Chilling portrayal of Yorkshire winter weather. I shivered throughout, from the meteorological descriptions, not the plot. This is an OK British dullsville police procedural of the Greeneland lite school, with a who-cares plot and at least 100 pages of padding. The one who dun it stood out like a sore thumb at first introduction. I give it three instead of two stars because it is literate and the dialogue works. Some interesting asides on twentieth century classical music. I find it difficult to believe that British police can get away with so much drinking on the job. But maybe they can. Maybe that's why it takes them those extra 100 pages to see what's in front of their nose.

"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.

I'm happy that I discovered, serendipitously, P. Robinson. He's my favorite mystery writer right now; since I discovered him about 3 months ago, I've read all of his novels. If you like Brit Police procedurals, he's the best--by far. Highly recommended.

I found this book exciting and readable but never thought that I was reading more than an average serial killer story.

Acting Detective Superintendent Alan Banks has the challenge of his career with the discovery of a serial killer. It appears at first that the only thing that remains is to gather evidence and to determine if PC Janet Taylor used excessive force in subduing the apparent killer. Several difficult areas are explored: the serial murders around which the story is centered, together with child abuse, torture, domestic violence, and the excesive force question which might be worth a book on its own. Aftermath is as much the story of PC Taylor, Lucy Payne, and Maggie Forrest as it is of Banks. What happens to these three women is the "aftermath" of the title and stems from the abuse suffered years earlier by Lucy. How Robinson handles the issues and their fates is the true indicator of his mastery of the police procedural.

Robinson does not ask the reader to suspend disbelief; his novels are firmly grounded in reality with believable, all-too-human characters and events which are, unfortunately, all to familiar to our world. (Didn't we in my neck of the woods just go through the Sniper Case?) The impact Robinson's books have on the reader come from the way he handles these characters and events. In the hands of another writer Banks' problems with his divorce from Sandra, his tenuous relationship with Annie Cabbot and the ambivilence he feels toward Jenny Fuller, not to mention his own professional stresses, would be a big bore. Here each character is developed and displayed with mastery. A growing mastery as Robinson has (to borrow from the editorial review) grown before the reader's eyes from the first Banks novel, Gallows View.

I disagree with those who find this book boring, although I did find a few pages with what seemed to be padding, as with Maggie and her shrink. However, the other complaint, that Banks' personal life and relationships are irrelevant, misses the point: Banks the private man cannot be separated from Banks the investigator; these interpersonal relationships define him as much as his work defines him. Altogether a rewarding read and I look forward to the next installment.

I have run out of superlatives to describe Peter Robinson, who is arguably one of the finest writers of British police procedurals, on par with P. D. James and Ruth Rendell at their best. I have read ten out of the eleven Inspector Banks novels that Robinson has written over the years, and I have enjoyed most of them immensely.

In Robinson's latest novel, "Aftermath," Alan Banks is Acting Detective Superintendent in Yorkshire, substituting for his ailing boss. Banks is depressed and on the verge of career burnout. He smokes and drinks too much, he gets too little sleep, and he is overwhelmed by the demands of his job. In addition, his love affair with Detective Inspector Annie Cabbot is not going well. Banks is still grieving over his separation from Sandra, his wife of twenty years, and he has little time or energy to invest in social relationships.

Banks's life soon goes from bad to worse. He is caught up in the case of the Chameleon killer, a man who abducts and murders teenaged girls. The case appears to be solved when two detective constables respond to a call about a domestic disturbance. The constables open the door, only to find a house of horrors, and they discover the identity of the man who appears to be the Chameleon killer.

Those of us who know Peter Robinson quickly realize that the case is just beginning. Who is Terence Payne, the biology teacher who apparently abducted, raped and murdered the young girls? What role, if any, did Terence's wife, Lucy, play in her husband's heinous crimes? Was Lucy a victim of spousal abuse herself, too frightened to tell the police what her husband was up to, or is she hiding something about her own shadowy past?

As usual, Robinson creates a large cast of fascinating and believable characters, such as Maggie Forrest, a domestic abuse survivor who champions the cause of Lucy Payne, and Police Constable Janet Taylor, who stands accused of using excessive force while subduing Terence Payne.

Robinson brilliantly explores the theme that police officers who invest themselves in their jobs pay a huge emotional and physical price. He also studies the ways in which people handle personal crises and traumas, and the devastating effects of violence on people's lives.

With brilliant psychological insight, an unerring ear for dialogue, clever plotting and compassion for the human condition, Robinson has written a breathtaking novel of suspense. I recommend "Aftermath" unreservedly.

