Review: Close To Home

Peter Robinson’s CLOSE TO HOME is a page turning, must read books for all fans of the Banks series. Burned out as a result of the events in AFTERMATH our beloved detective is taking an extended leave in Greece as this story opens. The papers send him home when he reads that the body of a school chum who went missing in 1963 has turned up.

After several books in a row that have investigated horrific crimes that affect Banks Robinson changes up for this new tale. It seems that as a teenager Banks was not entirely forthcoming as a witness all those years ago.

In CLOSE TO HOME Mr. Robinson has Banks concentrating on reconstucting his own memories of a summer long ago in Peterborough to try and reach a resolution as to why a fourteen year old boy has been murdered.

Meanwhile Annie has a case gone wrong back at home base. The son of three celebrities has disappeared. Ransom has been asked for. It is to coin an American phrase, a true Red Ball. Annie and Banks work on this second case with an easy rapport . In Peterborough Banks works with DCI Michelle after a rocky start. A fresh crime everyone wants solved and an old crime that it seems no one does. Both have young men as their focal point. Both have Banks to try and avenge them. Old fashioned police work becomes the Detective’s salvation.

A month in Greece? Well it would have been a nice tan and terrors that refuse to go away.

We meet Banks old mates and are given a sprinkling of background to a detective who remains an enigma despite the many reads in this series.

A copper is a copper, unless he’s bent. Alan Banks is a man who is a copper to the core. The reason he goes on despite all he’s seen? Justice is all he can offer the victims and sometimes that has to be enough.

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Ruth Jordan - RAM

Book Review: Close To Home