Standing in the Shadows

DCI Banks 28

By: Peter Robinson

Narrated by: Simon Slater

The twenty-eighth book in the number one bestselling Alan Banks crime series - by the master of the police procedural.

Late November, 1980. Student Nick Hartley returns from a lecture to find his house full of police officers. As he discovers that his ex-girlfriend has been found murdered in a nearby park, and her new boyfriend is missing, he realises two things in quick succession: he is undoubtedly a suspect as he has no convincing alibi, and he has own suspicions as to what might have happened . . .

Late November 2019. An dig near Scotch Corner unearths a skeleton that turns out to be far more recent than the Roman remains the archaeologist is looking for. Detective Superintendent Alan Banks and his team are called in and, as an investigation into the find begins, the past and the present meet with devastating consequences.

'The best mystery-procedural series on the market. Try one and tell me I'm wrong' STEPHEN KING

'The master of the police procedural' MAIL ON SUNDAY

(P) 2023 Hodder & Stoughton Limited©2023 Eastvale Enterprises Inc.

Critic reviews

The ending, in which the two narratives join, is a stunner

Peter Robinson's new novel is a publishing event . . . The novel feels elegiac . . . Robinson's plots were always superb and this final novel is a haunting tribute to a fine writer

It is bittersweet to crack open the 28th , and final, Inspector Banks novel. The mighty Peter Robinson, who died last year, created one of the most convivial, compelling detectives in Alan Banks: compassionate, intelligent and music-loving, he was the sort of man you wanted to spend time with. Standing in the Shadows is a worthy addition to the Banks canon . . . It is a pleasure to be back in Banks's company, whether it's watching him with his friends and colleagues, listening to his thoughts on music or waiting for his intuition to kick in. Robinson was an author at the top of his game, and Banks a detective at the top of his. Both will be sorely missed by their readers

A fond and fitting farewell

Robinson delivers an impeccably structured, engagingly spun performance . . .Robinson was a master of the police procedural and his thoughtful, nuanced work will endure

In the realm of crime fiction, the late Peter Robinson has etched his name with a distinction as pronounced as the 27 novels that have preceded his latest creation . . . Standing in the Shadows, stands testament to his unwavering prowess in crafting intricate and seductive narratives. With each turn of the page, a whirlwind of astonishments awaits, as the story elegantly navigates between the lives of inhabitants dwelling within a bustling student abode and their poignant journey toward academic culmination... Robinson's artistry lies in his dexterous placement of clues, whispered secrets lying dormant or boldly paraded in plain sight. The seamless choreography of police procedure, rendered with an authenticity that underscores the writer's mastery, unveils a police force willing to bend the rules in the pursuit of justice... Within this literary tapestry, suspense and intrigue are woven deftly.. , Characters are luminous conduits through which the narrative unfurls, bursting forth vividly under Robinson's hand. This sorcery of characterization allows the story to coalesce around their palpable presence, creating an immersive experience that ignites the imagination... Standing in the Shadows is his final enigma... the last page turns, a pang of melancholy mingles with elation, as you realise you're reading the last words of a crime fiction great.

Mmmmmm

I was so looking forward to this book but I have to say it disappointed me. It wasn’t as captivating as all his other “Banks “ books. When it finished I felt a bit ho hum.