Starred Review. Robinson tries something different in his
excellent 19th novel to feature Det. Chief Insp. Alan Banks (after
All the Colors of Darkness) by keeping the Yorkshire policeman
offstage for the first half of the book. Banks's daughter, Tracy,
knows that her friend, Erin Doyle, is dating a bad boy. But she
doesn't know how bad Jaff McCready is until the recovery of a gun
at Erin's parents' home results in a fatal accident. Before Tracy
knows what's happening, Jaff whisks her on an adventure, eventually
hiding out at Banks's house while her father is on holiday in
America. As Det. Insp. Annie Cabbot searches for Jaff, Tracy's
infatuation turns sour when she finds Jaff's suitcase of drugs,
money, and a gun, and becomes his hostage. When Banks returns to
Yorkshire, he has to balance his roles as a cop and a father.
Robinson deftly integrates Banks's personal life with an acute look
at British attitudes about police, guns, and violence in this
strong entry in a superb series.
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