Welcome to the first of an exciting police procedural series.A Peeping Tom is frightening the women of Eastvale; two glue-sniffing young thugs are breaking into homes and robbing people, and an old woman may or may not have been murdered.Investigating these cases is Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks, a perceptive, curious and compassionate policeman who recently moved to the Yorkshire Dales from London to escape the stress of city life.In addition to all this, Banks has to deal with local feminists plus his attraction to a young psychologist, Jenny Fuller. As the tension mounts, both Jenny and Banks’s wife, Sandra, are drawn deeper into the events. The cases weave together as the story reaches a tense and surprising climax.
Inspector Banks Series
Follow the compelling investigations of Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks as he navigates the rugged landscapes and intricate social dynamics of Yorkshire, England. This series masterfully blends compelling mysteries with insightful character studies and a deep understanding of the human condition. Each installment presents Banks with challenging cases that test his intellect, his resolve, and his unwavering commitment to justice.
Recommended Reading Order
A well-liked, respected historian/archaeologist is bludgeoned to death and left half-buried in a field. Now it falls to Chief Inspector Banks to solve a seemingly motiveless murder--and stop a killer who's bound to kill again.
A peaceful demonstration in the normally quiet town of Eastvale ended with fifty arrests -- and the brutal stabbing death of a young constable. But Chief Inspector Alan Banks fears there is worse violence in the offing. For CID Superintendent Richard "Dirty Dick" Burgess has arrived from London to take charge of the investigation, fueled by professional outrage and volatile, long-simmering hatreds. Almost immediately, Burgess descends with vengeful fury upon the members of a sixties-style commune -- while Banks sifts through the rich Yorkshire soil around him, turning over the earthy, unsettling secrets of seemingly placid local lives. Crossing "Dirty Dick" could cost the Chief Inspector his career. But the killing of a flawed Eastvale policeman is not the only murder that needs to be solved here. And if Banks doesn't unmask the true assassin, his superior's misguided obsession might well result in further bloodshed. /FONT
The Hanging Valley
- 336 pages
- 12 hours of reading
No one dreamed something so hideous could grow in so beautiful a place . . . Many who visit the valley are overwhelmed by its majesty. Some wish they never had to leave. One didn't, a hiker whose decomposing corpse is discovered by an unsuspecting tourist. But this strange, incomprehensible murder is only the edge of the darkness that hovers over a small rural village and its tight-lipped residents who guard shattering secrets of sordid pasts and private shames. Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks knows that both the grim truth and a cold-blooded killer are hiding here, far from the city, the noise, and safety. And he's determined to walk into the valley of death to expose them both.
Past Reason Hated
- 384 pages
- 14 hours of reading
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.
Two social workers, investigating reports of child abuse, take seven year-old Gemma Scupham away for tests. When they fail to return her, Gemma's mother calls in the police. Inspector Banks and Superintendent Gristhorpe suspect the case, and others, may be linked to satanic ritual abuse
Dry bones that dream
- 384 pages
- 14 hours of reading
Two masked men walk mild mannered accountant, Keith Rothwell, out of his farmhouse and clinically blow him away with a shotgun. Clearly a professional hit - but no one could believe that a man like Keith could be murdered. Chief Inspector Alan Banks discovers Rothwell's secret life.
Innocent Graves
- 304 pages
- 11 hours of reading
'If you haven't caught up with Peter Robinson already, now is the time to start.' - "Independent Sunday". One foggy night, Deborah Harrison is found lying in the churchyard behind St Mary's, Eastvale. She has been strangled with the strap of her own school satchel. But Deborah was no typical sixteen-year-old. Her father was a powerful financier who moved in the highest echelons of industry, defence and classified information. And Deborah, it seemed, enjoyed keeping secrets of her own...With his colleague Detective Constable Susan Gray, Inspector Alan Banks moves among the many suspects, guilty of crimes large and small. And as he does so, plenty of sordid secrets and some deadly lies begin to emerge...'The novels of Peter Robinson are chilling evocative, deeply nuanced works of art'. - Dennis Lehane.
Blood at the Root
- 296 pages
- 11 hours of reading
New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award-winning author Peter Robinson brings us a tantalizing tale of suspense in this classic Inspector Banks thriller.In the long shadows of an alley a young man is murdered by an unknown assailant. The shattering echoes of his death will be felt throughout a small provincial community on the edge—because the victim was far from innocent, a youth whose sordid secret life was a tangle of bewildering contradictions. Now a dedicated policeman beset by his own tormenting demons must follow the leads into the darkest corners of the human mind in order to catch a killer.Delving into the complicated human psyche, Blood at the Root showcases Peter Robinson’s singular talent in an exceptional novel of suspense that will linger in readers’ minds long past the final page.
