banks discovers that despite his estrangement from Roy, the younger man is still deep down, looking for his older brother to help him out of a hole, just as he had when they were children, but has maybe left it too late to let Banks know the respect he actually has for him. Banks in turn reminisces about times past, when he may have avoided Roy, because of the jealousy he felt, over the attention he was given by their parents.
Banks also has to come to terms with his parents vulnerability and frailty, although we see that this is quite difficult for them all to deal with, as they seem to be a very undemonstrative, insular family, unused to showing their true feelings and emotions.
Working on a case where family is so involved, would be an emotional roller coaster for anyone, but given Banks’s fragile grasp on reality, Peter Robinson has done a great job at guiding his character through the minefield and back to a sense of reality.
Banks’s professionalism wins through in the end, although there are a couple of heart stopping moments along the way, and the climax is redemptive, but uncomfortable.
By the time he returns to The Dales, Banks is well on his way to recovery and ready to pick up the pieces of his professional life, whilst his private life will need considerably more work on it, before it can really be seen as back on track.
I thoroughly enjoyed this brilliant homage to ‘The Great British Detective’
March 12, 2019
Not as impressed with this 'Inspector Banks' novel as I have been with others. First off, I listened to about half of it, then the lending time ran out - electronic source via my library - and instead of renewing it, I borrowed a print copy. Now the elec. version was long, slow and difficult to listen to as the narrator was long, slow and difficult to listen to. So I figured...
Yep, I dashed through the ordinary, written version. But it was a read I'd like to call 'plodding.' Good old Inspector Banks is looking for his brother. (It seems Roy Banks left Inspector Alan Banks a cryptic 'life or death' message on his cell phone.) But - long sigh - and ever so conveniently, the message was incomplete and now Roy can't be located. It will also turn out, later, that the inspector will have no phone available. This is the source of much tension as the story moves on...
Digression: this is a reoccurring problem for writing present-day mysteries. What to do if everyone is at hand because everyone has a handy cell phone (mobile)? One needs to find a way to make the MC - or anyone else - 'unable to be reached.' Let's use phone out of range, or no signal? Okay, or how about lost my phone? (That's a silly one.) Dead battery? (Well, that does really happen!) But there are such things as chargers.
At any rate, and for a good chunk of the story no one can reach the inspector to notify him of his brother's death, and that the folks he works with - he's a detective, after all - can't even locate him. Nope, he wanders about trying to find his brother while an entire investigation into a young woman's mysterious death is gong on - and his brother's murder goes unknown. It's one of those books where the reader wants to scream: buy a cheap phone! Use your brother's phone! (It's lying on his kitchen table.) Or just call in to say hey how are things going?
So it becomes a plodding mystery filled with the minutiae of daily life. Where we go, how we get there, what we eat, who we see there, etc. etc. There's also endless interviews with the usually uncooperative and arrogant English public. (Hey I'm mostly English-origin myself over here in the US, so I know the type.) I was so under-involved in this book it took me a few weeks to get through it, hence the fact my electronic borrow ran out. (This NEVER happens to me!)
There is some good stuff here. Someone's forcing women off the road, raping and killing them. It seems like a subplot in addition to Roy Bank's disappearance, etc., but...
Anyhow, three stars, which is a C+ in my grading system. Not a bad book, but hardly a great one either.
Yep, I dashed through the ordinary, written version. But it was a read I'd like to call 'plodding.' Good old Inspector Banks is looking for his brother. (It seems Roy Banks left Inspector Alan Banks a cryptic 'life or death' message on his cell phone.) But - long sigh - and ever so conveniently, the message was incomplete and now Roy can't be located. It will also turn out, later, that the inspector will have no phone available. This is the source of much tension as the story moves on...
Digression: this is a reoccurring problem for writing present-day mysteries. What to do if everyone is at hand because everyone has a handy cell phone (mobile)? One needs to find a way to make the MC - or anyone else - 'unable to be reached.' Let's use phone out of range, or no signal? Okay, or how about lost my phone? (That's a silly one.) Dead battery? (Well, that does really happen!) But there are such things as chargers.
