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In A Dry Season: A Novel of Suspense Audiobook
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(4.07) - 2,461 listener ratings
Publisher Description
In a Dry Season, winner of the Anthony Award, is an outstanding example of mystery fiction. Peter Robinson's Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks conjures up memories of classic detectives like Philip Marlowe and Sherlock Holmes. An insufferable drought ravages the Yorkshire countryside, depleting the Thornfield Reservoir, revealing the remnants of the flooded town of Hobb's End and the terrible secrets kept safe within its watery tomb. Amongst the ruins, the remains of a woman's body are discovered. Detective Banks deduces that the woman was strangled and repeatedly stabbed more than 50 years ago. His investigation takes him on a treacherous quest to bring a killer, who has escaped detection for over a half a century, to justice. Robinson pushes the boundaries of the genre by giving listeners fresh insights into the myriad nuances of crime fiction. Ron Keith immerses himself in his multiple roles and superbly voices the novel's complexities.
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"This was a cut above typical genre fiction. I liked the flashbacks that filled in the history. I've just read the non-fiction book, Citizens of London, which dealt with England's and America's relationship in the early years of the war before Pearl Harbor and afterward. The back story of this book also touches on Anglo-American relationships, but from a totally different angle. I seem to pick up one book after another that have connections in time and place. The wonder of serendipity and synchoronicity!"
— Jean (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“The best series now on the market. Try one and tell me I’m wrong.”
— Stephen King
In A Dry Season Listener Reviews
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" An unusually dry story. The characters have some few hints of interest but that soon fades off and I ended up dead bored. Not my cup of tea. "
— Elin, 2/18/2014 -
" This was my first experience of this author, and I really enjoyed it, definitely a series of books I will look in to reading after this. I thought the story was really well balanced, with the present and past fitting together nicely and a fascinating and interesting look at wartime without feeling too historical, and with roots in present day to make it feel modern. Drama and great characters, thouroughly enjoyed it. "
— Sarah, 2/16/2014 -
" The best of PR books! "
— Jan, 2/13/2014 -
" My favourite Banks book. Robinson comes up with a complex plot told in two eras, has a large number of characters and manages to keep everything clear and concise with masterful writing throughout. If you're going to read only one book by this author, you must read this (although he has many fine books to his credit). "
— Adrian, 2/10/2014 -
" wow! go mr. robinson! "
— Melelani, 2/5/2014 -
" One of my favorite British detectives "
— Teresa, 2/4/2014 -
" This book was so good that whenever I thought of it I wanted to stop what I was doing and go read more. It goes back and forth from WW in a small town in England to present day. Aside from being a first class mystery, it is also an interesting look at what life may have been like for British citizens during the war. "
— Mary, 1/23/2014 -
" I read this novel because I needed some plot inspiration. He's a good and entertaining writer, but not quite the plotting genius I had hoped. "
— Ayelet, 1/8/2014 -
" I liked everything about this book ... its tie-in with WWII in England, the mystery, the development of A. Banks ... "
— Nancy, 12/18/2013 -
" a good read, and a good detective. i haven't read 1 - 9 in the series, and i'm sure i would have a greater appreciation of the characters if i did, but i enjoyed it nonetheless. "
— Mimi, 12/12/2013 -
" Another good book set in England, with an engaging central character. Apparently Peter Robinson has written many other Inspector Banks books, which I look forward to finding and reading. "
— Linda, 12/8/2013 -
" One of my all-time favorite books. A compelling, intense story! "
— Lisa, 10/26/2013 -
" Interesting book about a young woman's body that surfaces in a town that was flooded for a reservoir 40 years ago. Liked the suspense and telling of the story from 2 time periods. "
— Kathleen, 2/15/2013 -
" This was the first Peter Robinson book I read. As with all my favorite authors, this first book (to me) secured his spot on that shelf. "
— Cindi, 11/2/2012 -
" An amazing book, Peter Robinson really excelled himself here, i had difficulty putting it down. "
— Dawn, 6/26/2012 -
" I love this whole Inspector Banks series. I recommend reading the series in order. "
— Michelle, 9/1/2011 -
" My blog post about this book is at this link. "
— Suziqoregon, 8/7/2011 -
" British suspense novel set in current time with flashes back to WWII time. "
— Barbara, 8/1/2011 -
" A nice little mystery. The narrative moves between the present and the 1940's as detectives try to find answers to a body found buried in a reservoir that had flooded a Yorkshire town in the mid 1940's. "
— Linda, 4/19/2011 -
" reservoir dries up, sprouts bones, much introspection "
— Helen, 3/31/2011 -
" My first of his books...I will try them all. "
— Susan, 3/23/2011 -
" I liked everything about this book ... its tie-in with WWII in England, the mystery, the development of A. Banks ... "
— Nancy, 2/26/2011 -
" I belonged to a Mystry Book Club and this was a selection.<br/>I read it cuz I had to. Didn't really like it. Too much of everything--in other words, it was grossly overwritten (more than 400 pages!). Character development was overblown. Too much. I slogged through it all just to say I had. "
— Kae, 2/12/2011 -
" My neighbor, Jan, gave me this book to read. I had a hard time getting into the book but, I really enjoyed it once I did. "
— Kim, 1/30/2011 -
" Extremely well-written- a book I have thought about long after finishing. Classic mystery elements and a story that goes back and forth in time- WWII- contemporary times. "
— Texaskcr, 1/17/2011 -
" Great book, this is the first book in this series I've read and I'm going to get the others because I enjoyed it so much! I really like Inspector Banks, this was a very interesting English mystery. "
— Audrey, 1/4/2011
About Peter Robinson
Peter 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.
About Ron Keith
Ron Keith, a native of England, graduated from the University of Manchester. He has appeared in the Broadway touring production of Amadeus, in off-Broadway productions such as Hedda Gabler, My Fair Lady, and Candida, and in many regional stage productions. His television appearances include roles in One Life to Live and As the World Turns.