Not a stellar Inspector Banks, but still welcome

WATCHING THE DARK ( Inspector Banks #20)
Peter Robinson
William Morrow
January 2012



I have always thought that Peter Robinson is very much overlooked in the field of British Mystery, especially here in the the US. The twentieth book in the Inspector Banks series, while not my favorite, is still a solid read.

Inspector Alan Banks is called to the scene of a murder at a police rehabilitation center; in fact the center where his colleague, Annie Cabot, recently recovered from a gunshot wound. This time it is Inspector Bill Quinn who is dead from a crossbow shot to the heart. When compromising photos are discovered in his room, it necessitates the involvement of Professional Standards in the the person of Inspector Joanna Passero. Banks, like most cops, hates the interference of the "rat squad", and places every obstacle he can in her path. Quinn was obsessed by the disappearance of young British girl in Estonia six years previously and that disappearance appears to be linked to his death. By the time the case is solved some very ugly facts about human trafficking and worker exploitation are uncovered.

I haven't read all the series and those I have read have been out of order. It doesn't pose a problem as Robinson can bring us up to date without using a massive info dump. My favorite of the series is # 10, In a Dry Season, where we first meet Annie Cabot. In Watching the Dark, both Annie and Banks seem to be behaving somewhat out of character. Annie is prickly and uncertain, and the barriers Banks throws in Joanna Passero's path seem juvenile. Annie is behaving more normally by the end of the book and Banks admits that he is over-reacting to her presence. 

One of the things I enjoy about the Alan Banks series is the very "britishness" of the series. The are always terms I don't know so I keep google handy! Alan Banks is also an avid fan of music and it's always interesting to find out what he is listening to. I know some people find the liberally sprinkled musical allusions distracting but to me they add to the reading experience. Watching the Dark tends to drag somewhat but is still a welcome addition for series fans.

RATING- 3 Stars