At any rate, and for a good chunk of the story no one can reach the inspector to notify him of his brother's death, and that the folks he works with - he's a detective, after all - can't even locate him. Nope, he wanders about trying to find his brother while an entire investigation into a young woman's mysterious death is gong on - and his brother's murder goes unknown. It's one of those books where the reader wants to scream: buy a cheap phone! Use your brother's phone! (It's lying on his kitchen table.) Or just call in to say hey how are things going?
So it becomes a plodding mystery filled with the minutiae of daily life. Where we go, how we get there, what we eat, who we see there, etc. etc. There's also endless interviews with the usually uncooperative and arrogant English public. (Hey I'm mostly English-origin myself over here in the US, so I know the type.) I was so under-involved in this book it took me a few weeks to get through it, hence the fact my electronic borrow ran out. (This NEVER happens to me!)
There is some good stuff here. Someone's forcing women off the road, raping and killing them. It seems like a subplot in addition to Roy Bank's disappearance, etc., but...
Anyhow, three stars, which is a C+ in my grading system. Not a bad book, but hardly a great one either.
March 21, 2020
Biased as I love an instalment of Peter Robinson’s Inspector Banks! This one does not disappoint either!
Largely focussed on a complex set of crimes, number 15, is far more detective work than relationship! Not a bad spot to pick-up the series!
Totally satisfied, and now I need #16!
Largely focussed on a complex set of crimes, number 15, is far more detective work than relationship! Not a bad spot to pick-up the series!
Totally satisfied, and now I need #16!
February 27, 2017
This is one book in the Alan Banks series of novels which I missed, and I really liked this one quite a bit. In this novel, it is past the time that Alan's house was burned down by Annie Cabbot's sociopath boyfriend. Alan has been off work, and becoming quite depressed, feeling like he has nothing to anchor him to his life. And then, two things happen: a woman is found dead with a gunshot wound near her ear after her car was run off the highway when she was traveling towards Alan's neck of the woods. The other thing that happened is that Alan's brother, Roy, called him and left a message asking for a return call, saying that it may be a matter of life or death. When Alan tries to call Roy back, he is unable to reach him at either his cell number, or his land line. Alan becomes rather alarmed, and goes to Roy's house, and finds the door unlocked, which is quite unlike Roy, and finds Roy's computer, and several other electronic devices missing. However, his cell phone has been left on the kitchen table. Alan talks to the neighbor across the street, and finds out that Roy left (it appears voluntary) about 9:30 PM the night he called Alan, and has not been seen since. When Alan and Annie finally connect to try to connect the dots in what appears to be two related cases, Alan finds out that the woman who had been shot to death was apparently on the way to his house; the house that had been burned down. Alan did not know the woman, Jennifer Clewes, but he finds out that she knew Roy. In fact, Jennifer and Roy had some kind of romantic relationship. And then the unthinkable happens: Roy's body washes up on the bank of the Thames, showing that he also had been shot just as Jennifer Clewes had been. Alan must break the news to his parents, and that is heartbreaking, to say the least.
Alan investigates everything that had been going on in Roy's life, and finds out that he had recently been in contact with an old business associate, Gareth Lambert, who Roy had been involved with in selling arms several years before. Alan begins to suspect that Roy had either been involved in some very dangerous business dealings, or he had known some information which made him a threat to the people he used to have questionable business dealings with.
I was totally shocked at some of the things that had gone on in Alan's younger brother's life, and I thought this book was one of the best of the Alan Banks series, several of which I have read, and some of which I have missed. It was definitely worth going back and reading this one because it was necessary in the overall scheme of the story of Alan Banks and his career.
Alan investigates everything that had been going on in Roy's life, and finds out that he had recently been in contact with an old business associate, Gareth Lambert, who Roy had been involved with in selling arms several years before. Alan begins to suspect that Roy had either been involved in some very dangerous business dealings, or he had known some information which made him a threat to the people he used to have questionable business dealings with.
I was totally shocked at some of the things that had gone on in Alan's younger brother's life, and I thought this book was one of the best of the Alan Banks series, several of which I have read, and some of which I have missed. It was definitely worth going back and reading this one because it was necessary in the overall scheme of the story of Alan Banks and his career.
