chartsh's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
weaselweader's review against another edition
4.0
“Someone … kicked seven shades of shit out of him … sometime after eleven o’clock last night.”
Jason Fox, an angry, young, white man, up to his neck with hatred, racism and xenophobia in the local neo-Nazi group, the Albion League, is stomped to death in an alley outside a local pub after closing time. Racial tensions rise to the boiling point when it seems open and shut that a group of men of color – Pakistani and Arab, to be more painfully precise – are the killers but insufficient evidence demands that, according to the law, they must be released.
DEAD RIGHT is a superb word play title for a first-rate police procedural that deals with an issue that is front and center in headlines today all around the world. Banks continues to be the Inspector Banks that his growing legion of fans expect him to be – an observant, accomplished investigator who knows his place is in the field and would rather be any place other than behind a desk “co-ordinating”; a lover of classical music, most notably opera (he loves Cosi Fan Tutte), accompanied by a couple of fingers of good Scotch (Laphroaig is a special favourite); a family man who misses a daughter newly out of the house and off to college; and, a faithful and loving but less than dutiful, attentive husband who is duly shocked by a wife looking for some time and space to herself.
DEAD RIGHT is vintage Robinson materiel and a most satisfying read. Detective Constable Susan Gay’s infatuation with Banks is left hanging and readers will be wondering where that will go (or not) in the next instalment. Count me in.
Paul Weiss
Jason Fox, an angry, young, white man, up to his neck with hatred, racism and xenophobia in the local neo-Nazi group, the Albion League, is stomped to death in an alley outside a local pub after closing time. Racial tensions rise to the boiling point when it seems open and shut that a group of men of color – Pakistani and Arab, to be more painfully precise – are the killers but insufficient evidence demands that, according to the law, they must be released.
DEAD RIGHT is a superb word play title for a first-rate police procedural that deals with an issue that is front and center in headlines today all around the world. Banks continues to be the Inspector Banks that his growing legion of fans expect him to be – an observant, accomplished investigator who knows his place is in the field and would rather be any place other than behind a desk “co-ordinating”; a lover of classical music, most notably opera (he loves Cosi Fan Tutte), accompanied by a couple of fingers of good Scotch (Laphroaig is a special favourite); a family man who misses a daughter newly out of the house and off to college; and, a faithful and loving but less than dutiful, attentive husband who is duly shocked by a wife looking for some time and space to herself.
DEAD RIGHT is vintage Robinson materiel and a most satisfying read. Detective Constable Susan Gay’s infatuation with Banks is left hanging and readers will be wondering where that will go (or not) in the next instalment. Count me in.
Paul Weiss
gracenow's review against another edition
4.0
Well crafted, great detecting by Banks. I wasn't too thrilled when I found out it was about neo-Nazis, but the racism didn't overpower the mystery at all.
shahrun's review against another edition
3.0
Enjoyed this book. Not the best I've ever read. But it did have some plot twists I didn't see coming. Having said that I did guess correctly on others. Average.
nonna7's review against another edition
5.0
To say I am a fan of Peter Robinson is putting it mildly. As I continue to catch up with the older books in the series, I continue to be impressed by his writing. It's interesting that this was published in 1998. It's post Thatcher Great Britain where the industrial jobs are gone, and frustration takes on an ugly anti immigrant flavor by native white Brits. Unfortunately many of them can't distinguish between someone who is native born vs an actual immigrant, not that it matters. When a young man is found brutally murdered and disfigured, it is soon apparent that there is far more to this case than meets the eye. It turns out that the murdered young man had a sordid past that his family didn't even know about, a life of racial hatred and association with a group advocating racial purity. It's really a chilling book, and is amazingly prescient.
book__man's review against another edition
5.0
A great book to read, recommend to everyone great writer
merrynld's review against another edition
1.0
Admittedly this was the first Peter Robinson novel I have read so I fear I may have been a little unprepared in terms of appreciating the characters but I don't think that was what affect my opinion. I really wanted to appreciate and enjoy this book as I am a great fan of crime/thriller novels but I was so let down by it within the first few chapters. It was Robinson's style of writing that really made me squirm. It is way too obvious that he himself is still a novice at understanding the police force and is trying far too hard to use the typical voice of a police officer. He says things such as "Banks approached the door. He thought it would an obvious choice for breaking and entering." in a part of the story that has nothing to do with robbery/trespassing etc. It was a very simplistic approach to a narrative which made the whole thing seem a bit mediocre.
I fear I am comparing the style to Ian Rankin's novels which I find to be brilliant. He really captures the voice and attitudes of a police officer as though he were one himself in a way that Robinson seems to be merely attempting.
Additionally, the blurb almost reveals the plot to you so there is absolutely no suspense or mystery as you would expect with a crime novel. I found that I didn't care about Jason or what happened to him as I already knew why and how he'd been killed. Again, this is something you would never find in an Ian Rankin novel as his development of the plot is always controlled and well written.
I really did want to love this book but I'm afraid I doubt I'll ever feel inclined to read another Banks novel.
I fear I am comparing the style to Ian Rankin's novels which I find to be brilliant. He really captures the voice and attitudes of a police officer as though he were one himself in a way that Robinson seems to be merely attempting.
Additionally, the blurb almost reveals the plot to you so there is absolutely no suspense or mystery as you would expect with a crime novel. I found that I didn't care about Jason or what happened to him as I already knew why and how he'd been killed. Again, this is something you would never find in an Ian Rankin novel as his development of the plot is always controlled and well written.
I really did want to love this book but I'm afraid I doubt I'll ever feel inclined to read another Banks novel.
angrygreycatreads's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25