a review of "Bad Boy" [65]

Bad Boy: An Inspector Banks Novel By Peter Robinson
William Morrow, ISBN 978-0061362958
August 24, 2010, 352 pages
 

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What would you do if you found a loaded gun hidden in your daughter's bedroom?
It is certainly a dangerous and concerning thing, but also a very seriously illegal thing in the Yorkshire town of Eastvale, where gun possession is a very serious crime. Well, the mother decides to go to the local police station, hoping to talk to her old neighbor, Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks, back in this, his 19th book. But Banks is away on vacation in America and the matter is dealt with by his partner, Annie Cabbot. The official procedures are followed, an armed response team is called in and events end with one of the players dead and an even more deadly set of events set in motion. And unknown to Banks, his daughter Tracy will be at the very heart of it, caught up with a fleeing criminal , murder, drug smuggling and a psychopath who takes great pleasure in torturing people.

Banks returns home just in time to step right into the midst of the case, a case that will tie together his professional and personal life in a deadly way. It seems that in the past Banks has not been above taking a few liberties with police procedures to get results. But this time more is at stake than just solving his case or catching the 'bad boy'. This time the lives of those he loves are on the line.

I have not read any of the previous Books in this series and while this book seems to stand alone quite well, I think that if I had been more vested with the characters from having read some of the others, it might have made it even more enjoyable. Not to say I did not like this book, because I did. It was a nice, solid police procedural with some great characters, a good story and an ending just open ended enough to make you look forward to the next in the series.

Of course, it was not perfect. I am sorry, but the character of Tracy, Bank's daughter who has gotten caught up with the "Bad Boy" of the title, is sometimes too stupid to be believable. I get the whole rebelling against her father think...but really. Also, this is more a thriller than a mystery. There is really nothing to be figured out, no part of what is happening than we don't understand. There are a few slightly surprising twists and turns, but pretty much the facts are all out there. Which is not necessarily a bad thing..it just is the way it is.

I know, there are some one you screaming, "No, I can't start another series!" and yes, I feel you pain. Yes, I did say this was the 19th book in the series. But this book was just interesting enough that I think I may have to go back and check out some of the earlier books. And I think that you may want to too.

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My thanks to William Morrow for an ARC of this book.

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