I liked the other DCI Banks that I read so was happy to pick up this one (and another) in the Valentin book box.

Two investigations in one book - more than thirty years apart, the bodies of two adolescent boys are discovered. The first turns out to be one of DCI Banks's friends who went missing during his paper round in the 1960s; Banks finds himself involved in the two cases, with a little help from DIs Annie Cabot and Michelle Hart. Is there a connection? Peter Robinson is commendable for the authenticity of his settings and the atmosphere of the times - the narrative is accompanied throughout by music and I felt myself singing along, remembering the first time we listened to Bob Dylan, Procol Harum, the Animals... It brought back a lot, the awkwardness of my teens (and now understanding how it was for the lads, too), the Profumo case (topical because Christine Keeler has just died) that we used to whisper about without really understanding what had been going on, the Krays, the dreadful Thatcher years, betting shops, smoking in pubs...

I was a bit annoyed by the obsolete spelling poëte instead of poète in the Rimbaud quote that comes up half a dozen times, but maybe Rimbaud wrote it like that originally? It went out of use in 1878.

As an aside, last night I stayed up late to watch a programme on BBC4 about Buddy Holly and was amazed that I remembered all the lyrics - from 1958! It was quite strange to see (the now old) Don Everley, Duane Eddy, Paul Anka - and Brian May who analysed and commented on the innovative background guitar and rythm (one of the "drums" was a cardboard box) and pointed out just how good those songs were.

I forgot to make release notes for this - sent it to bookgirrl in Toronto. Hope you enjoy!

What a lovely surprise to find this in my mailbox about 10 days ago! Thank you, merci, danke! I have not read Peter Robinson before, altho' I love PD James, Ruth Rendell and Ian Rankin books. 'Looking forward to reading this one. Even more fun....my Hague ancestry is Yorkshire(ian). Thanks again, Over-the-moon!

This book is on its way to JudySlump612 in Minnesota. I put out "the word" in Forums about a bookring, and only she responded, so I am calling it a "bookline" vs. a bookring. About this mystery novel: I thoroughly enjoyed it. The character development was really strong, two plots kept you hopping (but not confused), I like anti-hero detectives (James, Rankin, etc.), and I found myself turning the pages faster and faster towards the end. Thanks again, Over-the-Moon for sending the book. (Oh - and I loved the musical references. There is even a dog named Pugwash - which is the name of a much-loved but somewhat obscure British band a friend of mine used to do publicity for.)

PS: Over-the-Moon: did you know Paul Anka is Canadian? From Ottawa, Ontario.

Arrived here safely today. Thank you for the pleasure of meeting a new author, and also the friendly note and all the little enclosures!

This is the second Robinson book I've read; the first was 'Past Reason Hated.' It was good, but this is much better. Since that was published in 1991 and this in 2003, it's pleasant to graph how much Robinson has improved in twelve years. This was very well paced, with plenty of evidence building our suspicions, but still some surprises at the end. I'm also pleased that Robinson gives us not one, but two examples of women police inspectors doing professional and effective jobs. Quite a few male authors could improve their appeal by following this example!

A couple of international questions: first, this book was published in the USA as 'Close to Home,' a dumb change considering how significant the original title is. I can't help wondering why this type of change is made, and if the author or his agent has any way to prevent it (and thank you, Bookgirrl, for giving me the opportunity to read the authentic version).

Also, Wikipedia shows that Robinson was born in the UK and moved to Canada in 1974. Despite that, his book settings are firmly British. Again, I can't help wondering why he doesn't set his books where he's lived for over forty years. Maybe he likes the excuse to make frequent trips back to England.

And of course, I loved all the musical references. Who could not?

Mailed to Icila for Bookgirrl's bookring (or triangle)

And the book is now with me, thank you Judy for sending (mail rate even worse than I imagined), Bookgirrl for asking and thank you over-the-moon for beginning it. :)
P.S. : Paul Anka was a favorite of my mother and my aunt, I still have a record autographed during a tour at the Olympia in Paris.

Bookgirrl here: Oh, the endless doubts about Journal Entries continues! I don't recall getting an alert for Icila's JE. I have had almost no JE's for several months. The other day, Jessibud and I added a JE to a book we were both connected to. Result: nothing. The whole point - the enjoyment - of BX'ing is diminished. Could you all (over-the-moon, JudySlump612 and Icila) make a new JE, and I'll see if I get it? I do have wings....and someone said that you would get JE's for sure.... THANK YOU! (PS: If you can teleport yourselves here for Sunday, we are having a meetup - Toronto Bookcrossers group.)

Sure enough, I w'd be happy to join your group in Toronto Sunday but the construction of the International Airport just a few km away had been cancelled. 😂

Bookgirrl, I wasn't aware that any Journal Entry emails were sent out any more. The last one I got was November 22, 2017. Without them, I agree that the whole point of BookCrossing is diminished. I keep my bookshelf in the Recently Journaled (Descending) sequence, so I THINK I see all new JE's, but of course there's no way to be sure.

And thank you for the invitation to Toronto! I would love to come if I could, but alas, like Icila I must decline . Our teleportation service is still under construction, and not accepting passengers yet.

HI from me - I only get individual JE alerts, and only since I have wings (make sure you have "yes please" in your profile setting: you can only choose individual or summaries, not both).

I'll come to Toronto if you organize a Convention! (or maybe even an Uncon).

I know understand why this book wasn't on my TBR (in hands) list. ;)

Hello all: Isn't it great to be getting JE's again? That reminds me....it's time for me to reinstate wings. My BX'ing name looks so naked without them!

Hello Bookgirrl !

I read the series in order and I enjoyed this one a lot. Some are better than others ...

Part of a box of DCI Banks books. Thanks schwester for helping me to weed out my bursting shelves.

The next 3 ones will travel in a separate box. :)

WOW! This is the biggest BC-parcel I ever got! SEVEN DCI Banks, thank you!!!
(reserved for Cross-patch when I´ve read it)

In Covid lock down I am now reading my Mt.TBR, which was a lot of Alan Banks over the last days/weeks. I had already started to suspect in the last one or two books that the Graham mystery would be a big part soon, and here we are. I am not 100% sure but I think the last book(s) said he was not a close friend of Banks, only a weird kid and Banks had protected him from a bully once so felt responsible when he disappeared, but maybe I got it wrong.
As usual I don't get much of the musical references, but with this book I started to listen to a few songs on youtube when they were mentioned in the book and let them continue while I read on to get a feel for the whole atmosphere. Also as usual I had known quite some of them but had no idea how they were called (even if it is sometimes quite obvious with songs) and have never heard of the musicians, but at least I know this is a shame :-)
Of the two storylines in the book I liked the one with Annie better, because I like Annie :-) but even more because of the useless bad luck or coincidences that turn out to accumulate to the that totally useless crime. I'm convinced a lot of real life crime is of that category, and although you can't get a whole series of crime novels out of that it is somehow nice to see it a least sometimes.

The book is now reserved for Cross-patch

sent on to Cross-patch

It has arrived in an enormous parcel from schwester. My thanks go to Barbara and all before. Hi and best wishes to you all during these difficult and strange times.

It was telegraphed in the last couple of novels that ‘Graham’ was coming up - note that I am a reader that likes to take a series in order! - and marked by a change of format including different time lines and investigators it was a generally good tale. Am I the only one who thinks this series is improving?

I hope you enjoy a chance to revisit Peter Robinson’s DCI Banks.