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All the Colours of Darkness | 
 enlarge | Author: Peter Robinson
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Category: Book
List Price: £16.99
Buy New: £7.99
You Save: £9.00 (53%)
New (26) Used (11) Collectible (3) from £6.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  10 reviews
Sales Rank: 446
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 416
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.6
Dimensions (in): 9.2 x 6.3 x 1.5
ISBN: 034083692X
EAN: 9780340836927
ASIN: 034083692X
Publication Date: August 7, 2008
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Condition: brand new book despatched swiftly from the uk
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| Customer Reviews: Read 5 more reviews...
 Where did it all go wrong? September 3, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I thought his last book was a real clunker and had modest hopes for this one. The fact that I came back for more shows how much I had previously enjoyed Peter Robinson's books but this one, like the last, is a thinly plotted mess where the characters are just inserted into the plot willy nilly with no coherent reason other than that they are "old friends" or the like. It is becoming increasingly obvious that Mr R is relying on old fashioned impressions of Yorkshire and/or England and this novel doesn't ring true in any way (allowing that one needs to suspend disbelief in most crime fction to some extent). The police procedure is all wrong and this investigation just would not be allowed to carry on in this way. One last thing, like most contemporary crime writers, there is a frustrated music journalist in here trying to get out and the constant references to music are intrusive and offer nothing to the story.
For all those who have lavished praise on this one, I can only assume you have missed out on some of the previous ones which were (are) infinitely superior.
Banks has gone a couple of novels too far and Mr R has to seriously think about giving him a rest. Now am I mistaken in thinking that he started his writing career with a crime novel set in glasgow? If so this might be a line worth pursuing.
 Banks loses the plot! September 2, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I've read all the Banks books. He's never been the most sympathetic character, but he has always been consistently developed by Robinson. Not in this novel, though. Instinct gives way to flights of fancy. There are loads of reasons why a man might kill his lover and then himself. Does Banks consider any of these? No fear. Rather, he attends a local production of Othello and immediately pinches Shakespeare's idea and applies it to his murder case. The Iago theme has been done before (see Agatha Christie's Poirot novel, Curtain, where it's used much better although even then it stretches the imagination). I shall leave you to wonder whether Banks is proved right in the end. Nope. Sorry. I can't help myself - of course he's proved right. Talking of the end, it's schematic and feels as though Robinson simply couldn't be bothered to wind the novel up properly. Another reviewer has mentioned the music and I do agree that the constant naming of the different artistes and tracks smacks of pretension on the part of the author. Doesn't Banks ever listen to Abba? And what's the terrorist attack all about? Having said all this, I guess every lengthy series has to have the occasional dud in the list. I do hope this is Robinson's - I have enjoyed the series and look forward to Robinson returning to top form next year.
Where was the content editor? August 31, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
All the Colours of Darkness
I share the disappointment of some of the reviewers. Having enjoyed most of Peter Robinson's Banks books very much, I felt that this one read like a first draft rushed to meet a deadline. The main plot is weak and unsatisfactory, and finally implausible. In my view the publishers should have invested more time (and some of the considerable amount of money they must have made from Mr Robinson's work) in editing the book and requesting changes before delivering it to readers. It's a shame that the writer seems more interested in moving on Banks's personal life, which I feel should be secondary, than in plotting a tight and satisfactory crime plot. Let's hope that he's back on form with the next one.
Not the best by a long way August 31, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I`ve read quite a few of the "Inspector Banks" series and unfortunately this is by far the least enjoyable I`ve come across. This may be because I read it straight after the excellent new Mark Billingham, or because it really isn`t much of a story. The plot is so far-fetched it`s ludicrous, particularly the ending, and there are random elements thrown in that just seem to serve no purpose (the terrorist incident). Also,the dialogue seems to be between characters from the 1950`s rather than the present day; One sentence in particular was extremely peculiar: Banks opens his front door to find a man (a previous suspect) on his doorstep who had mysteriously disappeared.
The line is:
"Come in," said Banks. "I ought to put you over my knee and give you a really good spanking..."
Hmmm. That just seemed like a very odd thing for a police officer to say to a former murder suspect.
Also, although the Othello references were central to the plot, Mr. Robinson found it necessary to explain the entire play in the form of a dialogue between Banks and his girlfriend. This went on for several pages and I was growing increasingly bored with it.
Maybe Peter Robinson has been in Canada too long and has lost touch with the reality of life in the UK in 2008, I don`t know, but I found everything from the plot to the dialogue to be completely implausible.
One star...
 Just not good enough August 31, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Many of the Banks series deserve five stars. This book is not one of them and I've been generous with three stars. Two basic problems: firstly the plot just isn't good enough, secondly Robinson in common with recent books by Ian Rankin and Robert Goddard has mixed in "spooks" to what should be a police procedural.An unforgiveable twist in the plot has a major fictional terrorist incident take place in London, which means my disbelief is no longer suspended. Lazy story telling an my opinion, which explains my view that it's just not good enough.
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