Fourth in the Chief Inspector Alan Banks series set in the Yorkshire Dales. When a hiker discovers a partially decomposed body in an idyllic little valley near a small village, the first task is to identify it. Once that's done, trying to find a motive for the murder becomes Banks' main concern, though it's not easy wresting clues from the closed-mouth villagers. When the identity is discovered, Banks believes the death is related to an unsolved murder case that took place six years previously, before he arrived in Eastvale. He sets out to tie everything together, even going so far as begging his boss to send him on a trip out of the country to Toronto, Canada, to follow his nose. As usual, he first looks in the wrong direction, though it all comes together in the end of course. I enjoyed this entry in the series much more than the last one.
Another pleasant Robinson book to devour. I thoroughly enjoy the Inspector Banks series. It's more contemporary than you think a British detective story would be. Inspector Alan Banks is very likeable, there's some subtle middle-age humor (such as a reference to Quincy), and a great murder mystery with good characterization.
interesting puzzle, fast paced
Dena (Suzie) C. (DsuzieC) reviewed Hanging Valley (Inspector Banks, Bk 4) on + 159 more book reviews
One in the Inspector Banks series by Peter Robinson, who is the winner of the Crime Writers of Canada Best Novel Award
Like all his others, this is another good one from Peter Robinson.
A very good addition to the excellent Inspector Banks series. I'm reading the series in order, and enjoying how the characters -- and the author -- develop over time.
A first-rate crime novel. True-to-life characters and realistic situations with a Yorkshire flavor (a lot of British expressions and dialect). Everything comes together incredibly well in the last scene.
