Book Review: A Dedicated Man

Reviewed By: Fiona Walker

A Dedicated Man     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Peter Robinson
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Police Procedural
Series: Inspector Banks # 2
Pan, 1988, 288pp

When the body of local historian Harry Steadman is found buried beneath a dry-stone wall near the village of Helmthorpe, Chief Inspector Alan Banks finds himself presented with a extremely puzzling case. And why is it puzzling? Because, aside from a minor disagreement with his friend and local farmer over his selling of some lad, Harry was invariably liked y everybody, ad even that minor inconsequential argument was no reason to kill somebody. Harry was a kind, thoughtful, and respected man, whom everyone liked and about whom no one can find a bad word to say. There seems to be absolutely no motive for his murder. And yet, buried somewhere, there must be one…

Then, Sally Lumb, a local teenager whom Banks suspects of knowing more than she is telling, alarmingly disappears…

Very much an English "cosy" in the tradition of writers like Ann Granger, this is another success for Peter Robinson. There seems to be nothing exceptionally challenging in these early novels, but they’re very enjoyable reads. Robinson writes good prose, and structures his mysteries excellently. He develops his characters well, even if they themselves are nothing out of the ordinary. Banks is an excellent lead, very real and with a dry humour there is definitely something of Morse in him. But, it would be nice if we got to meet his family a bit more pretty soon…

Anyone who likes a nice, traditional, well-crafted and satisfying British mystery is guaranteed to like the books of Peter Robinson.

Fiona Walker

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Fiona Walker

Please Note: Books reviewed are usually provided by the publisher, author, or an agent. Reviewers usually get to keep the book.