Finished January 24
Bad Boy by Peter Robinson
Part of the series featuring DCI Alan Banks, this story also features his daughter Tracy, who makes some bad choices leading to truly dangerous situations. Alan is away in the U.S. on vacation as the story begins, and Tracy becomes involved with her roommate's boyfriend. As her roommate does something in anger that starts the whole plot in motion, Tracy is drawn to the 'bad boy' image of the young man Jaff. Tracy's choice to offer the use of her father's home as a refuge to Jaff leads to attempted murder, kidnapping, and a run from police. Alan returns from vacation to find his home a crime scene and his daughter missing. As he tries to balance his police responsibilities with his emotions, he takes some risks that are ill-advised.
We see quite a few of the interesting police characters here: DI Annie Cabot, Detective Superintendent Catherine Gervaise, DS Winsome Jackman, and a new one Constable Nerys Powell. We see into the decision-making process of the police, and the politics involved in that.
This case keeps growing bigger, from a small but serious situation of a firearm to kidnapping, murder, drugs and torture. This is a fast-moving novel that looks at the personal as well as the big picture to keep you turning the pages.
Is it a natural extension of character development that police series' veer into the personal lives of the protagonists more as the series ages?
ReplyDeleteProbably. That's sort of what this sounds like; I shall be interested to see. Always tougher to keep the sense of realism intact when the story is about the copper, not the job!
Yes, I think that does tend to happen in a series, but also some writers are more inclined from the outset to add a personal dimension to the police characters.
ReplyDeleteBanks is certainly a character that has a lot of his personal life that has had direct relation to his work. This is the second time his current home has been a crime scene.