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Monday, August 14, 2017

Book Review-Sleeping In The Ground-Inspector Banks

As a longtime fan of Peter Robinson’s Inspector Bank’s series, I must say that I have been slightly unenthusiastic about the series. There was a certain restlessness about the story line as it progressed through the last few books. It didn’t stop me from enjoying the story or the intricate plotting that Mr. Robinson is so famous for; his delicate and intricate descriptions of the Yorkshire country side are always evocative and imaginative; his choices of music are always educational and have caused me to spend more money than I care to remember on musical CDs inspired by his musical choices. Yet, the stories felt like the characters have stagnated slightly even though both Banks and Annie have not stayed static over the sequence of books, it just seemed like they aren’t going anywhere.
The prior installment of the Inspector Banks series, When the Music Is Over, gave us a wee dram of tastiness of what is to come however. Banks had been promoted to Detective Superintendent and he has finally found a boss that he felt comfortable with, and his orneriness and rebelliousness seems to have been tempered by old age. The lone term storyline with the characters was evolving, accounting for both Bank’s and Annie becoming older. The other characters are also beginning to blossom into their own skin; Winsome Jackson’s character was becoming a welcome addition, and Gerry Masterson started to stand out. Indeed the introduction of Linda Palmer the poet introduces the element of poetry to the narrative, a most welcomed respite from the reality that Mr. Robinson is so adept at describing. So I see that installment as the foreshadowing of this installment.
This book is a full blown coming out party in many ways. Even though Mr. Robinson kept his dual story plotline, he executed it in a different way, expertly giving us all a nice head fake while doing so. He has reintroduced the character of psychologist Jenny Fuller, teasing us as to her potential to be Bank’s latest love interest. Most importantly, he has also shown Banks growing into his role as the Detective Superintendent, gaining gravitas and acting as the mentor. This is a most welcome development, as we watch Banks mature, much as we watch a good and trusty friend mature along with us. It is a comfortable and emotional evolution for me as I become more identified with Bank’s thoughts and emotions.
All the while, in a reversal of roles, it is now Annie who is the rebel of sorts, and the designated ornery character, although Banks has not completely mellowed out by any stretch of the imagination. Gerry Masterson is the ingénue and the story actually moves along in a smooth new way.
In yet another new twist, Mr. Robinson has also introduced an element of nostalgia and regret in describing the death of Bank’s first love, his childhood sweetheart Emily. It is a bittersweet interlude which helps us delve further into Bank’s psyche and his most primal feelings. This storyline does not seem intrusive, even though in the wrong hands, it could have. It fits nicely into the narrative naturally.

In my personal history with this series, I would put this book up there with In A Dry Season, the first book in the series that I’d read and the one book that exemplifies much of what I love about the series and the reason why I loyally and unquestioningly follow Banks. In some ways this story is better because it is much more emotional and personally meaningful to me. 

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