March 7, 2019
DCI Alan Banks returns in his fifteenth story & it's as good as ever.
While DI Annie Cabbot investigates a murder in Yorkshire, Banks travels to London to look for his missing brother. Both storylines work welll, but I especially enjoyed the London locations as they were all areas I knew well.
This is a much more personal story for Alan Banks and, even after 15 books, Robinson continues to add fascinating new layers to the character. The plotting is sublime & each piece falls beautifully into place. A classic crime novel if ever there was one.
While DI Annie Cabbot investigates a murder in Yorkshire, Banks travels to London to look for his missing brother. Both storylines work welll, but I especially enjoyed the London locations as they were all areas I knew well.
This is a much more personal story for Alan Banks and, even after 15 books, Robinson continues to add fascinating new layers to the character. The plotting is sublime & each piece falls beautifully into place. A classic crime novel if ever there was one.
February 7, 2019
1.5 stars - somewhere between didn't like it and it was ok.
Too many references to classical music every time he gets in a car or puts on the radio or wants to relax. Everyone listens to classical music. Even his no good brother. Too many misogynistic descriptions which gives the book (and series) and sexist vibe. Dull dialogue that takes the story nowhere. (see review to book 14) Pointless arguments, interruptions and querying points in the conversations. No conversations ever flows or has any humour. What was Townsend all about the way he interrogates the driver of the car at the service station when visiting him ? Who says " what's that when its at home ?"? Weird conversations between Banks and his parents. Absolutely no connection or chemistry between any of the characters. No warmth between anyone that are supposed to like each other. Everyone always seems to be confrontational. Banks and his parents.The clients who visited the abortion clinic should take a urine sample..."but if they forget we have facilities here for them to do that"...what a toilet and some sample pots? about 150 pages too long Loads of padding -eg Gristhorpe contemplating his bloody stone wall.. Needs editing. pretentious. Absolutely no connection or chemistry between any of the characters. 15 books in this is becoming a series that frustrates but 've already bought later ones in the series so will continue.
Storyline - Banks is renting after his house was torched in the last book. Woman get shot and she has his address in her pocket. Bank's brother Ro calls him asking for help but then disappears and Banks goes to London to find him. Brother is murdered. Links to a family planning clinic. Eastern European people trafficking and prostitution
Too many references to classical music every time he gets in a car or puts on the radio or wants to relax. Everyone listens to classical music. Even his no good brother. Too many misogynistic descriptions which gives the book (and series) and sexist vibe. Dull dialogue that takes the story nowhere. (see review to book 14) Pointless arguments, interruptions and querying points in the conversations. No conversations ever flows or has any humour. What was Townsend all about the way he interrogates the driver of the car at the service station when visiting him ? Who says " what's that when its at home ?"? Weird conversations between Banks and his parents. Absolutely no connection or chemistry between any of the characters. No warmth between anyone that are supposed to like each other. Everyone always seems to be confrontational. Banks and his parents.The clients who visited the abortion clinic should take a urine sample..."but if they forget we have facilities here for them to do that"...what a toilet and some sample pots? about 150 pages too long Loads of padding -eg Gristhorpe contemplating his bloody stone wall.. Needs editing. pretentious. Absolutely no connection or chemistry between any of the characters. 15 books in this is becoming a series that frustrates but 've already bought later ones in the series so will continue.
Storyline - Banks is renting after his house was torched in the last book. Woman get shot and she has his address in her pocket. Bank's brother Ro calls him asking for help but then disappears and Banks goes to London to find him. Brother is murdered. Links to a family planning clinic. Eastern European people trafficking and prostitution
June 28, 2017
Each time I read a DCI Banks novel I think I will jump right to the next one. I love this guy! But then I realize I will be caught up and have to wait for the next publication so I am slowly savoring each novel, reading something else in between these books. It’s great that Peter Robinson writes these novels in real time. When I started with Gallows View (Book #1) Alan Banks had just moved to Yorkshire, his children were in school, he was in a happy marriage and his career was on the right path.
