Past Reason Hated (An Inspector Banks Mystery)
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3.9 • 96 Ratings
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
Chief Inspector Alan Banks teams up with recently promoted detective Susan Gay to investigate the brutal murder of a woman with a secret, violent past in this thrilling novel in the critically acclaimed Inspector Banks mystery series.
It’s the holiday season in a peaceful Yorkshire village, but there are no glad tidings for Caroline Hartley, brutally stabbed to death in her own home. Her body, naked and bloody, is found by her lover, Veronica, three days before Christmas. Detective Constable Susan Gay and Chief Inspector Alan Banks must unravel Caroline’s enigmatic past to discover her killer. This is no small task, as the suspects include Veronica’s ex-husband, a feminist poet, the cast and crew of Caroline’s play, and Caroline’s reclusive brother. Gay, recently promoted, has much at stake professionally, and Banks is keen to solve this puzzle, but family secrets and hidden desires must first come to light.
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. )
Customer Reviews
Long winded
I found the story quite long winded. Draggy. Too much time spent going down rabbit holes. Had it figured out about halfway through.
One of the better books
One of the better books in the series. As I have read Peter's books, they have gotten progressively better. I started with the first book, and was a bit worried, but they have gotten better, book by book. I look forward as I continue to read the series.