Peter Robinson (1) (1950–2022)

The more of Peter Robinson's work that I read, the more that I admire the man. Follow almost any series of stories about the same group of characters and one finds that the tales get more and more far fetched. If, as in this case, one is dealing with crime fiction, then one can expect more and more gruesome murders and plots that one could not possibly unravel because they are like nothing that could happen in real life. Robinson is different: a single murder, concern for his dramatis show more personae that does not verge upon soap opera, and that pleasant feeling of arriving at the solution just before the hero - what more could the reader ask of a whodunnit?

Robinson does also manage to tackle issues but, without proselytising. This book was written in 1991 when a lot of us (notice that whilst I do not want to take the rap alone, I cannot deny my culpability!) held decidedly dubious views upon homosexuality. It would have been easy to fill the story with self-righteous characters who spouted anti-gay lines but that is not the author's way. He presents us with a middle-class lesbian set up, which is shattered by a murder; I will not spoil the denouement, but as the reason becomes apparent, the waste of life screams at the reader. Had I found thisbook at the time, I am sure that my acceptance of the rights of homosexual and lesbian couples would have been at least less tardy.

I do not wish to push the morality tale argument too far because, in truth, this is simply a cracking crime thriller which gives the reader a couple of hours of pleasure; and who can wish for more from this type of novel? I enjoy reading the DCI Banks series so much, that I have to ration myself,or I would sit and read one after another until the series were complete and, rather like a naughty child (or me!), after too many sweeties, the result may be to spoil the delight. show less

Continuing my recent discovery and exploration of Peter Robinson’s fiction, I have just completed his second Inspector Banks novel, A Dedicated Man. As I mentioned earlier however, this is actually my third Banks novel since I only discovered Robinson with last year’s Careless Love.

It seems that the good inspector has been enjoying something of a major-crime lull since the personal trauma he and wife Sandra suffered in Banks’s debut in Gallows View. All of that though abruptly ends show more via the brutal murder of a “dedicated man,” a retired college professor who has permanently relocated to Banks’s rather isolated Yorkshire location. Mainly because everyone seems to have loved and respected the victim to such a high degree, the case proves to be a particularly difficult one for Banks to get a handle on, but the inspector counts on his usual persistence, along with a well aimed hard push or two in the right direction, to get the job done.

And it’s precisely that attitude that attracts me to Robinson’s Inspector Banks novels. I have always enjoyed a good police procedural and found them to be more satisfying than detective novels by writers who rely on one thrilling scene after another to carry their books to some kind of (usually preposterous) conclusion. For me the best crime fiction writers are those who combine elements of both styles with an emphasis on process over thrill. Thankfully, too, Inspector Banks is a “talker” and several times in A Dedicated Man he explains his crime solving philosophy to one or another of the locals in great detail.

Robinson first tells the reader something that Banks learned the hard way:
“Banks knew from experience that once a murder investigation begins there is no stopping and little slowing down even for family life. The crime invades mealtimes, ablutions, and sleep; it dominates conversation and puts up an invisible barrier between the investigator and his family.”

There’s also this from Robinson explaining the inspector’s mindset:

“Banks also liked the feeling of being an outsider. Not a stranger, as he had been among the anonymous, international crowds of London, but an outsider. He knew he always would be no matter how deep he put his roots.” (In Yorkshire)

In a revealing conversation with a crime novelist who also is a suspect in the murder investigation, Banks says this:

“In writing, yes. In fiction. But in real life, I’m not so sure. It’d be a damn sight easier if I knew who the criminal was without having to write the whole book and make all the mistakes along the way.”

Later on when another suspect asks if he is close to solving the murder, he says:
“I can’t see it if I am, but detection doesn’t work like that anyway. It’s not a matter of getting closer like a zoom lens, but of getting enough bits and pieces to transform chaos into a recognizable pattern…But you can’t predict when that moment will come. It could be in the next ten seconds or the next ten years. You don’t know what the pattern will look like when it’s there, so you might not even recognize it at first. But soon enough you’ll know you’ve got a design and not just a filing cabinet full of odds and sods.”

I really like Chief Inspector Alan Banks. He may be a bit of a plodder, but he’s not going to quit before he gets the job done. So if police procedurals are for you, I think that author Peter Robinson just may be your guy. And knowing that I have something like 22 more Inspector Banks novels to enjoy makes me happy (hopefully there are many more to come yet).

As posted on Book Chase: bookcase.blogpsot.com show less

For a book that was written before my birth, I found Gallows View entertaining and enthralling from start to finish. Inspector Banks is an incredibly likeable character, and the traditional focus on police procedure rather than complex forensic practice makes this novel reminiscent of classic British mysteries. Simple, engaging, timeless... a novel for anyone with a longing for crime novels of the past, with a modern concept and a creepy list of crimes.

For all its positive attributes, the show more novel itself is slightly confusing. Well, confusing for some. I thoroughly enjoyed the pace, and the variety of crimes that Gallows View presents us with. Inspector Banks has recently moved to a small English town with his wife, Sandra, and two children. He expects the pace to be somewhat slower in his new position, but within weeks he finds himself dealing with a peeping tom, a string of non-violent burglaries, and the murder of an old woman in her home. With no clues and no leads to follow, and under incredible pressure from local womens activist Dorothy Wycombe, Banks' department enlists the help of Dr Jenny Fuller, a local psychologist. Dr Fully, an intelligent and attractive young woman, provides the department with a deeper insight into the motives behind peepers, but she also provides a distraction for Banks as he finds himself more attracted to her.

This complicated web of events plays out in spectacular fashion and it's not long before some of the culprits start to escalate their activities. A personal attack on Banks' family makes him question the thin line between his work and private life, and the investigations heat up when an unfortunate incident brings about a lucky break in the case. Robinson sets up his characters masterfully, with a great amount of detail. It's hard to say if he knew when writing Gallows View that he would still be writing Inspector Banks novels some 24 years later, and I look forward to watching his characters grow and change over the years.

The climax to the novel, where all the loose ends tie up, is brilliant! While we follow a couple of culprits throughout the novel, the killer responsible for murdering the old woman does not reveal themselves to the final pages, and what a revelation it is! A fantastic novel. It's effortless charm and intriguing characters have persuaded me to carry on with the series, and I will await the arrival of book #2 eagerly! show less

Before the Poison by Peter Robinson is a haunting stand-alone story that, other than it’s setting of the Yorkshire Dales, has nothing in common with his detective series. This is the story of Chris Lowndes, a recent widower who returns to Yorkshire after a successful career composing the musical backdrop to many Hollywood movies. He has purchased isolated Kilnsgate House, sight unseen, a country house that has been empty for a number of years. Only after he has settled into the house does show more he find out that this was the site of a famous murder case that saw Grace Elizabeth Fox hanged for the murder of her husband. Chris becomes very interested in this case and soon finds himself drawn to investigating and discovering if Grace was really guilty.

At the beginning of each chapter are passages from a fictional true crime book that describes the 1953 case and then later Grace’s own journal is used to detail her extraordinary life as a nurse during WW II. As the book progresses, Chris’ initial curiosity becomes more like an obsession as the more he learns about Grace the more intrigued he becomes.

Before the Poison is a quiet, melancholy story that is an absorbing character study. Grace was an interesting woman and her presence infuses every page. I became totally captivated by this book that is so very different from his usual mysteries. With it’s dark and brooding atmosphere, slower pacing and haunting characters, this was a great book to curl up with on a cold winter’s afternoon. show less