Strange Affair audiobook

Biased as I love an instalment of Peter Robinson’s Inspector Banks! This one does not disappoint either!Largely focussed on a complex set of crimes, number 15, is far more detective work than relationship! Not a bad spot to pick-up the series!Totally satisfied, and now I need #16!

This is one book in the Alan Banks series of novels which I missed, and I really liked this one quite a bit. In this novel, it is past the time that Alan's house was burned down by Annie Cabbot's sociopath boyfriend. Alan has been off work, and becoming quite depressed, feeling like he has nothing to anchor him to his life. And then, two things happen: a woman is found dead with a gunshot wound near her ear after her car was run off the highway when she was traveling towards Alan's neck of the woods. The other thing that happened is that Alan's brother, Roy, called him and left a message asking for a return call, saying that it may be a matter of life or death. When Alan tries to call Roy back, he is unable to reach him at either his cell number, or his land line. Alan becomes rather alarmed, and goes to Roy's house, and finds the door unlocked, which is quite unlike Roy, and finds Roy's computer, and several other electronic devices missing. However, his cell phone has been left on the kitchen table. Alan talks to the neighbor across the street, and finds out that Roy left (it appears voluntary) about 9:30 PM the night he called Alan, and has not been seen since. When Alan and Annie finally connect to try to connect the dots in what appears to be two related cases, Alan finds out that the woman who had been shot to death was apparently on the way to his house; the house that had been burned down. Alan did not know the woman, Jennifer Clewes, but he finds out that she knew Roy. In fact, Jennifer and Roy had some kind of romantic relationship. And then the unthinkable happens: Roy's body washes up on the bank of the Thames, showing that he also had been shot just as Jennifer Clewes had been. Alan must break the news to his parents, and that is heartbreaking, to say the least.Alan investigates everything that had been going on in Roy's life, and finds out that he had recently been in contact with an old business associate, Gareth Lambert, who Roy had been involved with in selling arms several years before. Alan begins to suspect that Roy had either been involved in some very dangerous business dealings, or he had known some information which made him a threat to the people he used to have questionable business dealings with.I was totally shocked at some of the things that had gone on in Alan's younger brother's life, and I thought this book was one of the best of the Alan Banks series, several of which I have read, and some of which I have missed. It was definitely worth going back and reading this one because it was necessary in the overall scheme of the story of Alan Banks and his career.

DCI Alan Banks returns in his fifteenth story & it's as good as ever.While DI Annie Cabbot investigates a murder in Yorkshire, Banks travels to London to look for his missing brother. Both storylines work welll, but I especially enjoyed the London locations as they were all areas I knew well.This is a much more personal story for Alan Banks and, even after 15 books, Robinson continues to add fascinating new layers to the character. The plotting is sublime & each piece falls beautifully into place. A classic crime novel if ever there was one.

Each time I read a DCI Banks novel I think I will jump right to the next one. I love this guy! But then I realize I will be caught up and have to wait for the next publication so I am slowly savoring each novel, reading something else in between these books. It’s great that Peter Robinson writes these novels in real time. When I started with Gallows View (Book #1) Alan Banks had just moved to Yorkshire, his children were in school, he was in a happy marriage and his career was on the right path. I just finished Strange Affair (Book #15) and so much has changed. Banks is, naturally, older and has had some boost in rank. His kids are grown and one is in college. It’s been nice reading along watching the progressions. Strange Affair starts off with a woman driving away from London, obviously frightened for her life as she expresses she will be safe in just a few hours. Before you get too many pages into the book she is found dead, still in her vehicle, with a single gunshot wound to her head. Her purse and cell phone are missing but in her back pocket is a hastily written note with Alan Banks’ name and address. Banks can’t be located because he has driven off to London in search of his brother Roy. A day earlier Roy called Banks and left a voice message that he was in danger and he needed help. When big brother Alan couldn’t reach Roy he decided to drive to London. He didn’t tell anyone about Roy’s call and he didn’t call in to the police station to let them know he’d be gone. With the discovery of a dead woman who was headed toward Banks’ Yorkshire address and him now missing, the Eastvale police have him as an unofficial suspect.Most of this story line takes place in London. We alternate between Banks looking for his brother and DI Annie Cabbot looking into the murder of the young woman. Not too far into the book you see they are connected, both the murder and Roy’s disappearance. You also see a more reflective side of Alan Banks as he’s working though his depression over a house fire (Book # 14) and him getting to know more about his brother. There are 22 DCI Banks books currently published. I will be on to #16 soon and once I catch up, I will one of the eager fans waiting for the next publication.

