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Inspector Banks Among the English for England

Although written back in 1997, years before the plight faced by Syria's refugees, author Peter Robinson penned a novel concerning national pride cloaked in vicious racism and intolerance. James Flood is found beaten to death in Banks' never peaceful Eastvale.

After the battered corpse is identified by Forensics, young members of Eastvale's Pakastani residents are prime suspects. Flood had a run in with George Mahmood at a local pub. He didn't take kindly to being run into by a G..d....d Paki.

Banks may have racial tension on the rise. It won't do. It's just not PC, nor good for the town's image.

Worse, James Flood was the technical Guru for a Neo-Nazi crew, the Albion League, headed up by a smooth talking chief, Nevil Montcombe, who not only has the ways to attract the local disaffected young to his growing ranks, but the money to pay the best Solicitors and Barristers to protect his interests.

While Banks is dealing with sticky political wickets on the job, his personal life is on the skids. He and wife Sandra have split.

It's enough to put Banks deep into his bottles of Laphroaig Scotch. It's bloody Hell when Chief Superintendent Jimmy Riddell suspends Banks for not properly investigating the Flood case when Banks own subordinates find an easy solve to the murder. Case closed.

Or is it? Banks may be suspended, but he's not a man to leave loose ends hanging. Especially when his experience tells him the evidence doesn't add up.

Robinson continues to write at the top of his game. Banks continues to develop as an increasingly complex man, torn between duty and family.

Bank's ninth appearance is a cracking good read. Robinson writes another first rate police procedural. This series just grows stronger with each successive entry. Excellent. Read it.