Customer Reviews

Past Reason Hated

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Past Reason Hated," by Peter Robinson, differs from the run-of-the-mill murder mystery. Inspector Banks, who is the sleuth in this series, is always fascinating. He is a chain smoker who enjoys drinking. He loves classical music, although he is not overly intellectual. Banks truly shines in his ability to communicate with suspects in a murder investigation. Banks is the best interviewer in the business. He has unerring intuition when it comes to spotting lies and evasions, and he has a way of getting people to reveal a great deal of themselves. Most of all, he cares about seeing justice done, no matter how long it takes and no matter whom it may hurt. In this novel, a young amateur actress named Caroline Hartley is found brutally murdered. She has had a tumultuous life, and any number of people might have had reason to kill her. Banks interviews those who knew Caroline years ago, as well as those who were closely involved with her shortly before her death. "Past Reason Hated" deals with such themes as struggling to come to terms with one's sexuality, the fears that cause people to commit irrational acts and the complicated and inexplicable nature of human relationships. "Past Reason Hated" is an engrossing and satisfying psychological mystery.

Peter Robinson seems to be one of those unusual authors who improves with experience. While all of his books are enjoyable, Past Reason Hated is one of his early weaker productions. Inspector Banks is his likeable self and it's always a pleasure to read about him. Robinson's details about life in Yorkshire and London are also illuminating. But Past Reason starts strong only to run out of steam in the second half. Still worth reading in the same way that a bad day of skiing is better than a good day at work!

The novel just before this one in the DCI Alan Banks series, _The Hanging Valley_, was pretty lackluster, but Robinson springs back in this one with a major winner. A young woman is found murdered in her own parlor by her lesbian partner, Veronica, a classical recording playing over and over on the stereo. Caroline had been involved in a local amateur theater production of _Twelfth Night_ -- nice bit of irony there, and a plot-point as well if you pay attention -- and the director and the other cast members are all suspects. So is Veronica's ex-husband, so is the husband's current girlfriend, and so is Caroline's emotionally strained teenage brother, all with different and quite reasonable possible motives. The plot becomes more complex but it won't necessarily stay that way, a point the author has the Chief Inspector make several times. Banks is a humane man, not ordinarily quick to judge, and his growing regard for Veronica is very nicely rendered. Also heavily involved is newly-promoted DC Susan Gay -- an unfortunate surname, in the circumstances -- who was only a spear-carrier in the earlier installments. She's young and bright and has a great deal to learn, not least of which is to distrust her prejudices. The writing is smooth, the plotting holds together, the pace and the atmosphere of Eastdale in a rather bleak Christmas season are very well done, and the characterization is excellent. The best of the series so far.

This book is full of suspense, intriguing secrets and a wonderful cast of characters. There are no 'cookie cutter' characters here.

The story moves along at a perfect pace, and the end of the book is both shocking and satisfying. This book and its characters will stay with you long after you've put the book down. It's no surprise that this novel was awarded the Arthur Ellis Award for Best Crime Novel.

Caroline Hartley is found stabbed to death at their home by her lover Veronica a couple of days before Christmas. The cops are called and get digging. They dig into Veronica's family, her still somewhat embittered composer ex-husband and his new lover who both were seen calling soon before the crime. They dig into Caroline's past as a prostitute in London and her childhood with her strange, damaged younger brother Gary now living in a hopelessly neglected house in Harrogate with their dying father. And they dig more locally into the amateur dramatic society Caroline had joined, hard at work putting the finishing touches on a production of `Twelfth Night'.

Highly readable, fun stuff. Slightly disappointing. Robinson here is perhaps a bit weak on the vivid sense of place that is the hallmark of much of the best crime writing: Morse's Oxford, Rebus's Edinburgh: this, though set in the North Yorkshire Dales could really be anywhere, or at least anywhere in Britain. The characterization too could be a little stronger. And the solution is a bit too easy to see coming, mainly moreover, for literary reasons visible only to readers and not to the participating cast of characters. But I'm carping a bit. It's pretty good fun. I'll be reading the next one.

just purchased an audio CD of this book and found it to be just 3 hours long! Then I saw it was abridged. I typically do not buy abridged books but saw nothing on the product details that said it was cut. Caveat emptor! Wouldn't it be best if the seller had to note that the book was either unabridged or not?

This isn't the strongest of the Slan Bans novels and probbly isn't the best for anyone who hasn't read any in the series yet. However, for those who have already been introduced to the lead chaaracter, this is a well plotted and thoughtful addition to the series. We are given a good look at the different aspects of lesbian relationships and also at the amateur theatrical world. Understanding of both help the reader in speculating on the murderer's identity, and Peter Robinson is very skillful in planting clues for the alert reader who treats mysteries as puzzles to be solved while still providing a satisfying variety of characters and well thought out plot for the more casual reader. Psychological profiles of the suspects as well as of Banks and, in this case Susan Gay add considerable depth to this as is the case in most of the author's books. Mystery lovers wil appreciate the sly reference to Inspector Dagleish, one of the several humorous sidebars here. Those who are familiar with Reginald Hill, Charles Todd, and P.D. James will probably add Peter Robinson to their favorite author lists, but again, one's better off being already familiar with Alan Banks before reading this.

Peter Robinson grew up in Yorkshire, and is the author of thirteen previous novels featuring Inspector Banks. He is the winner of numerous awards in the United States, Britain and Canada, and in 2002 he won the CWA Dagger in the Library. As I also come from Leeds the background to his stories is something that I have experienced first hand and because of this I have a special affection for his books. However they would be first class crime fiction wherever they were based. This particular novel is one of the author's earlier books in the series.

The scene looks like a typical Christmas in many households, a log fire, sheepskin rug, lights twinkling on the tree, the all is not as it seems. Caroline Hartley, the attractive woman lying on the couch is dead, brutally murdered. Inspector Banks is allocated the case and he soon has more suspects than he can handle. As he looks into Caroline's past he realises that secrecy was a way of life and her death is no different . . .

In this fifth outing for protaganist Chief Inspector Banks, author Peter Robinson takes on the murder of a lesbian actress. The list of suspects is many but none of the investigative skills that Bank's has at his disposal seem to be getting him anywhere with any of them. Although you kind of figure out who the killer is by the middle of the book it doesn't diminish the story of how and why this lovely young woman comes to be murdered. The issue of lesbianism and people's prejudices is fully explored - each suspect, and each member of the police hunting the killer, has his or her own prejudices to deal with. This is a solid British mystery and a fast-paced police procedural rolled into one story. Peter Robinson is an expert in both and its clearly evident in this book

This book explores all sorts of issues. The issue of family violence, the issue of sexuality, the issue of a troubled psyche. And we have the wonderful Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks trying to find his way through the minefield. Inspector Banks is a wonderful character. He is very real, and he is such an ordinary guy. That is part of his appeal. This book is set around the Christmas season in the northern part of England (Yorkshire) where Banks has taken up residence. A young woman is found dead in her flat. She has been brutally stabbed to death and Banks and his team try to find the murderer. There are far too many suspects, and far too many motives for Banks' liking, but he does manage to get to the answer in the end. Mr. Robinson knows how to write a British procedural, and I really am enjoying this series.