Preview
  • Blood at the Root

  • An Inspector Banks Novel #9
  • By: Peter Robinson
  • Narrated by: James Langton
  • Length: 9 hrs and 38 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (169 ratings)

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Blood at the Root

By: Peter Robinson
Narrated by: James Langton
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Publisher's summary

When the brutally beaten body of a young man is found in an alley, Eastvale's Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks and his colleague, Detective Constable Susan Gay, have no choice but to lock up the three Pakistani youths who seemingly started it all after an argument in a pub. But they're out in no time, and Banks is in big trouble with the chief for risking a racial incident with the arrest. Ordered to run the investigation from his desk and leave the legwork to others, Banks's hands are tied and his temper is flaring. When disturbing facts start emerging about the victim, Banks can't simply sit at his desk---and he soon alienates himself from both the investigation and his own department. While his twenty-year marriage crumbles around him, he tries to make sense of a gray world grown ever more black and sinister, as he follows a treacherous trail of hate, greed, and twisted philosophy that leads to the darkest pits of a man's inhumanity to man. Brilliant and exasperating by turns, Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks inhabits a Yorkshire landscape colored in shades of gray where good and evil seldom conform to their comfortingly ordinary colors of black and white.

Investigate another case with Inspector Banks.
©2005 Peter Robinson (P)2011 Tantor
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Critic reviews

"Sociologically acute." (The New York Times Book Review)

What listeners say about Blood at the Root

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Very very good

The best DCI Banks so far, and most are darned good. . "Blood at the Root" is beautifully plotted; interesting and dastardly villains, and Alan's rounding up of them is exquisite.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

The ending is unsatisfying

Too many important issues left unresolved. I am not a fan of incomplete endings. I hope in the next book, it’s explained what happens to Banks in detail.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent!

What did you love best about Blood at the Root?

Plot is quite involved, as usual, but very well done. We see the beginning of the disintegration of banks' marriage. Narration is excellent. Quite enjoyed the whole thing beginning to end!

What about James Langton’s performance did you like?

Perfect accents for each character. Well done.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

These keep getting better

These books are not heavy reading and yet there is so much conveyed about the area. The personalities and emotions and lots of social issues with so little words in comparison. The suspense keeps the book on and schedule all amuxk!

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    1 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Too Gory

Contemporary language, violence. Ian Rutledge is more my cup of tea. Todd's stories are engaging without the carnage...should have been wary of title.

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1 person found this helpful