When the Music's Over by Peter Robinson

When the Music’s Over is Peter Robinson’s twenty third book in his Alan Banks series.  The series was the basis for a TV series in the UK for five seasons starting in 2010.  Although Robinson’s genre falls in the wheelhouse of Men Reading Books and he is an Edgar award winner, the author’s works have never before been reviewed on MRB.

Alan Banks is a long time detective with the UK police force stationed in Eastvale, a fictional town in Yorkshire, England and has recently been promoted to Detective Superintendent, DSI.  Banks is known for his empathy to the victims of crime and extends that empathy to his subordinates having recently been in their shoes.  He’s not particularly opposed to bureaucracy or department politics, he just tends to prioritize solving crime above those distractions- thus the slow climb up the hierarchical latter.

DSI Banks’ first assignment in his new position is a cold case nearly fifty years old.  Celebrity entertainer Danny Caxton allegedly attacked and sexually assaulted a fifteen year old girl, Linda Palmer after one of his concerts in 1967.  Linda Palmer is now a semi-popular poet who is recently widowed.  Although she outwardly shows no signs of long term damage from the assault, her profession makes her particularly articulate and believable in her description of the event.  Banks relates well to Palmer on several levels due to his love of music and poetry.  He learns from her a second man known to Caxton also sexually assaulted her and was murdered later that same year as the assault.  As other victims of Danny Caxton step forward, Banks is hot on Caxton’s trail to expose the lifelong deviate and predator.

  

DSI Banks' other case involves the supervision of DI Annie Cabbot and DC Gerry Masterson.  These two detectives are assigned to investigate the murder of a fourteen year old girl found along a country road bludgeoned to death after being drugged and sexually abused.  The victim, Mimosa Moffat is identified by publishing a drawing of her face in the local news.  Turns out Mimosa’s mother is a drug abuser living in a rundown estate with her unemployed boyfriend and Mimosa’s older brother.  The detectives learn that a group of second generation Pakistani immigrants had been seen hanging out with Mimosa. The local rumor mill suspects the Pakistani group of belonging to a ‘grooming gang.’  Cabbot and Masterson are well aware that grooming gangs are becoming a problem.  These young men primarily of Pakistani heritage prey on young poor white girls, hail them with attention and presents, have sex with them, and then force them into servicing their paying clients.  But police investigations of such groups is politically tricky since pursuing those of a particular heritage is considered racist and unacceptable to British societal sensibilities.  The two detectives need to tread lightly to uncover evidence that can implicate the ethic gang.

I had no particular expectation of this author so I was pleasantly surprised.  His protagonist, Alan Banks feels real and human.  In fact with all his characters, the author spends sufficient time to properly develop their histories and motivations.  His plot and subplots address timely and current issues.  His style while not particularly suspenseful, held my interest to the end.  I look forward to exploring more from Peter Robinson.