Innocent Graves

I enjoy a good crime story as a little r&r after reading too many serious tomes. Few exponents produce a better piece of escapism than Peter Robinson, and his Banks series is excellent.

I read Innocent Graves for the entertainment value, and it did not disappoint. It is the tale of an almost open and shut murder case which turns into a miscarriage of justice. The plot kept me guessing from beginning to end and kept me gripped, in the way that these works should.

The book, however, did something extra, which I do not know whether it was so intended, or a side effect: I suspect the former. The book showed how our judicial system, like our politics, is confrontational. Inspector Banks is a good guy cop but, even he, gets caught up in the show more belief that we 'know' x is guilty and we don't need to look any further. I suppose that a decisiveness of outlook has been pretty useful in our development: faced with a wild animal, or other danger, it may not have been in the best interests of our ancestors to stand around thinking too long before adopting a fight or flight procedure and, once a decision has been made, the natural instinct is to support one's choice, rather than accept the possibility of a mistake. We do need to review this attitude now, when our judgements are less likely to be life or death, to us, but might have a serious effect upon others.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I am going to do some "serious" reading, with recharged batteries and a hope that it won't be too long before I feel the need for another recuperation: I have more of the excellent Banks novels awaiting my pleasure.... show less

This book is more than just a finely crafted mystery story. Robinson delves into the human psyche with this book, and we see what circumstances can do to an ordinary man in his Owen Pierce character. Pierce is arrested for the murder of a young girl in a graveyard, and we see what his charging and sentencing and his time in prison do to him. Banks is not convinced that he is the killer though even though the forensic evidence is strong. This is a haunting tale that stays with you long after you close the book. It is a tragedy of a life lost and a life wasted. When the actual murderer is caught the motive and situation is so tawdry that even the usually unflappable Banks feels great sadness. I am really getting to like CI Banks, and look show more forward to more about him and the unusual cases that he comes across. show less

A teenage pupil at the posh local private girls' school is found strangled in a graveyard. Suspicion alights on a Croatian refugee, Ive Jelacic; but while Banks is busy investigating that and other leads, his colleagues DI Barry Stott and DS Jim Hatchley get on the scent of a suspicious stranger spotted in a nearby pub and a nearby restaurant around the time of the crime. They are soon led to Owen Pierce, a local college lecturer, and very soon Pierce finds himself arrested and charged with murder.

This book is more than just a finely crafted mystery story. Robinson delves into the human psyche with this book, and we see what circumstances can do to an ordinary man in his Owen Pierce character. After being arrested for the murder of a show more young girl in a graveyard, and we see what his charging and sentencing and his time in prison do to him. We also see Alan Banks struggling with the arrest. It is a tragedy of a life lost and a life wasted. This is a haunting tale that stays with you long after you close the book. show less

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.

Warning: this review contains spoilers

****

This is an early-to-middle installment of the Inspector Banks series, in which the murder of a teenage girl leads the force to fear that a sex predator is lurking. Fortunately, they have a suspect and a fair amount of circumstantial evidence. But is it enough, or does it all boil down to coincidence?

This is a less cringe-worthy book than the first installment in the series. However, due to the nature of the crime, it is still uncomfortable to read, and it is populated with icky characters (Owen Pierce reveals a significant disagreeable side, and the eventual culprit writes pervy diary entries about his lusting after a teenager when he is a middle-aged man. (And even Banks has some inappropriate show more thoughts when he sees the picture of her on the mantelpiece in which she is wearing a bikini.)

Because this book was written in the mid-90s, there is some hilariously outdated computer technology, which I always find entertaining. And when the vicar's wife went to the graveyard to visit the angel statue, my Doctor Who reflex kicked in and I nearly blurted out "DON'T BLINK!" at the book while reading it on the bus.

This was better than the first Banks book and OK if you happen to come across it, but I wouldn't drop everything to go looking for it. show less

A young girl is found murdered in a churchyard and the evidence quickly points to lecturer Owen Pierce and despite Banks reservations he is charged. This is an early Banks story from 1997 and somehow seems even older, with everyone, including Banks, smoking in shops, restaurants and houses with impunity, with never a smartphone in sight. I guessed who the villain was early on, but not why and fell into the trap of a clever misdirection of an accomplice! Enjoyable retro crime story, before Banks marriage break-up and his children left home.

Banks and his colleagues investigate the murder of a schoolgirl found in the churchyard on an ordinary Monday. She seems to have had a secret and her diary is missing, but in the course of investigations one suspect quickly starts to loom large, with good evidence available even if the detectives cannot really find a good motive for his guilt. Unusually for this series of novels, this book spends a long time in the court process which delivers a not guilty verdict for the suspect, so late in the day, the police have to start again. Definitely worked as a pageturner, I read this in a day.