During a blistering summer, drought has depleted Thornfield Reservoir, uncovering the remains of a small village called Hobb's End - hidden from view for over 40 years. For a curious young boy this resurfaced hamlet has become a magical playground... until he unearths a human skeleton. Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks is given the impossible task of identifying the victim - a woman who lived in a place that no longer exists, whose former residents are scattered to the winds. Anyone else might throw in the towel but Banks sets out to uncover the murky past buried beneath a flood of time...
The eleventh novel in the Banks series, following the critically acclaimed IN A DRY SEASON.
A novel about two policemen trying to capture a serial killer.
Close to Home
- 451 pages
- 16 hours of reading
There are human bones buried in an open field, the remains of a lost teenaged boy whose disappearance devastated a community more than thirty-five years ago ... and scarred a guilt-ridden friend forever. A long-hidden horror has been unearthed, dragging a tormented policeman back into a past he could never truly forget no matter how desperately he tried. A heinous crime that occurred too close to home still has its grip on Chief Inspector Alan Banks -- and it's leading him into a dark place where evil still dwells. Because the secrets that doomed young Graham Marshall back in 1965 remain alive and lethal -- and disturbing them could cost Banks much more than he ever imagined.
Investigating a dual arson case that has claimed three lives on an English canal, Detective Inspector Banks teams up with fellow investigator Annie Cabot and discovers that the victims are linked to an art forgery operation.
Strange Affair
An Inspector Banks mystery
When he receives a disturbing call from his brother Roy, Inspector Banks heads off to London to search him out. Meanwhile, DI Annie Cabbot is called to a murder scene on a quiet road. A young woman has been found dead in her car - with Banks' name and address written on a slip of paper in the back pocket of her jeans.
In 1969, as rock 'n' roll and counterculture flourish in Britain, a woman's body is discovered murdered in her sleeping bag after a music festival. Detective Inspector Stanley Chadwick, a no-nonsense officer, is tasked with investigating the case, which leads him into the chaotic world of the Mad Hatters, an emerging rock band connected to the victim. As he navigates this realm of sex, drugs, and music, Chadwick confronts the stark realities hidden beneath the surface of the era's free-spirited facade. Fast forward to the present day, and Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks investigates the murder of a freelance journalist who was researching the Mad Hatters for MOJO magazine. The band, having faced numerous tragedies, is on the brink of a major comeback, celebrating forty years in the industry. As Banks and Detective Inspector Annie Cabbot delve into the journalist's findings, they uncover dark secrets from the band's past that could have deadly consequences. Through dual narratives, the author masterfully intertwines the two murders separated by decades, revealing the violent truths behind the idealism of the sixties. This gripping tale offers a thrilling exploration of the darker side of a generation often associated with peace and love, making for an exhilarating read.
Chief Inspector Banks returns in number one bestselling Peter Robinson's new crime novel.
Chief Inspector Banks - 18: All The Colours Of Darkness
- 507 pages
- 18 hours of reading
A beautiful June day in the Yorkshire Dales, and a group of children are spending the last of their half-term freedom swimming in the river near Hipswell Woods. But the idyll is shattered by their discovery of a man's body, hanging from a tree.
Things go very wrong when the police swoop down on a home in Eastvale to seize a reported handgun. In the confusion, Patrick Doyle, a former neighbour of Banks', is shot. Doyle's daughter Erin is to blame for the gun being in the house, and while she's in police custody, her housemate in Leeds, Tracy Banks, decides to let Erin's boyfriend know that the police have been around their place. Bad decision.
Banks is back - and this time he's investigating the murder of one of his own. Detective Inspector Bill Reid is killed by a crossbow in the tranquil grounds of a police rehabilitation centre, and compromising photos are found in his room. DCI Banks, brought in to investigate, is assailed on all sides. By Joanna Passero, the Professional Standards inspector who insists on shadowing the investigation in case of police corruption. By his own conviction that a policeman shouldn't be deemed guilty without evidence. By Annie Cabbot, back at work after six months' recuperation, and beset by her own doubts and demons. And by an English girl who disappeared in Estonia six years ago, who seems to hold the secret at the heart of this case ...
