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prof_shoff's review against another edition
2.0
The series started strong but slowly loses steam. There is little character development and a rather plodding plot.
nonna7's review against another edition
4.0
Peter Robinson is, in my opinion, one of the finest writers in the crime writing genre. It's wonderful to sit down with one of his books and find yourself in another place, and in this case since it is one of his earlier books, another time. It really puts the changes we've seen starting in the 90's in perspective. A hiker on a short vacation finds a body that has been partially hidden for about two weeks. All identification has been stripped and the face brutally disfigured. However, a receipt from a Canadian Wendy's provides the first clue. When Banks gets the call to investigate, he is surprised when his boss comes along. Superintendent Gristhorpe tells him about the death of a private investigator that was never solved. He sees this second death in the same area as, perhaps, more than just a coincidence. The investigation is long and, at times, tortuous and includes a trip to Canada for Banks. As always, in Robinson's Alan Banks series there is so much more to the story.
bucherca49's review against another edition
4.0
I am fascinated by the "hanging valley," and would like to hike there. Alan Banks goes to Toronto and samples the local beer while looking for an English woman who might be able to tell him something that will help the investigation into a murder that occurred in the "hanging valley."
el1zabe4h's review against another edition
4.0
I'm in love with this series! Nothing like a little British murder mystery.
angrygreycatreads's review against another edition
4.0
The Hanging Valley is book 4 in the Inspector Banks series. In this book in the series, Banks travels to a picturesque community where a fells walker has found a faceless corpse on his hike. Obviously a murder, Banks soon uncovers links to a past murder that was never solved and a community member who disappeared without a trace. There are wealthy brother landowners, displaced farmers, newly landed recently divorced gentry, an unhappy wife and bully boy husband rounding out the cast in the community. Very well written mystery, richly developed characters with a sense of despair that comes through, and an engaging story line. I have many more to read in this long running series.
paulshepherd888's review
4.0
Good plot and story, but rather abrupt end, but understand as answers and conclusions were dealt with
micrummey's review against another edition
4.0
A crime novel with a title The Hanging Valley makes it sound like a place where hangings used to take place. The Hanging Valley in this case refers to a geological feature formed by a glacier. It is in this valley an unrecognisable body is discovered by a hiker.
Of course Inspector Banks is called upon to investigate the murder and to try and find a mystery woman now linked to another murder in the same area several years previously.
This takes Banks to Canada and this gives an excuse for Robinson to write a travelogue about Canada and Toronto in particular, so much so I've tagged this book as travel as well.
As a police procedural, it's a slow burner as Banks and his team discover who the killer is but the author still treats the reader to an ending I didn't see coming, although that ending is rather abrupt.
Of course Inspector Banks is called upon to investigate the murder and to try and find a mystery woman now linked to another murder in the same area several years previously.
This takes Banks to Canada and this gives an excuse for Robinson to write a travelogue about Canada and Toronto in particular, so much so I've tagged this book as travel as well.
As a police procedural, it's a slow burner as Banks and his team discover who the killer is but the author still treats the reader to an ending I didn't see coming, although that ending is rather abrupt.
hayesstw's review against another edition
3.0
An Alan Banks whodunit set in Yorkshire, with a whiff of the bodice ripper.
ksparks's review
4.0
Another excellent listen-I chose the audiobook version by James Langton. As always, it had an interesting plot. I love the slow deliberate way that Banks solves the crimes.
ericwelch's review
3.0
2.5 stars, perhaps. Good audiobook. An alternative title might be "Banks goes to Toronto." I always wonder when a local character takes off for other pastures as part of an investigation. Did the author just visit there and want to add some local color? Is Robinson a Jays fan?
Ostensibly, Banks has to travel to Toronto to find and interview a woman who may have information about an unsolved murder in Swainsdale that had occurred years before but may be linked to a more recent one.
The body of Bernard Allen, a man who had briefly relocated to Canada, is discovered buried in the woods in a remote area of Yorkshire. The investigation takes Banks to Toronto to search for a woman who might have known him. (And we get treated -- if that's the word -- to a Blue Jays game.)
Banks has to dig back into the past to determine the reason for the killing. I had difficulty getting a feel for the motivations of the characters and this is not one of Robinson's better efforts. His writing is good, but the characters in this volume lacked full development.
Some reviewers have complained about the ending, that somehow it was a shock. Perhaps, but only in its abruptness. This may be one of those cases where a good reader (James Langton) makes a bad book better. I had difficulty connecting with this story, but the excellent narration prevented switching to the off button.
Ostensibly, Banks has to travel to Toronto to find and interview a woman who may have information about an unsolved murder in Swainsdale that had occurred years before but may be linked to a more recent one.
The body of Bernard Allen, a man who had briefly relocated to Canada, is discovered buried in the woods in a remote area of Yorkshire. The investigation takes Banks to Toronto to search for a woman who might have known him. (And we get treated -- if that's the word -- to a Blue Jays game.)
Banks has to dig back into the past to determine the reason for the killing. I had difficulty getting a feel for the motivations of the characters and this is not one of Robinson's better efforts. His writing is good, but the characters in this volume lacked full development.
Some reviewers have complained about the ending, that somehow it was a shock. Perhaps, but only in its abruptness. This may be one of those cases where a good reader (James Langton) makes a bad book better. I had difficulty connecting with this story, but the excellent narration prevented switching to the off button.