Ik las dit boek pas toen ik al een stuk verder was met de serie, dus sommige dingen wist ik al. Toch was het aangenaam om een stap terug in de tijd te zetten. Gristhorpe is nog steeds de hoofdcommissaris en bouwt verder aan z'n stapelmuurtje. Er wordt verwezen naar tv-series als Morse en Frost; Het is 2005.Na de brand in zijn cottage aan het eind van het vorige boek zit Alan Banks in een dip. Op een avond krijgt hij een mysterieus en angstig bericht van z’n broer Roy op zijn voicemail. Als hij terugbelt, krijgt hij nooit gehoor. De 2 broers waren niet dik met elkaar, maar het blijft zijn broer en Alan maakt zich zo veel zorgen dat hij zelf naar Londen (waar Roy woont) gaat om uit te zoeken waar z’n kleine broer bij betrokken is geraakt. Die was echter niet van de braafsten en deed wel eens zaken op het randje van wat wettig is.Op een verlaten landweg wordt het levenloze lichaam van een jonge vrouw aangetroffen. Ze is doodgeschoten in haar wagen die in de greppel lag. DCI Banks heeft vakantie en dus is het DI Annie Cabot die de zaak leidt. Er zijn enkele overeenkomsten, maar ook vele verschillen met een gelijkaardige moord in Chesterfield. Wat nog veel raadselachtiger is, is dat het slachtoffer een briefje met Banks’ oude adres en telefoonnummer erop in haar achterzak had steken. Die is nergens te vinden en ook Annie trekt naar Londen waar het dode meisje woonde en werkte.Dat beide zaken op de duur met elkaar verweven zijn, zal niemand verbazen. Het grootste gedeelte van dit boek speelt zich af in Londen, dus Yorkshire en Eastvale komen weinig aan bod in dit verhaal. Wel komen we erg veel te weten over de relatie tussen de twee broers en die met hun ouders. Ook Banks’ zelf leert z’n broer pas nu echt kennen en beseft dat ze meer op elkaar lijken dan hij ooit had gedacht. Erg tragisch eigenlijk.Dit is een van de laatste boeken waarin Banks nog rookt. Ik heb het altijd erg sneu gevonden dat hij moest stoppen om politiek correct te blijven. Wie zich over die dingen (politiek correctheid) totaal geen zorgen maakt is Kevin Templeton. Als hij ouder zou zijn, was hij het boegbeeld van een dinosaurus. Echt zo’n flik waarmee je het niet aan de stok wil krijgen; autoritair en machtsbelust, seksistisch tot en met en altijd sexbelust. Maar hij sleept wel een succes uit de brand dit keer. Als Annie hem vergelijkt met Banks, zal de laatste dat niet als een compliment ervaren, vrees ik.

I had been turned off reading Inspector Banks books after one I just didn't give a toss about (Piece of My Heart), but my wife has been tearing through the series so I gave this one from 2006 a shot — and it was wonderful, everything I love about Peter Robinson's books. It's only for people who like police-procedural series, I suppose, but I like having detectives go back again and again to various people of interest, fleshing out a story, getting closer and closer to the truth, with a backdrop of societal crises and moral dilemmas.In this case, I won't tell all of the topics discussed in order to avoid spoilers, but the initial plot — it goes far afield from here — involves a woman who is creeped on by men at a highway rest stop and then winds up shot in the head a short distance away with the name of Detective Banks and his address in her back pocket. The moral dilemmas are what level of scuzzy behavior is OK to make good money and how far is it OK to go to save a loved one.

