Friend of the Devil
William Morrow - William Morrow
Release date: 2008-02-26
Hardcover
Author: Peter Robinson
English Mystery & Suspense Fiction, Fiction, Fiction - Espionage / Thriller, Mystery/Suspense, Fiction / Suspense, Suspense, Banks, Alan (Fictitious character), England, Investigation, Murder, Police, Yorkshire
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Friend of the Devil
Date undefined Peter Robinson's latest book picks up where his last ("Piece of My Heart") left off. Following Detective Alan Banks, Robinson takes us through another murder mystery in the Dales of England's Yorkshire. As in previous Banks' mysteries, this book delves into the lives of the main characters, as well as solving another dark mystery. Robinson writes well enough, that it's not necessary to have read the previous books, but it is definately an advantage, as his character's lives are so intertwined.
One of the things I like about Robinson's books, is his ability to tell more than one story, at a time, and weave them into one cohesive plot. This story involves characters from a previous mystery, yet it's not imperative that the reader be familiar with that book. I do think, however, that most readers, of this book, will already be fans of Robinson and Alan Banks.
Friend of the Devil
Date undefinedI've read all 17 Inspector Banks novels. While the mysteries in Friend of the Devil are satisfying enough, I found much of this book to be annoying.
It's boring to read how bad and 'racist' whites are every time Winsome Jackman is around (or any other 'minority' character). And DI Annie Cabbot's character has become extremely tiresome. In fact, I found myself hoping that Robinson was actually going to have a side character in this book kill her off just to be done with her! (And I'm a woman saying this).
While Inspector Banks is still a very interesting character, and sounds like someone you would actually like to meet and have a chat with, I hope Peter Robinson does some lightening up of DI Cabbot, and knocks off the ever-increasing "racism" victim mentality from Winsome's character - both are truly getting old.
I really don't know if I'll buy the next book or not. I'm hoping for some changes.
Friend of the Devil
Date undefinedMaybe two stars is a little harsh, but three would imply that I'm giving Robinson a pass based on his superior past efforts. In a way I guess I am, as I have every intention of continuing with the Banks series; but I have to land firmly on the side of readers who felt that this latest entry was a big "Who Cares?" The idea of tying a new string of murders to an old case is a neat one, but Robinson has taken three strings and tied them to an old case and come up with a great big knot. The whole thing is just too complicated and unwieldy, particularly as the connection between the cases is highly tenuous. It's one thing to have a detective use her intuition, it's another when that intuition defies logic. But Robinson has a story to tell and he'll be damned if it doesn't work out the exact way he's decided it will, no matter how convoluted.
I too am beginning to find Banks and Annie's love life (or lack thereof) annoying and intrusive. It's the kind of soap opera plotting that's always made Elizabeth George so cringe-worthy, and I wish Robinson would knock it off. And when did he start writing so badly? Trite cliches abound, and he even has one character refer to another in conversation as "Karen/Lucy." I can see someone writing that, but how does one actually say it? "Karenlucy?" "Karen-slash-Lucy?" Robinson's ear was uncharacteristically tin this time around, which I found surprising and a shame; he's better than that and usually is. So, OK, I'm giving him a pass. But I won't make it a habit.