I just finished Strange Affair (Book #15) and so much has changed. Banks is, naturally, older and has had some boost in rank. His kids are grown and one is in college. It’s been nice reading along watching the progressions.
Strange Affair starts off with a woman driving away from London, obviously frightened for her life as she expresses she will be safe in just a few hours. Before you get too many pages into the book she is found dead, still in her vehicle, with a single gunshot wound to her head. Her purse and cell phone are missing but in her back pocket is a hastily written note with Alan Banks’ name and address.
Banks can’t be located because he has driven off to London in search of his brother Roy. A day earlier Roy called Banks and left a voice message that he was in danger and he needed help. When big brother Alan couldn’t reach Roy he decided to drive to London. He didn’t tell anyone about Roy’s call and he didn’t call in to the police station to let them know he’d be gone. With the discovery of a dead woman who was headed toward Banks’ Yorkshire address and him now missing, the Eastvale police have him as an unofficial suspect.
Most of this story line takes place in London. We alternate between Banks looking for his brother and DI Annie Cabbot looking into the murder of the young woman. Not too far into the book you see they are connected, both the murder and Roy’s disappearance. You also see a more reflective side of Alan Banks as he’s working though his depression over a house fire (Book # 14) and him getting to know more about his brother.
There are 22 DCI Banks books currently published. I will be on to #16 soon and once I catch up, I will one of the eager fans waiting for the next publication.
I just finished Strange Affair (Book #15) and so much has changed. Banks is, naturally, older and has had some boost in rank. His kids are grown and one is in college. It’s been nice reading along watching the progressions.
Strange Affair starts off with a woman driving away from London, obviously frightened for her life as she expresses she will be safe in just a few hours. Before you get too many pages into the book she is found dead, still in her vehicle, with a single gunshot wound to her head. Her purse and cell phone are missing but in her back pocket is a hastily written note with Alan Banks’ name and address.
Banks can’t be located because he has driven off to London in search of his brother Roy. A day earlier Roy called Banks and left a voice message that he was in danger and he needed help. When big brother Alan couldn’t reach Roy he decided to drive to London. He didn’t tell anyone about Roy’s call and he didn’t call in to the police station to let them know he’d be gone. With the discovery of a dead woman who was headed toward Banks’ Yorkshire address and him now missing, the Eastvale police have him as an unofficial suspect.
Most of this story line takes place in London. We alternate between Banks looking for his brother and DI Annie Cabbot looking into the murder of the young woman. Not too far into the book you see they are connected, both the murder and Roy’s disappearance. You also see a more reflective side of Alan Banks as he’s working though his depression over a house fire (Book # 14) and him getting to know more about his brother.
There are 22 DCI Banks books currently published. I will be on to #16 soon and once I catch up, I will one of the eager fans waiting for the next publication.
August 8, 2023
Strange Affair (Inspector Banks, #15) by Peter Robinson.
This DCI Banks story has been my break through in getting to know Banks as a person. His background regarding his family life is revealed in a fateful visit to his parents home...but I'll get to that part a bit later.
A woman is run off the road and later found shot in the head still in her car. DCI Banks's name is found written on a piece of paper inside the victim's clothing. At the same time Roy, the Inspector's brother, leaves a message for him to call back ASAP stating it's a matter of life or death. The Inspector tried to reach Roy by phone with no answer. He then proceeds to his brother's house and finds the front door unlocked, but Roy is no where to be found.
Roy Banks is discovered to be the 2nd murder victim which takes DCI Banks back to his parents home. To prevent his parents from learning of their son's death from a stranger DCI Alan Banks breaks the devastating news of Roy's death. This is when so much of Banks's childhood is revealed to me the reader. It seems Roy was the parents favorite son. The son they thought of and bragged about which meant DCI Banks was accustomed to being neglected or just ignored. That fact of his early childhood brought to mind his lack of emotion when dealing with everyday adult life.
DCI Alan Banks takes it upon himself to deal with his brothers murder by looking into his brother's past and present associates. That's when he finds there was a connection between Roy and the first murder victim.
