Bad Boy, Oh Boy!

Flower!

You know you can't read better than Peter Robinson.

There are things that you can count on: the yumminess of any sandwich you don't make yourself, that the plows will push more snow onto your side of the road than your neighbors and that Peter Robinson will never let you down. He has what? 97-98 books out there and not a dud in the lot. Okay he has a mere 20 (!) mystery novels out there, but they are all exceptional. Who else can say that?

In the latest Robinson novel, Bad Boy, DCI Alan Banks is taking a vacation. Alas crime knows no holiday so Banks' team is still on the job and getting a lot of outstanding time on the page for the first half of the book. Soon Banks is back and trying to help the daughter of an old friend and find his own missing daughter. That's as much plot as we need to discuss. It's a mystery after all so let's keep it that way.

If you have never tried a DCI Banks mystery why should you? Well, we can go with the "because I said so" reason which while having a lovely retro quality lacks any real authority. How about because they are extremely well written gritty police procedurals with not only a flawed and interesting detective but the same goes for the supporting cast, they are awash in tension and suspense and the mystery part of the mysteries is always compelling and intriguing. If you have already experienced the pleasures of P.D. James, Reginald Hill, Ruth Rendell, Anne Cleeves and Ian Rankin you will eat Robinson up with a spoon... or a dagger.

Starting off your Alan Banks habit with Bad Boy would be fine. Super fine even. But. In the name of full disclosure honesty, the Inspector's life has changed over the years and starting with the first book in the series, Gallows View is going to make your Banks experience all the more enjoyable. If you don't want to miss a thing including tantalizing and satisfying mysteries start at the beginning. Anyway, in no time at all you will be up to and devouring Bad Boy and excitedly anticipating whatever Peter Robinson comes up with next!

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