Fortunately for Adam, the interior of the cottage is still covered in a thick layer of mud, so despite the drop, he is not seriously injured. In his attempt to free himself from the mire, he grabs onto something, which is found to be the skeletal remains of a hand.

Chief Constable Jimmy Riddle, continuing his vendetta against Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks, assigns Banks to the case, since he feels there are already two important points which predict an unsuccessful outcome. First, the case is over fifty years old and second, there has not been any record of an outstanding murder from that time period.

To complicate matters further, DS Cabbot from Harkside, the local unit dealing with the case is assigned to assist him on the case. Cabbot, whom Banks is surprised to learn is female, is also in disfavor with her superiors. Both Banks and Cabbot are eager for justice to be served even after fifty years, but, in addition to reconstructing an ancient crime scene, many of the witnesses are probably dead, and perhaps the perpetrator.

Peter Robinson has chosen to tell this tale using an increasingly popular method of alternating the unraveling of the crime in the present day by Banks and Cabbot, with the circumstances occurring in the past that precipitated the crime. Often the use of this plot device tends to confuse the reader, but Robinson is such a master of logical plot development that the reader is able to follow both story lines simultaneously with ease. The additional knowledge that the reader is privy to from the 1940’s story line enriches his understanding of the present day dilemma.

Readers of Mr. Robinson’s previous Alan Banks novels are already aware of his talent for character development. Banks is not only an accomplished detective, but a man possessing seemingly oxymoronic traits. He is at once outgoing and shy, confident and unsure, aggressive and defensive.

Books are often described as “plot-driven” or “character-driven” or noteworthy for elegant description. Peter Robinson’s In a Dry Season easily measures up in all these categories. The cleverly interwoven threads of the events which occurred during World War II and the present developments during the 1990’s readily capture the readers interest.

Banks, although a series character, has evolved since his debut. His relationships with women on a variety of fronts show his growth in certain areas as well as his regression in others. While not overwhelming the reader with long sections of descriptive passages, Robinson definitely has a way with words. An example that seems particularly worthy of note: “When he saw her, my brother stopped in his tracks and fell into her eyes so deeply you could hear the splash.” Or in describing the London blackout “never more fully silent... never fully dark. You can see the sharp edges and cornices of buildings etched against the night sky in varying shades of darkness.”

Save the best for last seems to be an apt description of Mr. Robinson’s In a Dry Season. Often in reading a review book I’m convinced I’m enjoying a truly wonderful story only to be disappointed in the last fifty pages as the author tries to create excitement by introducing unbelievable action scenes and either rushing or prolonging the denouement. Peter Robinson has added just the right amount of drama to create tension while still maintaining believability to provide a truly memorable conclusion.

--Andy Plonka