I enjoyed this DCI Banks book so much more than the previous books due to the surfacing of his neglect as a child and possibly how that may have related to him as an adult and an inspector.
This DCI Banks story has been my break through in getting to know Banks as a person. His background regarding his family life is revealed in a fateful visit to his parents home...but I'll get to that part a bit later.
A woman is run off the road and later found shot in the head still in her car. DCI Banks's name is found written on a piece of paper inside the victim's clothing. At the same time Roy, the Inspector's brother, leaves a message for him to call back ASAP stating it's a matter of life or death. The Inspector tried to reach Roy by phone with no answer. He then proceeds to his brother's house and finds the front door unlocked, but Roy is no where to be found.
Roy Banks is discovered to be the 2nd murder victim which takes DCI Banks back to his parents home. To prevent his parents from learning of their son's death from a stranger DCI Alan Banks breaks the devastating news of Roy's death. This is when so much of Banks's childhood is revealed to me the reader. It seems Roy was the parents favorite son. The son they thought of and bragged about which meant DCI Banks was accustomed to being neglected or just ignored. That fact of his early childhood brought to mind his lack of emotion when dealing with everyday adult life.
DCI Alan Banks takes it upon himself to deal with his brothers murder by looking into his brother's past and present associates. That's when he finds there was a connection between Roy and the first murder victim.
I enjoyed this DCI Banks book so much more than the previous books due to the surfacing of his neglect as a child and possibly how that may have related to him as an adult and an inspector.
January 22, 2015
Possibly a good holiday read, pity I wasn't on holiday.
July 12, 2020
Ik las dit boek pas toen ik al een stuk verder was met de serie, dus sommige dingen wist ik al. Toch was het aangenaam om een stap terug in de tijd te zetten. Gristhorpe is nog steeds de hoofdcommissaris en bouwt verder aan z'n stapelmuurtje. Er wordt verwezen naar tv-series als Morse en Frost; Het is 2005.
Na de brand in zijn cottage aan het eind van het vorige boek zit Alan Banks in een dip. Op een avond krijgt hij een mysterieus en angstig bericht van z’n broer Roy op zijn voicemail. Als hij terugbelt, krijgt hij nooit gehoor. De 2 broers waren niet dik met elkaar, maar het blijft zijn broer en Alan maakt zich zo veel zorgen dat hij zelf naar Londen (waar Roy woont) gaat om uit te zoeken waar z’n kleine broer bij betrokken is geraakt. Die was echter niet van de braafsten en deed wel eens zaken op het randje van wat wettig is.
Op een verlaten landweg wordt het levenloze lichaam van een jonge vrouw aangetroffen. Ze is doodgeschoten in haar wagen die in de greppel lag. DCI Banks heeft vakantie en dus is het DI Annie Cabot die de zaak leidt. Er zijn enkele overeenkomsten, maar ook vele verschillen met een gelijkaardige moord in Chesterfield. Wat nog veel raadselachtiger is, is dat het slachtoffer een briefje met Banks’ oude adres en telefoonnummer erop in haar achterzak had steken. Die is nergens te vinden en ook Annie trekt naar Londen waar het dode meisje woonde en werkte.
Dat beide zaken op de duur met elkaar verweven zijn, zal niemand verbazen.
Het grootste gedeelte van dit boek speelt zich af in Londen, dus Yorkshire en Eastvale komen weinig aan bod in dit verhaal. Wel komen we erg veel te weten over de relatie tussen de twee broers en die met hun ouders. Ook Banks’ zelf leert z’n broer pas nu echt kennen en beseft dat ze meer op elkaar lijken dan hij ooit had gedacht. Erg tragisch eigenlijk.
Dit is een van de laatste boeken waarin Banks nog rookt. Ik heb het altijd erg sneu gevonden dat hij moest stoppen om politiek correct te blijven.
