When the Music's Over: DCI Banks 23

I gave up on PR books after the preposterous Bad Boy; against my better judgement I thought I'd dip my toe in again with this offering. It's very disappointing, the story never gets going, there is no action, it's basically a couple of themes picked up from the press, a minority of Asians grooming deprived white children and famous personalities using their status to abuse others and get away with it.The book fails because it is so preachy and extremely repetitive, we have all read the stories we don't need it in a book meant to entertain. The pages are padded out with unnecessary references to road journeys and music, wouldn't it be nice for the author to include an inventive story of his own? I am annoyed that I have spent money and time on this book; I feel the author is bored, bereft of ideas and is churning out pages to fulfil a contract. Further, the editing was pretty appalling and that doesn't aid the flow of a book if you have to re-read sections because you think you must have either missed or misunderstood something; in one episode a suspect's van was confusingly suddenly a car, then it was a van, then a car, and then back to a van!In conclusion this is one of the most tedious and badly written books I have ever read. Did I mention it's repetitive?

The plot of this book is very current considering what's been happening over the last few years. In reality it could come across as rather disturbing to some.I notice that all the main characters have been promoted. Banks is now a Detective Superintendent; although I notice the book title still refers to him as DCI. Ken Blackstone's a DCI and is now in Leeds, and Annie Cabbot a DI. A new DC has joined them, but she comes across; possibly unintentionally, as being a bit of a snob. She's also a touch naive and gets herself into an awkward and a possibly dangerous situation. I don't warm to her at present. Maybe I will in future books.The plot focuses on two separate investigations, but both in the same vein. One starts right back to the 60's which brought back memories of Lett's schoolgirl diaries, Emergency Ward 10, Sergeant Pepper, and hippies from 1967's summer of love. The second much more current. And although the subject matter was pretty grim, it did ring true.I wish the chapters were a bit shorter though, as I found having to break off midway through one made me have to re-read the previous few pages. The parts about Banks taste in music and reading etc I did skip, as I felt is was just padding. How old must Banks be now I wonder?On the whole a pretty interesting book, but it'll be a while I think before starting number 24.

Drawing on current affairs at the time of writing the book, Peter Robinson bases this Alan Banks novel around the uneasy topics of Operation Yewtree and Asian grooming gangs. Both are tackled in a fairly stereotypical fashion, reflecting the way the stories were reported in the media rather than anything more insightful. Both provide storylines telling of violence to women, so it's not a comfortable read. Given the nature of the plot, it's a surprise that the book is so dull and unengaging. As with previous books, most of the story revolves around Banks and co. chewing the fat in pubs, gardens, people's houses and gardens, which rarely generates any sense of urgency or realism to the proceedings. Both plots run on too long and seem to fizzle away at the end without much sense of dramatic finale.

Could he make it more difficult to construct a story? Two cases that are there to be compared. One historical child abuse. The other contemporary grooming. Chuck in a few racists and stand back for action.Lot of references to Operation Yewtree, Jimmy Saville, Rolf Harris and incorrectly listing of several other similar offenders at the outset alongside someone whose conviction was not so related.Most obvious element that was missing was any liaison between the characters and no one bedding anyone else. Very puritan.Despite newly increased workload as Superintendent we have to believe Banks has time to read an anthology of poetry. I like the references to music in these Banks novels. Along with descriptions of urban and rural background noises it emphasizes that the action does not occur in silence. Picked up a few good music tips but....... Find it difficult to imagine that he can listen to his massive playlist even when using home, car and office equipment to play it.He handles the two stories reasonably well even though he allows the racial language to a degree. He gets to the other side of his tightrope without falling but has a few stumbles along the way. We know the miscreants are guilty but punishment is not readily available at the conclusion.

There were two topical stories running through this book which I found difficult to read but at the same time I couldn't put the book down. Banks has been promoted but was put in charge of an investigation into historical sex abuse against children back in the 60s with the help of DS Winsome Jackman. He also had to oversee another case of child grooming and under aged sex between young girls and some members of the Pakistani community. DI Annie Cabbot had the day to day running of the grooming case with DC Geraldine Masterton. When the body of a young girl is found naked on a lonely country road Annie and Geraldine pull out all the stops to find out what happened to her. I found the book thought provoking and touching at the same time.

I've read all of the Peter Robinson Inspector Banks novels. Really enjoyed them over the year but I'm now finding them less enjoyable. Far too much focus on the music that Bank's enjoys. I know the writer is indulging his own love of music but for me it is becoming too much of an indulgence and distracting from the story. I end up flicking over these paragraphs and getting annoyed at it all!