Friend of the Devil

Simon Prebble is an astounding narrator of dialogue. From him, conversations seem to involve a large cast rather than a single actor. This entry in the Chief Inspector Alan Banks series gives Prebble ample opportunity to shine, for in between the theater-worthy conversation the narrative flows beautifully. Banks is investigating a brutal rape and murder in downtown Eastvale. His erstwhile colleague/friend/lover Annie Cabbot, on loan to another station, is working on an equally brutal case, the murder of a quadriplegic woman living in a care facility. Nothing suggests a relationship between the two deaths until a third murder occurs on Banks's turf. Clever plot, excellent narration. R.E.K. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

Starred review from October 8, 2007
In Robinson's stunning 17th suspense novel to feature DCI Alan Banks (after 2006's Piece of My Heart
), Banks and his on-again-off-again partner and lover, Det. Insp. Annie Cabbot, race to piece together a string of brutal murders. While on loan to a sister precinct, Cabbot investigates the gruesome death of a paraplegic woman found on a desolate cliff with her throat slit. Back in Eastvale, North Yorkshire, Banks and his team discover the body of a young woman who has been raped and strangled in a shady area of town known as the Maze. At first, there are no obvious connections between the two attacks, but when Cabbot uncovers the chilling identity of the woman on the cliff, she and Banks must once again confront sadistic serial killers Terry and Lucy Payne, last seen in Aftermath
(2001). Banks and Cabbot are flawed but empathetic heroes, and readers will be on the edge of their seats as the two explore not only the depths of human depravity but also their own murky relationship. 7-city author tour.

April 28, 2008
Corpses may pile up in Robinson's thrillers about Yorkshire Chief Insp. Alan Banks and his now former lover, Det. Insp. Annie Cabbot, but rock and roll will never die. In Robinson's 17th novel, named for a Grateful Dead song, Banks frequently departs from his sleuthing to listen to enough rock anthems that it seems odd for an audio version to limit its music to just a few seconds of ominous introductory notes. Prebble's pitch-perfect rendition clarifies a complex tale of two serial murders that harks back to an earlier Banks-Cabbot investigation. His narration remains on cue and unruffled even when describing a paraplegic's severed neck (victim number one), the brutalized corpse of a beautiful young girl (victim number two) or Annie Cabbot's sad fall from grace at the end of a very boozy evening. Robinson's yarn comprises intriguing police procedure and the even more intriguing personal and professional relationships of his investigators. It's an engaging medley, and Prebble's vocal expertise makes it sing. Simultaneous release with the Morrow hardcover (Reviews, Oct. 8).

November 1, 2007
A teenage girl is found dead in a warehouse, and the same morning, another body turns up: this time, it's a quadriplegic, murdered in her wheelchair. Numerous possible suspects in one killing and a lack of logical motives in the other make these crimes difficult to investigate. Only the insightful Det. Chief Insp. Alan Banks and his sidekick, Annie Cabbot, could manage to dig up the clues they need to track down the killer. At the same time, the two continue to navigate their messy personal lives that make them real and likable and question themselves as to whether they belong together romantically. In this latest installment in the Inspector Banks series (after "Piece of My Heart"), best-selling author Robinson once again engages readers with the thoughtful characterizations that make his novels unique. The plot isn't as original as what readers encounter in Robinson's other mysteries, but his talent for twists and turns makes it enjoyable nonetheless. Highly recommended. [See Prepub Alert, "LJ" 9/15/07.]Linda Oliver, MLIS, Colorado Springs

Copyright 2007 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2007
Robinsons long-running series starring Yorkshire detective Alan Banks is a prime example of detective writing that has kept up with the times: Robinson handles new developments in crime scene protocol and forensic science with as much panache as he does the traditional questioning of witnesses and suspects. This time out, the narrative follows two series characters, Banks (now chief inspector) and his one-time lover, Detective Inspector Annie Cabbot, as they wrestle with their own cases. Banks centers on the murder of a 19-year-old woman in an alley outside a pub. Cabbots involves the throat slashing of a woman in a wheelchair on a cliff top. The latter gives rise to the title, since Cabbots victim was suspected of aiding her husband in the killing of young girls (hence her nickname Friend of the Devil) before an accident left her quadriplegic. Robinson moves these cases and their detectives closer and closer together with his usual masterly accumulation of suspense. The Banks series remains on the A-list for all readers of British procedurals.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)