This novel takes life seriously and asks the reader to examine some of his beliefs and assumptions about the world and existence. Unlike almost every crime novel (Thomas Cook and M. Connelly excluded)I read, this story has depth and "meat on its bones." For example we see how the police and the justice system can drive an innocent party to commit a heinous crime, which was only committed because the police were so eager to bring someone, anyone to trial. Also, we meet several very real lpeople, struggling to make it in life. Robinson pulls no punches in his gritty (often ugly) depiction of police officers and the squalid atmosphere of a police station for someone accused of a crime. Robinson pulls few punches in this story. Two problems, one major: 1)Minor: The parents of the murdered girl simply disappear from the novel--they needed a fuller role as the novel progressed; 2)Major problem: Main character, Banks, is flat and boring. His responses to what is going on around him almost make me think that he is clinically depressed, but Robinson doesn't give the reader any help in understanding the "major" character in the novel. Also, I assume the author wants us to think that Banks is an intelligent detective, but his willingness to acquiesce in the quick arrest of a suspect based on rather flimsy evidence and the zealousness of a clearly neurotic (obsessive) officer under his command makes this reader think that Banks is both apathetic (doesn't care who is arrested)and a poor detective.

This is the first book I have read from Robinson, and the only thing I regret is not finding this book sooner! This is an awesome novel by the extremely talented and humble Robinson. I must say, I truly enjoyed it for all it is worth. It is so deep, interesting, intelligant and inquesitive murder mystery. Never have I read a book that was so formally thought out. When you think you know who the killer is, there is always a twist and find myself questioning just how Peter Robinson will get himself put out of this theory, it alsmost seems impossible, but he always does. What guy. Pick up his books and read it people, honestly.

Deborah Harrison is the affluent and intelligent daughter of an important businessman. One day, on her way home from St. Mary's school, she is strangled in a graveyard. The residents of the Yorkshire town of Eastvale are shocked by her death, and Deborah's father is pressuring the police to come up with a suspect quickly. Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks is called in and he, along with his colleagues, arrest an English teacher for the crime. Peter Robinson does some interesting things in "Innocent Graves". He tells a good part of the story through the eyes of the arrested man, Owen Pierce, who swears that he is innocent. We experience Owen's panic and bitterness as he is processed through the criminal justice system and stands trial for a crime that he claims he did not commit. Robinson once again shows how difficult and painstaking police work is. Banks and his colleagues must interview dozens of people over a period of months to get to the truth. The patience and the perseverance of the Eastvale police force are strained to the breaking point during this case. The ending is a bit melodramatic and not completely believable. However, in spite of a few minor flaws, "Innocent Graves" is an engrossing mystery and a wonderful character study.

Textbook is a good summary of all types of foot and ankle surgery, but it tends to get overly wordy and bogged down with some of the history behind many of the surgical procedures. Book is also heavily politically weighted to make some procedures look very positive and other procedures to look like they should never be performed. Overall, I think it could have been better written, but if you can sift through all the triteness of the text, it is a valuable tool to understanding most of the facets of foot surgery.

There is no other "one book to read" about the subject than this one. Excellent.

The author has succeeded in providing a wealth of information in a highly readable manner. Banking history has the potential to be extremely dull, but this book, through the use of numerous anecdotes, manages to avoid this. The book still offers the reader considerable insight into Scottish economic history and is a good complement to Richard Savile's more academic history of the Bank of Scotland.

Another tale on the trials and tribulations of British police officer Inspector Ian Banks. Written in the kind of understated yet occasionally bitingly humorous style of the British, this novel effectively carries the reader along for the ride. The clues and suspects (as well as the motives) unfold slowly, keeping you turning the pages long after the lights should have gone out. Good stuff.

I have a first edition, signed copy, from Scribners (NY, 1951) which I acquired from a rare bookseller in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, in 1987. The significance of this book is that it tells the story of the four-masted schooner Argus, one of about 30 of the last codfishing sailing vessels of the Portuguese fleet out of Lisbon, and which is still sailing in the Windjammer Cruises fleet as S/V Polynesia. I sailed aboard her at Christmas, 1985 from Sint Maarten, and the Captain told us about her history as Argus, and that Alan Villiers had sailed on her in 1950, then written this book about her. Villiers writes with a style that puts the reader in the scene ... at once descriptive with insider jargon, yet prosaic in construction which leaves no doubt of his mastery of both the pen and his subject. The quest describes the six-month trip to the Grand Banks off Newfoundland, and north along the west coast of Greenland, in search of North Atlantic cod, the salty gold of the European markets. The author sprinkles historical significance where appropriate, crediting the early Portuguese sailors and the adventurers who made an excursion like this possible, and profitable. He relates the events of the voyage in careful detail ... lost dorys, iceberg encounters, fog and rough seas, and I swear you'll imagine your comfortable reading chair swaying with Argus as she skims the ocean, and feel the salt spray she kicks up with ease. A wonderful read, quite informative...