Wie zich over die dingen (politiek correctheid) totaal geen zorgen maakt is Kevin Templeton. Als hij ouder zou zijn, was hij het boegbeeld van een dinosaurus. Echt zo’n flik waarmee je het niet aan de stok wil krijgen; autoritair en machtsbelust, seksistisch tot en met en altijd sexbelust. Maar hij sleept wel een succes uit de brand dit keer. Als Annie hem vergelijkt met Banks, zal de laatste dat niet als een compliment ervaren, vrees ik.
Na de brand in zijn cottage aan het eind van het vorige boek zit Alan Banks in een dip. Op een avond krijgt hij een mysterieus en angstig bericht van z’n broer Roy op zijn voicemail. Als hij terugbelt, krijgt hij nooit gehoor. De 2 broers waren niet dik met elkaar, maar het blijft zijn broer en Alan maakt zich zo veel zorgen dat hij zelf naar Londen (waar Roy woont) gaat om uit te zoeken waar z’n kleine broer bij betrokken is geraakt. Die was echter niet van de braafsten en deed wel eens zaken op het randje van wat wettig is.
Op een verlaten landweg wordt het levenloze lichaam van een jonge vrouw aangetroffen. Ze is doodgeschoten in haar wagen die in de greppel lag. DCI Banks heeft vakantie en dus is het DI Annie Cabot die de zaak leidt. Er zijn enkele overeenkomsten, maar ook vele verschillen met een gelijkaardige moord in Chesterfield. Wat nog veel raadselachtiger is, is dat het slachtoffer een briefje met Banks’ oude adres en telefoonnummer erop in haar achterzak had steken. Die is nergens te vinden en ook Annie trekt naar Londen waar het dode meisje woonde en werkte.
Dat beide zaken op de duur met elkaar verweven zijn, zal niemand verbazen.
Het grootste gedeelte van dit boek speelt zich af in Londen, dus Yorkshire en Eastvale komen weinig aan bod in dit verhaal. Wel komen we erg veel te weten over de relatie tussen de twee broers en die met hun ouders. Ook Banks’ zelf leert z’n broer pas nu echt kennen en beseft dat ze meer op elkaar lijken dan hij ooit had gedacht. Erg tragisch eigenlijk.
Dit is een van de laatste boeken waarin Banks nog rookt. Ik heb het altijd erg sneu gevonden dat hij moest stoppen om politiek correct te blijven.
Wie zich over die dingen (politiek correctheid) totaal geen zorgen maakt is Kevin Templeton. Als hij ouder zou zijn, was hij het boegbeeld van een dinosaurus. Echt zo’n flik waarmee je het niet aan de stok wil krijgen; autoritair en machtsbelust, seksistisch tot en met en altijd sexbelust. Maar hij sleept wel een succes uit de brand dit keer. Als Annie hem vergelijkt met Banks, zal de laatste dat niet als een compliment ervaren, vrees ik.
March 9, 2024
First 60% of audiobook makes good somnorific reading.
November 4, 2025
Good plot with interesting twists and diversions. Characters seemed rather superficial and descriptive writing was like an after-thought with passages inserted here and there rather than being integral to the story. I can see why these DCI Banks novels were adapted for television; so easy to pull the script from the book.
August 12, 2022
I watched the episode, based on this book, on TV, and then decided to read the book to get an idea of how the novel was adapted. I found that the "skeleton"/framework of the book was the same but there were many side issues, additional characters, reference to earlier books in the series, that the TV version did not contain. The size of the town of Eastvale, which I had pictured as a small village, and the the size and modern atmosphere of the police department, were much larger and more complex on TV than I had envisioned from reading the books.
March 20, 2016
Emotions of all the characters feel off. Some of the dialogue grates.
July 15, 2017
Not really a mystery. Not really suspense. Now that I see this is #15 in a series, it makes more sense.
April 8, 2024
In this fifteenth book in the DCI Alan Banks series, Banks is on leave when he gets a strange call. His brother, Roy has called and asked Banks to call him back, saying it could be a matter of life and death. The two brothers aren't close so Banks is surprised. When he gets to Roy's house, Roy has disappeared, leaving everything behind including his phone.
