A dedicated man is dead in the Yorkshire dales—a former university professor, wealthy historian, and archaeologist who loved his adopted village. It is a particularly heinous slaying, considering the esteem in which the victim, Harry Steadman, was held by his neighbors and colleagues—by everyone, it seems, except the one person who bludgeoned the life out of the respected scholar and left him half-buried in a farmer's field.
Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks left the violence of London behind for what he hoped would be the peaceful life of a country policeman. But the brutality of Steadman's murder only reinforces one ugly, indisputable truth: that evil can flourish in even the most bucolic of settings. There are dangerous secrets hidden in the history of this remote Yorkshire community that have already led to one death. And Banks will have to plumb a dark and shocking local past to find his way to a killer...before yesterday's sins cause more blood to be shed.
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"What can I say? Crime fiction as it should be, when you reach the denouement and think "That was so obvious, why didn't I get it sooner?" Chief Inspector Alan Banks is a policeman that I would love to meet in real life, not just in fiction. Peter Robinson never fails to please. His desriptions of the Yorkshire countryside and towns make me want to visit. I'm just about to start reading the latest in the series."
— Lesley (4 out of 5 stars)
A deftly constructed plot.... Robinson's skill with the British police procedural has been burnished to a high gloss.
— Chicago Tribune" Look forward. To reading more of his book's "
— Keith, 2/19/2014" This series is always enjoyable, but I did not think this was the best. I started reading the Insp. Banks series with a much later book, and I think this is one of those series that actually improved over time. Nonetheless, Robinson is never a waste of time. "
— Maureen, 2/16/2014" Love this guy. Should have read the series in order. "
— Julie, 2/9/2014" It was ok....but the who done it come is a long monologue at the end with no explination a to where/how that conclusion and back story came to him. "
— Liz, 2/6/2014" I'm not getting on with the early entries in this series at all. Might go back to the later ones and see if I still enjoy those. "
— Kirsty, 1/25/2014" solid mystery series, will look forward to reading the next two. "
— Heidi, 1/24/2014" Good character development, Robinson weaves his stories around the people in a small English town. Ian Banks has moved away from London to escape the craziness of big city life, but murders happen even in rural England... "
— Pam, 1/23/2014" Love the Yorkshire setting. Love how the riddles Inspector Wexford solves are subtle and extended into the past. No exception here. "
— Kel, 1/19/2014" I'm enjoying the Inspector Banks novels after seeing a few on the television. I've started with the oldest books and they are so dated. The amount of alcohol the policemen get through is staggering (literally). Good plot with somewhat predictable characters. A good, fast read. "
— Sarah, 1/18/2014" A local historian recently moved into the village is dead, and the suspects are adding up. Inspector Banks is on the trail. A few twists and turns that challenge Banks' detective skills, but ultimately end in a solution to the murder. A good Banks' story. "
— Pat, 1/15/2014" Good read, similar to Gallows View by the same author. "
— Susan, 12/31/2013" I read this to see what a Yorkshire mystery would be like. The plot was very slow, the characters not too interesting except for Sally and Banks. The relentless nature of Banks was what kept me listening as well as his tobacco habits. Everyone does seem to always be drinking and eating. "
— Paula, 12/29/2013" I very much like Peter Robinson's works, but this one did not grab me. "
— Tom, 12/24/2013" Good British mystery set in the north near York. This is an earlier book where the main detective, Alan Banks, had only recently moved from London. "
— Michele, 12/9/2013" The second book in the series did not disappoint. While these are typical English "cozies," this book kept me engrossed until the end, especially the details of life in the North. "
— Nancy, 12/5/2013" This book is early in a long series about a Chief Inspector in northern England. A typical British whodunit that is great reading. "
— Jackie, 8/2/2013" The second of a really great series. "
— Windy, 7/18/2013" Mystery novel set in Yorkshire. A little dated now, but I can hardly fault the author for that. I liked the significance of the title and the way my perception of the characters shifted over time. Part of the book is from the point of view of a 16-year-old girl, and that can't be easy to write. "
— Kirsti, 7/15/2013" This book was just ok...Kept losing interest in it's characters...will try one more Robinson to see... "
— Jared, 7/12/2013" Already felt like I was in Banks' head by this book two in the series. The rest did not disappoint either. "
— Jojo, 4/6/2013" I'm open to reading more in this series, as I suspect they get better later on. But this one felt rather dated: set in the 80's, but it felt more like the 40's. "
— Rebecca, 10/24/2012" Another great story, and the characters are building nicely. I really like Inspector Banks and I'm looking forward to book three. "
— Carla, 10/13/2012" Not as enjoyable as the first in the series - not enough suspense and complexity of plot to truly engage. Still, I'll try the next novel when I have a chance. "
— Melanie, 4/12/2012" Count me unimpressed. "
— Margaret, 2/19/2012" Two intersecting sets of characters (an ambitious young village girl and her friends; the pub mates of the scholar who is murdered) made for an interesting plot line and a surprising ending. However it took a long time for the ending to materialize...I got a bit impatient. "
— Sara, 1/18/2012" Fell flat. Not up to Robinson's usual. "
— Linda, 10/14/2011" It was ok, but I am not planning to read any more of this series right now. It suffers from the absence of a female detective or other significant female character. "
— Gary, 5/2/2011" Love this guy. Should have read the series in order. "
— Julie, 5/1/2011" A local historian recently moved into the village is dead, and the suspects are adding up. Inspector Banks is on the trail. A few twists and turns that challenge Banks' detective skills, but ultimately end in a solution to the murder. A good Banks' story. "
— Pat, 4/27/2011" I read this to see what a Yorkshire mystery would be like. The plot was very slow, the characters not too interesting except for Sally and Banks. The relentless nature of Banks was what kept me listening as well as his tobacco habits. Everyone does seem to always be drinking and eating. "
— Paula, 4/1/2011" Not anywhere near his best, but given that it is only number 2, we'll cut him some slack. "
— E, 12/18/2010" <p>I'm not getting on with the early entries in this series at all. Might go back to the later ones and see if I still enjoy those. </p> "
— Kirsty, 12/7/2010" A very pleasant story, a traditional british mystery in a cosy tiny english town filled with folk who are a tad eccentric. I found it comforting. "
— Shifra, 10/28/2010" It's a good, solid mystery, with a somewhat surprising conclusion. I won't be rushing out to get the next one, but will probably read more next time I don't have 300 books waiting to be read! "
— Polly, 8/20/2010" This was my first Peter Robinson book. It was a good read, lots of information about England. I was not able to figure out the "who dunnit" part of the story. "
— Ron, 7/11/2010" I like Peter Robinson's stories. <br/> "
— Joanne, 11/15/2009" Chief Inspector Banks in the English countryside trying to solve a murder of a local historian. <br/> <br/>Pretty good. The description of the scenery was vivid, as was the description of the pubs. <br/> <br/>Enjoyable. "
— C, 9/21/2009Peter Robinson (1950-2022), author of the award-winning Inspector Banks novels, won the Anthony, Barry, Macavity, Martin Beck, and Arthur Ellis awards, among others. The Inspector Banks novels have been named a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year, a New York Times Notable Book, and a People magazine Page Turner of the Week. His novels have reached #1 on the London Sunday Times bestsellers list and hit the New York Times expanded list of bestsellers.
James Langton, an Earphones Award–winning narrator, trained as an actor at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and later as a musician at the Guildhall School in London. He has worked in radio, film, and television, also appearing in theater in England and on Broadway. He is also a professional musician who led the internationally renowned Pasadena Roof Orchestra from 1996 to 2002.