Part of Inspector Banks, book 9
First published 1998
A young man lies dead in a shadowy alley, struck down by someone who vanished into the night. Inspector Banks arrives at the scene in a small Yorkshire town where secrets run deep beneath the surface. The victim carried more darkness than anyone suspected. His hidden life reveals a web of contradictions that disturbs even seasoned investigators. Banks must dig through layers of deception while wrestling with his own troubled thoughts. The case pulls him into the twisted psychology of both killer and victim. Each lead draws Banks deeper into the community's hidden corners, where respectable facades mask disturbing truths. The detective discovers that understanding the victim's secret world may be the only way to catch his murderer. Banks faces a investigation that challenges everything he thinks he knows about human nature.
Genres: mystery, crime, detective, psychological-thriller
Vibes: dark, emotional, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: investigation, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Yorkshire
320 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Avon