Meanwhile, back at the station, there's a new murder. A young woman was found on the expressway in her car with a gunshot wound that killed her. There have been several other murders and attacks on the expressway in the past few years and Annie Cabbot, who is in charge, wonders if the cases are related. But there is one strange thing that doesn't fit that theory. The woman has a piece of paper in her pocket that says Alan Banks and his address. Is this a friend of Alan's?
As the two cases progress, Roy's brother seems to have perhaps been mixed up in some shady business dealings. He has been successful but always willing to skate close to the line. Has he gotten involved with something dangerous? The woman is found to have worked in an abortion clinic. Had that been a factor in her death and how did she know Banks? Eventually the two cases collide and become one, one that neither Banks or Cabbot will forget. This book is recommended for mystery readers.
Meanwhile, back at the station, there's a new murder. A young woman was found on the expressway in her car with a gunshot wound that killed her. There have been several other murders and attacks on the expressway in the past few years and Annie Cabbot, who is in charge, wonders if the cases are related. But there is one strange thing that doesn't fit that theory. The woman has a piece of paper in her pocket that says Alan Banks and his address. Is this a friend of Alan's?
As the two cases progress, Roy's brother seems to have perhaps been mixed up in some shady business dealings. He has been successful but always willing to skate close to the line. Has he gotten involved with something dangerous? The woman is found to have worked in an abortion clinic. Had that been a factor in her death and how did she know Banks? Eventually the two cases collide and become one, one that neither Banks or Cabbot will forget. This book is recommended for mystery readers.
May 1, 2022
I had been turned off reading Inspector Banks books after one I just didn't give a toss about (Piece of My Heart), but my wife has been tearing through the series so I gave this one from 2006 a shot — and it was wonderful, everything I love about Peter Robinson's books.
It's only for people who like police-procedural series, I suppose, but I like having detectives go back again and again to various people of interest, fleshing out a story, getting closer and closer to the truth, with a backdrop of societal crises and moral dilemmas.
In this case, I won't tell all of the topics discussed in order to avoid spoilers, but the initial plot — it goes far afield from here — involves a woman who is creeped on by men at a highway rest stop and then winds up shot in the head a short distance away with the name of Detective Banks and his address in her back pocket.
The moral dilemmas are what level of scuzzy behavior is OK to make good money and how far is it OK to go to save a loved one.
It's only for people who like police-procedural series, I suppose, but I like having detectives go back again and again to various people of interest, fleshing out a story, getting closer and closer to the truth, with a backdrop of societal crises and moral dilemmas.
In this case, I won't tell all of the topics discussed in order to avoid spoilers, but the initial plot — it goes far afield from here — involves a woman who is creeped on by men at a highway rest stop and then winds up shot in the head a short distance away with the name of Detective Banks and his address in her back pocket.
The moral dilemmas are what level of scuzzy behavior is OK to make good money and how far is it OK to go to save a loved one.
January 30, 2018
One of the sadder books in this series, this one finds Inspector Alan Banks off work and recovering from a case that resulted in his losing his house and almost his life to fire. Alan receives a mysterious and panicked phone call from his brother, to whom he has never been particularly close.
Despite being on leave, Alan feels compelled to help his brother, although it soon becomes evident that Roy is beyond help. Meanwhile, back in Yorkshire, Annie Cabbott is embroiled in a case involving a young woman who has been shot and left to die at the side of the road. Connections between the two cases? Oh, yes.
Despite being on leave, Alan feels compelled to help his brother, although it soon becomes evident that Roy is beyond help. Meanwhile, back in Yorkshire, Annie Cabbott is embroiled in a case involving a young woman who has been shot and left to die at the side of the road. Connections between the two cases? Oh, yes.
April 16, 2020
These are my go-to audiobooks from the library because there is always one available and the reader is quite good, too. It is a pretty solid police procedural series, and if you like those kinds of books, then I can't see you having any problems with these. My one issue with this one is that it is the second book in a row in which the crime directly involved Inspector Banks and his family. I can accept it once or twice in a series, as a break from the norm, but find it slightly irritating when it's used repeatedly.
