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janpd24's review against another edition
3.0
Peter Robinson’s Inspector Banks series has usually been on my “safe favourites” list. In other words, none of the brilliance of an Ian Rankin or Reginald Hill, but wholly dependable for some solid entertainment. Except that in the last few years I haven’t been that sure and the nineteenth Alan Banks mystery, Bad Boy, left me unmoved. I didn't hate it, but was disappointed.
Full review here.
Full review here.
hayesstw's review
4.0
I've read most of Peter Robinson's detective novels featuring Alan Banks (now Detective Chief Inspector or DCI), and enjoyed them all. This one stands out as being better than most.
It's a police procedural rather than a whodunit, so you get to know fairly quickly who the villains are. The plot turns on how the police go about catching them and getting enough evidence to make a charge stick.
It won't be a spoiler to say that in this one the plot turns on how DCI Banks's daughter gets involved with one of the villains, and gets in over her head. It tells you that on the front cover: "A policeman's daughter should know better."
So the reader is not kept guessing about the identity of the bad guys. What is left as an exercise for the reader is the moral issue of the use of firearms by criminals and the police. This has bean a contentious issue, especially since the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes in London in 2005.
[a:Peter Robinson|5922|Peter Robinson|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1242958592p2/5922.jpg] does tend to bring such issues into his novels, and some other social issues are not absent from this one as well -- the position of gay, black or female offices in the British police, for example, and relatively new crimes like people trafficking.
But the main issue here is the use of firearms by the police, and the procedures for controlling that use. I've noticed that in news stories about crime in the UK one increasingly sees images of armed and armoured police, intimidating Darth Vader-like figures, running around shouting at people with weapons ready to be fired. Here one gets a glimpse of how such things are ordered and controlled, and how things can go wrong.
One of the things I like about Robinson's books is the way in which they compel the reader to try to exercise moral judgement. I know it's fiction, "just a novel", but I wonder whether, if South African policemen read books like this, we might have avoided events like the Marikana Massacre.
The book is not moralising, or morally didactic in the sense of the author telling people what to think. Rather he stimulates the reader to think about moral issues.
From the broad sweep of moral judgement, I descend to the level of nit-picking about Robinson's use of language.
[a:Peter Robinson|5922|Peter Robinson|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1242958592p2/5922.jpg] was born and brought up in Yorkshire, where the novels are set, but he has lived for many years in Canada, and I wonder if he had perhaps lost touch a little.
Robinson rather selfconsciously draws attention to one of the senior police officials using American slang in referring to one of the villains as a "scumbag".
But he passes over, without comment, one of them using "momentarily" in its American sense of "in a moment" rather than "for a moment".
I would have thought that "scumbag", though it may have originated in the USA, has become fairly universal by now, and is therefore unremarkable. It does not surprise me that a British policeman would use the term.
But it would surprise me if a British police officer used "momentarily" in its American sense. It is a far more remarkable use of American slang than "scumbag".
Or have I missed something?
Has the US slang use of "momentarily" spread not only to Canada, but to the UK as well?
It's a police procedural rather than a whodunit, so you get to know fairly quickly who the villains are. The plot turns on how the police go about catching them and getting enough evidence to make a charge stick.
It won't be a spoiler to say that in this one the plot turns on how DCI Banks's daughter gets involved with one of the villains, and gets in over her head. It tells you that on the front cover: "A policeman's daughter should know better."
So the reader is not kept guessing about the identity of the bad guys. What is left as an exercise for the reader is the moral issue of the use of firearms by criminals and the police. This has bean a contentious issue, especially since the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes in London in 2005.
[a:Peter Robinson|5922|Peter Robinson|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1242958592p2/5922.jpg] does tend to bring such issues into his novels, and some other social issues are not absent from this one as well -- the position of gay, black or female offices in the British police, for example, and relatively new crimes like people trafficking.
But the main issue here is the use of firearms by the police, and the procedures for controlling that use. I've noticed that in news stories about crime in the UK one increasingly sees images of armed and armoured police, intimidating Darth Vader-like figures, running around shouting at people with weapons ready to be fired. Here one gets a glimpse of how such things are ordered and controlled, and how things can go wrong.
One of the things I like about Robinson's books is the way in which they compel the reader to try to exercise moral judgement. I know it's fiction, "just a novel", but I wonder whether, if South African policemen read books like this, we might have avoided events like the Marikana Massacre.
The book is not moralising, or morally didactic in the sense of the author telling people what to think. Rather he stimulates the reader to think about moral issues.
From the broad sweep of moral judgement, I descend to the level of nit-picking about Robinson's use of language.
[a:Peter Robinson|5922|Peter Robinson|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1242958592p2/5922.jpg] was born and brought up in Yorkshire, where the novels are set, but he has lived for many years in Canada, and I wonder if he had perhaps lost touch a little.
Robinson rather selfconsciously draws attention to one of the senior police officials using American slang in referring to one of the villains as a "scumbag".
But he passes over, without comment, one of them using "momentarily" in its American sense of "in a moment" rather than "for a moment".
I would have thought that "scumbag", though it may have originated in the USA, has become fairly universal by now, and is therefore unremarkable. It does not surprise me that a British policeman would use the term.
But it would surprise me if a British police officer used "momentarily" in its American sense. It is a far more remarkable use of American slang than "scumbag".
Or have I missed something?
