Children of the Revolution - (Inspector Banks Novels) by Peter Robinson (Paperback)

About the Book

"A disgraced college lecturer is found murdered on a disused railway line near his home. He has 5,000 euros in his pocket, yet in the four years since his dismissal has been living a poverty-stricken and hermit-like existence. There are many suspects, mostly at the college where he used to teach, but Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks, much to the chagrin of his boss, soon becomes fixated on Lady Veronica Chalmers, who appears to have links with the victim going back to the early 1970s at the University of Essex, then a hotbed of political activism. Banks suspects that Lady Chalmers is not telling the whole truth, and after he pushes his inquiries a bit too far, he is called on the carpet and warned to lay off. He must continue to conduct his investigation surreptitiously. When the breakthroughs come, they are not the ones that Banks and his team expected, and everything turns in a different direction and moves into very high gear"--

Book Synopsis

Multiple award-winning, New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author Peter Robinson returns with Children of the Revolution, a superb tale of mystery and murder that takes acclaimed British Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks back to the early 1970s--a turbulent time of politics, change, and radical student activism.

The body of a disgraced college lecturer is found on an abandoned railway line. In the four years since his dismissal for sexual misconduct, he'd been living like a hermit. So where did he get the 5,000 pounds found in his pocket?

Leading the investigation, Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks begins to suspect that the victim's past may be connected to his death. Forty years ago the dead man attended a university that was a hotbed of militant protest and divisive, bitter politics. And as the seasoned detective well knows, some grudges are never forgotten--or forgiven.

Just as he's about to break the case open, his superior warns him to back off. Yet Banks isn't about to stop, even if it means risking his career. He's certain there's more to the mystery than meets the eye . . . and more skeletons to uncover before the case can finally be closed.

From the Back Cover

From one of the world's most acclaimed writers: a twisting, relentless tale of buried secrets and bitter revenge, featuring one of the most complex and beloved protagonists in contemporary fiction.

The body of disgraced college lecturer Gavin Miller is found on an abandoned railway line by a woman out walking her dog early one winter morning. In the four years since Miller's dismissal, he's been living like a hermit. So where did he get the thousands in cash found in his pocket? Leading the investigation, Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks begins to suspect that the victim's distant past may be connected to his death. Forty years ago the dead man attended a university that was a hotbed of militant protest and divisive, bitter passions. And as the seasoned detective well knows, some grudges are never forgotten--or forgiven.

Just as Banks is about to break the case open, his superior warns him to back off or risk losing the promotion he has been promised. Yet Banks isn't about to stop, even if it means risking his career. He's certain there's more to the mystery than meets the eye, and more skeletons to uncover before the case can finally be closed.

Review Quotes

"Absorbing...Robinson excels at connecting his detectives' personal stories to the investigation, endowing familiar characters with fresh nuance and depth. Impeccable pacing fleshes out Miller's tragic life and unravels the killer's motive." -- Publishers Weekly on CHILDREN OF THE REVOLUTION

Praise for Peter Robinson and the Detective Banks series: "Robinson rolls out a police procedural with exquisite precision." -- USA Today

"Ambitious...Robinson shows a keen awareness of the global reach of crime." -- New York Times Book Review

"Superb mystery series...outstanding." -- Wall Street Journal

"Smoothly blends careful police work and astute psychological observations." -- Publishers Weekly

"It's easy to relate to and root for Banks." -- New York Post

"Haunting stand-alone from Arthus Ellis Award-winner Robinson." -- Publishers Weekly on Before the Poison

"Consistently fun...[A] first-rate procedural and character study.." -- Booklist (starred review) on CHILDREN OF THE REVOLUTION

"[Childred of the Revolution is] well-plotted and satisfying right to the end....Robinson has won many awards for his Detective Banks novels, and with this latest, he demonstrates his mastery of the craft." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review) on CHILDREN OF THE REVOLUTION

"Excellent." -- Library Journal on CHILDREN OF THE REVOLUTION

"Banks is a fully rounded character - smart, dogged and not above defying his superiors. The supporting cast is equally strong, including the wonderfully named Detective Sergeant Winsome Jackman and Lady Veronica Chalmers, an aristocrat whose radical activities during her university years link her to the dead man." -- Seattle Times on CHILDREN OF THE REVOLUTION

"Meticulously detailed...This is a fine, twisty, surprising tale." -- Providence Journal on CHILDREN OF THE REVOLUTION

"Robinson again succeeds in creating a satifyingly confounding mystery and increasing the already formidable depth of his superb ensemble cast." -- Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine on CHILDREN OF THE REVOLUTION