Children of the Revolution
- 387 pages
- 14 hours of reading
Ex-college lecturer Gavin Miller is found dead; his distorted body strewn across a disused railway track near his home. There's no sign of a struggle, and no concrete evidence except for one distinguishing package: £5,000 of cash, tucked inside the man's pocket. But when DCI Banks delves into Miller's past, he uncovers a troubled existence tarnished by accusations of abuse and misconduct which throws up an array of puzzling questions. What really occurred at the college where the victim used to teach? How was he embroiled in political activism at Essex University, over forty years ago? And what links him to an upstanding pillar of the community, who also harbours a dark secret from her past? One thing is clear: someone will stop at nothing - even murder - to prevent Banks from discovering the truth . . .
Two missing boys. A stolen bolt gun. One fatal shot. Three ingredients for murder. When DCI Banks and his team are called to investigate the theft of a tractor from a North Yorkshire village, they're far from enthusiastic about what seems to be a simple case of rural crime. But when a blood stain is found in an abandoned hangar, and two main suspects vanish without a trace, events take a darkly sinister turn. As each lead does little to unravel the mystery, Banks feels as if the case is coming to a dead end. Until a road accident reveals some alarming evidence, thought to be disposed, which throws the investigation to a frightening new level. Someone is trying to cover their tracks - someone with very deadly intent ...
When the Music´s Over
- 496 pages
- 18 hours of reading
THE SUNDAY TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLERTwo young girls. Two unspeakable crimes. Fifty years separate them - their pain connects them. When the body of a 15-year-old is found in a remote countryside lane, beaten and broken, DI Annie Cabbot is brought in to investigate how the child could possibly have fallen victim to such brutality. Newly promoted Detective Superintendent Alan Banks is faced with a case that is as cold as they come. Now in her 60s, Linda Palmer was attacked aged 14 by celebrity entertainer Danny Caxton, yet the crime has never been investigated - until now. As each steps closer to uncovering the truth, they'll unearth secrets much darker than they ever could have guessed ...
A terrible crime. No obvious motive. Banks is on the case. 'Top-notch police procedure' - Jeffery Deaver A shocking mass murder occurs at a wedding in a small Dales church and a huge manhunt follows. Eventually, the shooter is run to ground and things take their inevitable course. But Banks is plagued with doubts as to exactly what happened outside the church that day, and why. Struggling with the death of his first serious girlfriend and the return of profiler Jenny Fuller into his life, Banks feels the need to dig deeper into the murders, and as he does so, he uncovers forensic and psychological puzzles that lead him to the past secrets that might just provide the answers he is looking for. When the surprising truth becomes clear, it is almost too late.
Careless Love
- 416 pages
- 15 hours of reading
The thrilling twenty-fifth instalment in Peter Robinson's Number One bestselling Banks series, in which Banks and his team find themselves with two suspicious deaths.
Many Rivers to Cross
- 384 pages
- 14 hours of reading
The 26th instalment of the Number One bestselling series 'The master of the police procedural' Mail on Sunday 'The Alan Banks mystery-suspense novels are the best series on the market. Try one and tell me I'm wrong' Stephen King *** A skinny young boy is found dead - his body carelessly stuffed into wheelie bin. Detective Superintendent Alan Banks and his team are called to investigate. Who is the boy, and where did he come from? Was he discarded as rubbish, or left as a warning to someone? He looks Middle Eastern, but no one on the East Side Estate has seen him before. As the local press seize upon an illegal immigrant angle, and the national media the story of another stabbing, the police are called to investigate a less newsworthy death: a middle-aged heroin addict found dead of an overdose in another estate, scheduled for redevelopment. Banks finds the threads of each case seem to be connected to the other, and to the dark side of organised crime in Eastvale. Does another thread link to his friend Zelda, who is facing her own dark side? The truth may be more complex - or much simpler - than it seems . . .
Related books
When DCI Alan Banks arrived in Eastvale his life was every bit as much of a mess as it is now. But he is holding an envelope that could change everything he understood about the events that sent him north twenty years ago. Walking again the narrow alleys and back streets of his mind, he remembers the seedy Soho nights of his last case - dubious businessmen in dodgy clubs, young girls on the game. And a killer on the loose. In addition to the brand new novella that fills in the gaps in Banks's life before Yorkshire, Peter Robinson gives us ten more brilliant and eclectic stories that have never before been published in the UK. The Eastvale Ladies' Poker Circle finds that murder may be just another game of risk. Is a suitcase of cash worth a man's head on a plate? And tragedy leads a young boy to learn the price of love . . .
Not Safe After Dark. A Necessary End
- 505 pages
- 18 hours of reading
1st Pan Omnibus 2005 edition paperback, fine In stock shipped from our UK warehouse
Dry Bones That Dream. The Hanging Valley
- 324 pages
- 12 hours of reading