Has the US slang use of "momentarily" spread not only to Canada, but to the UK as well?
clarehitchens's review
4.0
Robinson went in a different direction with this book, and I liked it,focusing a lot on character without sacrificing plot. I especially liked that he seems to leave the door open for Banks and Annie, making me look forward to where that will go in the next book.
ericwelch's review against another edition
3.0
"My daughter has a gun." Banks is on holiday, but that's the concern a woman brings to Annie, Banks's DI, while Banks is on vacation. Even though unlicensed handgun possession carries a very steep penalty, the police completely over-react (Banks is on vacation) and the girl's father gets hit with a tazer and dies of a heart attack. Cut to a scene with the daughter's friends and we learn things are not quite so simple.
Soon, Banks' daughter is linked to Jaff, drugs, and attempted murder. Banks' former lover and DI Annie Cabbot investigates while Superintendent Chambers tries to paper over the fustercluck created by his armed response team.
The scene shifts to Geoff and Tracy who are soon on the run from the cops and Banks arrives home from his vacation in San Francisco to find a perfect mess.
I have to say that Tracy Banks has got to be one of the dumbest daughters to come down the pike. There were numerous opportunities for her to make a bad situation better, but she seemed to lack the gumption to react positively to her dilemma. The few times when she made a feeble attempt, she mishandled it badly.
There are a couple of interesting new characters -- at least I believe they are new at this point in the series: Constable Nerys Powell, a member of the armed response team who has a crush on DI Cabott. Like Banks, she ignores regulations, in this case saving the day. I also liked DS Winsome Jackman, a statuesque, bright, and clever professional detective. The solution to the plot is intellectually unsatisfying. A decent story but not one of Robinson's better novels.
Simon Prebble's very competent narration has trouble salvaging a weak story.
Soon, Banks' daughter is linked to Jaff, drugs, and attempted murder. Banks' former lover and DI Annie Cabbot investigates while Superintendent Chambers tries to paper over the fustercluck created by his armed response team.
The scene shifts to Geoff and Tracy who are soon on the run from the cops and Banks arrives home from his vacation in San Francisco to find a perfect mess.
I have to say that Tracy Banks has got to be one of the dumbest daughters to come down the pike. There were numerous opportunities for her to make a bad situation better, but she seemed to lack the gumption to react positively to her dilemma. The few times when she made a feeble attempt, she mishandled it badly.
There are a couple of interesting new characters -- at least I believe they are new at this point in the series: Constable Nerys Powell, a member of the armed response team who has a crush on DI Cabott. Like Banks, she ignores regulations, in this case saving the day. I also liked DS Winsome Jackman, a statuesque, bright, and clever professional detective. The solution to the plot is intellectually unsatisfying. A decent story but not one of Robinson's better novels.
Simon Prebble's very competent narration has trouble salvaging a weak story.
canadianbookworm's review
5.0
Part of the series featuring DCI Alan Banks, this story also features his daughter Tracy, who makes some bad choices leading to truly dangerous situations. Alan is away in the U.S. on vacation as the story begins, and Tracy becomes involved with her roommate's boyfriend. As her roommate does something in anger that starts the whole plot in motion, Tracy is drawn to the 'bad boy' image of the young man Jaff. Tracy's choice to offer the use of her father's home as a refuge to Jaff leads to attempted murder, kidnapping, and a run from police. Alan returns from vacation to find his home a crime scene and his daughter missing. As he tries to balance his police responsibilities with his emotions, he takes some risks that are ill-advised.
We see quite a few of the interesting police characters here: DI Annie Cabot, Detective Superintendent Catherine Gervaise, DS Winsome Jackman, and a new one Constable Nerys Powell. We see into the decision-making process of the police, and the politics involved in that.
This case keeps growing bigger, from a small but serious situation of a firearm to kidnapping, murder, drugs and torture. This is a fast-moving novel that looks at the personal as well as the big picture to keep you turning the pages.
We see quite a few of the interesting police characters here: DI Annie Cabot, Detective Superintendent Catherine Gervaise, DS Winsome Jackman, and a new one Constable Nerys Powell. We see into the decision-making process of the police, and the politics involved in that.
This case keeps growing bigger, from a small but serious situation of a firearm to kidnapping, murder, drugs and torture. This is a fast-moving novel that looks at the personal as well as the big picture to keep you turning the pages.
samanthawattam's review
4.0
The 19th in the DCI Banks series and you always know you are going to get a page turner and riveting read and that's no different this time. A solid story, great atmosphere, thoroughly rounded characters for whom you care. It would be nice though if in the next novel we could get away from the too personal angle and go back to what coppers do and solve mysteries. As there was no actual mystery this time more of a cat and mouse pursuit. And there were one too many mavericks in the story going there own way. I must admit that I still prefer the old fashioned mystery the team working together to untangle the truth from the lies, the interview process where slowly DCI Banks and his colleagues pull the threads together which leads to each part of the puzzle until it all fits. Revealing what we all know that life is messy and complicated.
But no matter what I know I will eagerly read the next instalment of the DCI Banks narrative.
But no matter what I know I will eagerly read the next instalment of the DCI Banks narrative.
jeanm333's review
2.0
Peter Robinson has lost his touch. He's always been one of my favorite mystery writers, but lately he has gotten away from the "who done it" which he did well. This time, Inspector Banks' daughter has gotten involved with a "bad boy" and the only excitement is whether he will find her in time. Predictable. I started reading, skipped to the end after a few chapters, didn't miss anything much.
bookishfifi's review
4.0
Love the books, they just get better! Terrible mis-casting with Stephen Tompkinson in the television version, bit like John Hannah v. Ken Stott in Rebus!
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