Bad Boy

Peter Robinson's Alan Banks is one of my favorite mystery series heroes. He pays attention, not only to his cases, but to his people, his music, and his Yorkshire. He does fine in this outing, except for reminiscing about previous cases a little too much. As in earlier books, the story progresses through development of recurring characters and addition of carefully drawn new ones. One of the new figures here is a perfectly drawn spoiled brat psychopath. I know several guys like him. And Banks' daughter Tracy does some growing up, in a believable and non-angelic way.

That's what I liked about the book. What I liked less is Banks' sojourn in San Francisco for the first half, where he is having a good time but not doing much. And there is show more way too much emphasis on policy and procedure. I know we call them "police procedurals," but we don't really want so much of the acronyms and the paperwork and the getting permission before every little decision. And there is less of the sense of place that most of the series includes.

Overall, though, I'm glad I read the book. I look forward to seeing more of Alan Banks and his friends. show less

I have been thoroughly enjoying the Inspector Alan Banks series. Robinson's hero is just a guy that you'd love to know, but one that you know is intense and one that won't let anyone or anything interfere in his search for justice. In this book, DCI Banks is more personally involved than usual. He is in the States for a soul-reviving holiday when the story begins, but before too long the crimes and the people involved are directly in Banks' orbit. When he comes home to England he finds out that his daughter has been taken, and his partner and one-time lover Annie Cabbot has been badly injured in the line of duty. That's enough to send the loose cannon who is Alan Banks on his own as he tries to save his daughter. One thing about Alan show more Banks books, they never proceed in the way that you think they will, and there is always an ending that sets things up for the next book in the series. I find that the hook that Robinson uses to accomplish this is very effective, because I'm always tempted to just move on to the next book right away. Normally, I prefer to let the series proceed at a slower pace because riding with Alan Banks is somewhat like being on a roller coaster. Having said that I can't wait to read number 20. I highly recommend this series for those who love to read police procedurals with human characters and very intense mysteries. show less

How much more can Banks, and the people who surround him take?

In recent books, he has had his house burned down, with him inside, had girlfriends lost to criminal pressure, lost a colleague and now, his daughter and himself placed in severe danger and Annie shot.

The story builds quickly and holds one's attention to the final pages. What more can a reader ask? Peter Robinson seems to suspend reality. The world of Banks becomes a new reality. Cracking!

I was disappointed upon starting this book to discover that Detective Chief Inspector Banks is away on holiday in the US. However, it turned out that having him gone led to a great deal of action in Yorkshire. In his absence, Inspector Annie Cabbot ends up taking a report from Banks' former neighbor about a gun which her daughter, Erin, brought into their home. This is a criminal offense in England, and maybe Mrs. Doyle didn't realize how much trouble reporting it could cause. Annie and the Armed Response Team go to the Doyle home to recover the gun and the situation gets completely out of hand. Coincidentally, Banks' daughter, Tracy is Erin's roommate. She becomes involved when, incredibly, she goes to warn the real owner of the gun, show more Erin's "bad boy" boyfriend, Jaff. I really wonder how an adult child of a police officer could be so lacking in judgment, but she and Banks have a troubled relationship. She is infatuated with Jaff, allies herself with him and takes him to Banks' house to hide out. When Annie arrives at the house to water the plants, Jaff shoots her. At that point Tracy realizes that he is a stone-cold psychopath and wants to leave, but becomes his hostage. Her father learns of Annie's shooting and Tracy's "kidnapping" when he returns from vacation. The rest of the book switches between the fugitives and Banks' efforts to save Tracy while worrying about Annie's condition.
I enjoyed this book a great deal, in spite of Tracy's idiotic actions and the Keystone Kops activities of the Yorkshire constabulary. It is not as dark and depressing as recent books in the series have been. Banks' depression seems to be lifting a little. Other interesting characters are introduced and I always enjoy Robinson's writing and plotting. show less

This is book number 19 in the DCI Banks series. Only 4 more novels to go and I will be drumming my fingers awaiting the newest book. In spite of Peter Robinson being one of my favorite writers, I haven't breezed through his books, one after another.

DCI Banks is to be savored, in my opinion, as the character ages and grows in his life and career. When I started this series his children were young and attending school. Now they are adults and their story lines intersect on occasion. While the majority of the story is focused on police investigation and mystery, a slice of his personal life is interjected here and there. Obviously I am a fan.

This story opens up with an old friend and neighbor of Banks arriving at Eastvale Police Station to show more report the discovery of a firearm in her daughter Erin's bedroom. Alan Banks is on extended leave, vacationing in the American southwest so DI Annie Cabbot handles the situation. The woman isn't thrilled with Banks' absence but reluctantly gives the details to DI Cabbot.

Owning or possessing a firearm in the UK isn't a common or simple affair as it is here in the US. It's illegal to have an unregistered firearm so the consequences are quite strict. First off I thought, does this woman know she is turning in her daughter and that she will most likely be sent to prison?! I can't conceive of doing that to my child. It's mentioned that the lady most likely didn't know the consequences and just wanted the gun out of her home.

Turns out DCI Banks' daughter Tracy is a friend and roommate of Erin. They had a bit of a falling out over Erin's boyfriend and that is why Erin was home with her parents. Fast forward and Tracy is with the boyfriend, letting him know Erin may be arrested. This basically sets in motion a dumpster fire of a situation as the boyfriend is indeed, a bad boy. A very bad man in fact and Tracy realizes too late she is serious danger.

There is murder, police investigations, a man hunt for a psychopath and danger for my favored vegetarian DI Annie Cabbot. What a story - I couldn't put this one down.

To reveal more would be adding spoilers so I will stop here. Looking forward to more...only 4 books left {sob} and then I will be like an addict awaiting Mr. Robinson's latest! show less

I am a big fan of the Inspector Alan Banks series. Bad Boy had a little less Alan than I would like, but I suppose a successful writer doesn't feature the same characters over an over again.

As Bad Boy begins, a hysterical woman comes into the Eastvale police station to see Alan, who is vacationing in the States. His partner Annie decides to help out when the woman says that she found a loaded gun in her daughter Erin's bedroom. It turns out that the woman is an old neighbor of the Banks family, and Alan's daughter Tracy happens to be Erin's roommate.

When the police team attempts to retrieve the weapon, events quickly spiral out of control for the family, for Annie and Alan's daughter Tracy who becomes involved in a big mess with Erin's show more "bad boy" boyfriend, a very charming psychopath.

Most girls go through a "bad boy" period, but Tracy was just plain stupid and annoying. I was riveted while wondering if Alan would play by the police procedure rules or break them in order to save his daughter. show less

Summary:

Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks faces his most challenging, personal, and terrifying case yet when his own daughter crosses paths with a psychopath, in Peter Robinson’s superb Bad Boy. Dennis Lehane, author of Mystic River and Shutter Island, calls the novels of Peter Robinson, “chilling, evocative, deeply nuanced works of art.” Stephen King calls them, “the best series now on the market.” If you have not yet discovered this New York Times bestselling crime fiction master and his exceptional detective, now is definitely the time.

My Thoughts:

I've been a fan of the Detective Banks series for a while but this is definitely one of the weaker books in this series. It is not at the level of any of his other books that I show more have read. The problems are an underwritten plot in which the villains are stock characters who behave predictably; Inspector Bank's absence until the second half of the book; Tracy's stupidity, which is hard to imagine of the adult child of a police officer; a pat and somewhat weak conclusion. In spite of that Peter Robinson has written a serviceable mystery, but the uninspired dialogue and conventional plot prevent Bad Boy from taking its place among the best of Inspector Banks sagas. show less