March 12, 2019
Solid entry into the Banks' canon. For some reason, it felt uneven at times. I like the idea that the fire that destroyed Banks' home carries on into this book. And that his near murder continues to significantly impact him and all of his relationships, including with Annie. Not a particular fan of his family getting drawn into a murder scenario, but I like the idea of Banks not really knowing his brother. Really, the best part for me, was the conclusion - when he asks a woman out who has already rebuffed him once, and she says he just doesn't get it. The remark stung like a whip and let you know Banks is really lost his way.
March 1, 2018
Peter Robinson is one of my favorite British writers. He writes in real time with no fillers. Tells a grand story featuring Inspector Banks a no nonsense cop looking for the truth no matter where it might take him. This time Banks gets a phone call from his estranged brother. The message said life or death affair...
July 17, 2022
Robinson is echt een kei in het neerzetten van de omgeving waar een scene speelt. Je waant je in de Londense pub, in coronation street of bij de plaats delict. Het verhaal in dit boek is heel goed gevonden. Er zitten verschillende zijpaden in, waarin ook kleinere rollen kleur geven aan het totaal. Het geeft ook zo mooi de politieorganisatie als een doorsnee van de maatschappij weer. Sowieso raakt het verhaal aan veel maatschappelijke issues, willekeurig bv eenzaamheid, mensenhandel, metoo.
Wat het boek echt top maakt is de betrokkenheid, op verschillende manieren, van inspecteur Banks zelf bij de zaak. En dan tijdens zijn vakantie. Dit biedt de gelegenheid om nog meer in zijn hoofd te kruipen, zijn verleden, familierelaties en de effecten van een eerdere relatie en inzinking. De persoonlijke betrokkenheid maakt Banks nog eigenzinniger en tegelijkertijd hier en daar empathischer, maar de zaak gaat natuurlijk voor.
Wat het boek echt top maakt is de betrokkenheid, op verschillende manieren, van inspecteur Banks zelf bij de zaak. En dan tijdens zijn vakantie. Dit biedt de gelegenheid om nog meer in zijn hoofd te kruipen, zijn verleden, familierelaties en de effecten van een eerdere relatie en inzinking. De persoonlijke betrokkenheid maakt Banks nog eigenzinniger en tegelijkertijd hier en daar empathischer, maar de zaak gaat natuurlijk voor.
January 22, 2019
Tato kniha inspektora Bankse je trošku slabší než je Robinsonův standard. Dvě dějové linie, než se spojily, mě rozčilovaly, a do toho popis Londýna zalknutého vedrem a sluncem mi připomínalo, že já teď nemůžu jen tak sedět na terase a užívat si teplého dne.
December 6, 2019
I thought this was almost as good as # 14, but not quite as brilliant as "In a Dry Season" (vol. 10) which IMHO is Peter Robinson's best novel in the DCI Banks series.
Looking forward to read "Peace of My Heart", the next volume.
Looking forward to read "Peace of My Heart", the next volume.
April 11, 2023
A very solid four stars for Peter Robinson’s Strange Affair. Very little about this book that was not to my liking. There’s a good set of mysteries to solve and we get to spend a little time getting to know DCI Banks’ family. Which in turn teaches us more about Banks himself. There is a small fly in the ointment at the very end of the book (you will know when you see it) but it is not enough to keep you from enjoying the book Constant Reader.
January 24, 2024
This was absolutely one of the best ones I've read in the serie! Much closer to "home" for the liking of DCI Banks....
Family, love, crime, mindblowing horrors, sinister characters mixed with the favored music of Alan, beautifully describes sceneries!
And tea! :)
Family, love, crime, mindblowing horrors, sinister characters mixed with the favored music of Alan, beautifully describes sceneries!
And tea! :)
March 20, 2025
Best of the series so far. Many twists & turns but also lots of emotions involved around Banks’ family, especially his brother. Good plot(s) that come to a satisfying conclusion and as always, the novel leaves you wondering, Is Banks Okay?!
November 3, 2017
A sudden lurch toward unbelievability
near the end of the book caused me to downgrade this book to a four. Certain aspects of immunology don’t work that way.
near the end of the book caused me to downgrade this book to a four. Certain aspects of immunology don’t work that way.
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