Part of Inspector Banks, book 2
First published 2002
Inspector Alan Banks faces his second major case since transferring from London to Yorkshire's Swainsdale. A local historian named Harry Steadman lies dead, his body discovered beneath a collapsed drystone wall near Helmthorpe village. The victim was widely respected and well-liked, making his murder all the more puzzling. Banks must sift through a web of suspects from Steadman's past summers in the area. These include Penny Cartwright, a folk singer harboring secrets from her earlier life, along with a suspicious property developer and several figures from the local literary scene. A young woman named Sally Lumb appears to possess crucial information about the crime, but her knowledge may put her in serious jeopardy. As Banks digs deeper into the investigation, he peels back the peaceful veneer of village life to expose hidden truths that someone was desperate to keep buried.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, detective
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, investigation
Setting: Swainsdale, Helmthorpe
288 pages · Paperback · Pan Macmillan