Bad Boy by Peter Robinson

Peter Robinson's Inspector Banks series has always focused as much on Banks' inner life and relationships as it did on solving the mysteries. This can be a strength or a weakness. It was one of the things I loved about this series when I first started reading them but some of the later books have been so dark, as Banks' dealt with disappointment and depression, that I found them hard to read. I think this latest book is a little different and the better for it. The book begins with Banks on vacation in San Francisco. The plot focuses on Banks' partner, Annie Cabbot, and his daughter, Tracy, and begins with a gun found by the mother of Tracy's roommate. The mother goes to the police, hoping for help from Banks, as British laws on gun possession are extremely severe. This sets off a series of events that make up the core of the mystery. The gun belongs to Jaff, a handsome charmer, drug dealer, "bad boy" who is dating the roommate and with whom Tracy is infatuated. Banks returns home to find Tracy missing and in danger. The resolution is unexpected and very satisfying. Robinson does a good job of creating secondary characters who come to life. The biggest weaknesses in the book were the parts describing Banks on vacation; most of these events were unrelated to the rest of the book. Robinson has done an amazing job of keeping the characters and stories fresh through a long series.