In this novel things are not as they seem. Inspector Banks is sent to investigate a beating death outside of the English pub areas. Everything seems cut and dried at first since the victim was a renowned racist who was seen arguing with a group of Pakistani youths. If it were that simple there would not be a novel.

The book focuses on hatred and drug dealing. Inspector Banks is having major personal problems that at times might hinder his investigation. This is my second Inspector Banks novel (PAST REASON HATED being first). I intend to continue reading the series because I have heard many positive things about the character in other novels. This book was good but not as good as the one I previously read.

Having loved Robinson's splendid novel, "In a Dry Season," I have become a big fan of this talented author. Even though "Blood at the Root" is not a top notch mystery, it still features the charismatic Inspector Alan Banks. Banks is a music-loving detective with marital problems and a penchant for drinking when he gets depressed. He is also having problems with his supervisor, who absolutely loathes him. In short, Banks is a flawed individual, but when he gets on the scent of the suspect, he is persistent in tracking down any criminal unlucky enough to be in his sights. Unfortunately, this time around, Banks is mired in a dull mystery. The plot revolves around neo-Nazi types who are trying to foster racial hatred in their community. One of their members is found brutally murdered, and the main suspects are Pakistani youths who had an argument with the victim before he was killed. The victim, as well as the other people who figure in this mystery, are not particularly compelling. However, I am still impressed with Robinson's sharp dialogue and his ability to delineate characters, and I will continue to read his work.

For those hunting for all Peter Robinson books, you should note that "Blood at the Root" was originally published in the UK as "Dead Right". Don't go ordering both....

The authors seem to be out-of-touch with today's high-tech banking and trends. A new generation of bankers moving at the "speed of thought" has left the contents of this book in the dust. Not a good pick for educating students who will lead the pack in the new millennium.

It is a very useful book with a clear style and it presents an in-depth analysis of commercial banks. But it lacks one thing that could have made it much better: it doesnt have a solutions manual and a guide for the cases..It presents difficulties for the self learners like me...

The essentials of banking are clearly explained in this book.Topics such as the management of bank capital, asset/liability management,international banking and bank mergers and acquisitions are explained with detail and clarity. Though this book doesn't deal with internet banking it helps you understand the underlying nature of every bank. I specially like the chapter where the authors explain the profitability of banks and how the banking business measures it.

I found the authors last book In a Dry Season well written and quiet enjoyable. It even won an award from the Mysteries Writers of American. But I found I liked this book even better. So if you read and liked In A Dry Season you will without a doubt like this book. The story kept me interested from the begnning to the end. There wasn't one dull moment in the entire book and as always Inspector Banks was great. Annie Cabbot from the last novel re-enters Inspector Banks life which makes for some interesting situations. A must read for any fan of Inspector Banks. Or for that matter anyone who enjoys a good and solid English police investigation.

In this eleventh outing for Inspector Banks, he is asked by his Chief Constable and nemesis to go to London to find the Chief Constable's daughter who ran away from home several months earlier. Locating the daughter is not that difficult, even taking her back to Eastvale is easy. But once she's home a series of events, including several murders, has Banks trying to determine who did what to whom and why. The main suspect is a man who seemingly gets away with any crime to which he puts his mind. Banks is a fortysomething divorced man who is coming to terms with his private life and trying to get his professional life back on track as well, but whose choices that are not the best to succeed at either. Robinson reintroduces Detective Sergeant Annie Cabbot, newly transferred to Banks' neck of the woods. As she and Banks unravel the story behind the murders, it is painstaking police work with no leaps of faith or suppressed major clues that appear later in the book and sprung upon an unsuspecting reader. As the clues are discovered,the reader is privy to them. This is police procedural at its best and a great read that you will be loathe to put down. Even if you don't like British procedurals, you should give this series a try. Reading it from the beginning is best since you'll be able to see Banks grow and change from the first in the series to this one.

This book is one of a series whose central character is Alan Banks, a British police detective. In this case, the complexities Robinson introduces into his mysteries generally work well. Banks' search for the missing daughter of his boss leads into a series of unanticipated complications, including murder. His investigation points to different suspects at different times. The boss man's reaction to Banks' lunch with the missing girl (who turns up dead that night) seems strangely muted. Banks' on and off girl friend, another police detective, is treated sympathetically but is not essential to the story. The epilogue seems tacked on. Other than that, the book is a good -- and long -- read.