Solid entry into the Banks' canon. For some reason, it felt uneven at times. I like the idea that the fire that destroyed Banks' home carries on into this book. And that his near murder continues to significantly impact him and all of his relationships, including with Annie. Not a particular fan of his family getting drawn into a murder scenario, but I like the idea of Banks not really knowing his brother. Really, the best part for me, was the conclusion - when he asks a woman out who has already rebuffed him once, and she says he just doesn't get it. The remark stung like a whip and let you know Banks is really lost his way.

Robinson is echt een kei in het neerzetten van de omgeving waar een scene speelt. Je waant je in de Londense pub, in coronation street of bij de plaats delict. Het verhaal in dit boek is heel goed gevonden. Er zitten verschillende zijpaden in, waarin ook kleinere rollen kleur geven aan het totaal. Het geeft ook zo mooi de politieorganisatie als een doorsnee van de maatschappij weer. Sowieso raakt het verhaal aan veel maatschappelijke issues, willekeurig bv eenzaamheid, mensenhandel, metoo. Wat het boek echt top maakt is de betrokkenheid, op verschillende manieren, van inspecteur Banks zelf bij de zaak. En dan tijdens zijn vakantie. Dit biedt de gelegenheid om nog meer in zijn hoofd te kruipen, zijn verleden, familierelaties en de effecten van een eerdere relatie en inzinking. De persoonlijke betrokkenheid maakt Banks nog eigenzinniger en tegelijkertijd hier en daar empathischer, maar de zaak gaat natuurlijk voor.

I thought this was almost as good as # 14, but not quite as brilliant as "In a Dry Season" (vol. 10) which IMHO is Peter Robinson's best novel in the DCI Banks series.Looking forward to read "Peace of My Heart", the next volume.

A sudden lurch toward unbelievabilitynear the end of the book caused me to downgrade this book to a four. Certain aspects of immunology don’t work that way.

Very good

A few too many characters to have to keep track of but it was still a page turner that I couldn’t put down

Banks Number 15 and my favourite of the series so far.This one has a mix of family ties as well as an intriguing murder mystery.

Suspenseful story line with both Annie Cabot and Banks investigating different things which seem like they could be connected.

After the fire that destroyed Banks' cottage and almost cost him his life in the previous book, this one begins with Banks still away from work and dealing with some major issues like PTSD and depression. He receives a message from his estranged younger brother Roy, asking for his help. Banks tries to reach Roy, who lives in London and can't get in touch with him. Banks decides to go to London and see for himself what happened to his rather questionable younger brother. He finds that the door to Roy's flat is unlocked and Roy's mobile is on the kitchen table, but it's been twelve hours since the frantic voice mail and Banks has no idea where Roy could be. He begins to investigate on his own. Back home in Yorkshire, the body of a young woman is found on an abandoned country road. She had been forced off the road and shot to death. DI Annie Cabot is assigned the case. A note with Alan Banks' old address is found in the back pocket of her jeans, so Annie is tasked with trying to find Banks. They meet up in London, and they find out that their two cases are somehow linked. Both of them are doing their own investigation and they find themselves in the dangerous underworld of prostitution, smuggling and human trafficking. Things get very dicey for both of them, and Banks suffers another unimaginable loss, so Annie worries about his well-being. This is an excellent book and this is a truly excellent series. I normally like to read five or six mystery series -one book at a time in each series, but this is one series where I am very tempted to binge read the remaining books. I love DCI Alan Banks. He's a remarkable force in the fictional detective world. I highly recommend this excellent series by Peter Robinson.