Occupations - Fiction, Police Stories

Past Reason Hated (Inspector Alan Banks Series #5)

Name: Past Reason Hated (Inspector Alan Banks Series #5)
Author: Peter Robinson
ISBN: 9780380733286

by Peter Robinson

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Overview

A picturesque Yorkshire village is dressed in its finest for the upcoming Noel. But one of its residents will not be celebrating this holiday.

Chief Inspector Alan Banks knows that secrecy can sometimes prove fatal'and secrets were the driving force behind Caroline Hartley's life…and death. She was a beautiful enigma, brutally stabbed in her own home three days prior to Christmas. Leaving her past behind for a forbidden love affair, she mystified more than a few. And now she is dead, clothed only in her unshared mysteries and her blood. In this season of giving and forgiving, Banks is eager to absolve the innocent of their sins. But that must wait until the many facets of a perplexing puzzle are exposed and the dark circle of his investigation finally closes…and when a killer makes the next move.

The winner of the Crime Writers of Canada's Best Novel Award returns with another Inspector Banks mystery. Assisting Chief Inspector Banks in the murder investigation of an amateur actress is newly promoted Detective Constable Susan Gay. It's her first homicide case, and one she'll never forget.

Synopsis

A picturesque Yorkshire village is dressed in its finest for the upcoming Noel. But one of its residents will not be celebrating this holiday.

People

Robinson deserves kudos.

About the Author, Peter Robinson

Peter Robinson's award-winning novels have been named a Best Book of the Year by Publishers Weekly, a Notable Book by the New York Times, and a Page-Turner of the Week by People magazine. Robinson was born and brought up in Yorkshire, England, and now divides his time between North America and Richmond, Yorkshire.

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Editorials

People

Robinson deserves kudos.

St. Petersburg Times

Immensely satisfying.

Washington Post Book World

Fans of P.D. James and Ruth Rendell who crave more contemporary themes than either master has provided of late should look no further than Peter Robinson.

Publishers Weekly

The inhabitants of Robinson's Yorkshire are a far cry from James Herriot's sturdy farmers. In this literate mystery, Chief Inspector Alan Banks must deal with the vicious stabbing death of a young lesbian in a room illuminated by the light of a crackling fire and a Christmas tree, the murder by starvation of an incestuous old lecher, the slashing to ribbons of a Twelfth Night cast's costumes and the near-fatal strangulation of his newest detective constable, Susan Gay. Banks, seen last in The Hanging Valley, subjects all potential suspects--including past and present spouses and lovers, a group of amateur thespians and members of the police force--to an extended (perhaps too extended) psychological investigation. The puzzle's grip is weakened by some unconvincing red herrings and the detectives' lengthy musings; nevertheless, Robinson, a Toronto resident and winner of the Crime Writers of Canada Best Novel award, creates an appealing Yorkshire setting with evocative descriptions of the wintry town, dales and seaside. ( Aug. )

Library Journal

The Canadian author of A Dedicated Man ( LJ 7/91) continues the Inspector Alan Banks series, set in Yorkshire, England. Banks and the female first-officer-on-the-scene delve into a viciously murdered woman's past.

Emily Melton

The latest in Robinson's Chief Inspector Alan Banks series has Banks and his newest CID trainee, Detective Constable Susan Gay, investigating the murder of beautiful amateur actress Caroline Hartley. Stabbed to death just before Christmas, Hartley could have been the victim of her lesbian lover's jealous ex-husband, a spurned boyfriend, a rival actress, or even her own brother, a nasty, hate-filled punk. For Detective Gay, the case is a chance to prove her professional mettle and earn points with her new supervisor. For Banks, it's just one more confirmation of the human race's predictability. Robinson's got police procedure down pat, and he always manages to come up with an intriguing cast of characters, a skillfully crafted plot, and a climax that's as surprising as it is satisfying. The fact that the murder victim is a lesbian is no more or less important to the story than if she had been a dancer or a carpenter, and the only reason for remarking on it is that Robinson's casual, matter-of-fact approach to this often sensationalized topic is a commendable one. Recommended for the well-rounded mystery collection.