Customer Reviews
Always good reading - By: Robert P. Splaine, 19 Aug 2008 
I have read all of Mr Robinson's books,in the Banks series,
and feel l can make a justified review of his latest work.
Having to say at the start, that l still think 1 day Cabbot
will go back with Banks into a relationship.
It's the strangest start to a book l have read, the murders
are solved so quick. But the reasons for why are the story
base line. My ignorance shows through when he starts
talking about Othello!!
If you were to ask me is it a good bank's story l would
say yes without doubt, likein any Bank's story there
always twists & turns.
I'm convinced that if Banks went into a desert, he would
find water, becausein his questioning there isn't anything
he doesn't ask, & he always get answer, & most times a
small lead. This books shows off his interview technique's
so very well.
O well another year before another trip with DCI Banks.
Not a High Point in the Series - But Still Pretty Good - By: G. J. Oxley, 15 Aug 2008 
This is the eighteenth bookin the Alan Banks series & while it's better than some ('Gallows View' for example) it's not up there with the very best (`In a Dry Season', `Wednesday's Child' etc). Peter Robinson NEVER repeats himselfin these novels & after that many books that's quite something. And it proves he's still not tired of creating new storylines for his Detective Inspector.
Here, Banks becomes embroiledin the murky world of MI5 & MI6 when investigating an apparent murder followed by a suicide. The plot pits Banks against Secret Service operatives - but this didn't ring true for me. Alan Banks is a rural detective & would be out of his depth against such `big boys'. However, recurring series character `Dirty' Dick Burgess makes his inevitable, & welcome, appearance when Banks elicits his helpin finding out some intelligence information.
'All the Colours of Darkness' cleverly uses a major plot element from `Othello' (I won't spoil it for you by mentioning which!). This is acknowledged bothin the book's title - a line fragment from the play - & the fact that a local am dram group rehearse & later perform the playin the book. It's while watching the performance that Banks gets a handle on the case.
Banks finds problems with his love life when his actions bring grief to his ladyfriend. There's also a simmering undercurrentin the relationship between Banks & his DI Annie Cabbot - who sticks her neck out for him big time.
One thing I did find annoying was the constant naming of every piece of music Banks - or other characters - listen to. On his website Peter actually has a `Playlist' of music mentionedin the book. I find this a bit pretentious to be honest. We know Banks is intelligent & don't need to have the fact that he listens to Shostakovich, or choral music rammed down our throat to back this up. This is not a film, where a piece of music can greatly enhance a scene.
Unlike a previous reviewer (most of whose review I actually agree with) I have no problems with Banks's son beingin a band called `The Blue Lamps'. Named after a venerable British film, I think it does sound contemporary & isin the tradition of other bands who took their names from the movies: e.g. Fine Young Cannibals, They Might Be Giants, All About Eve to name but three. And do look out for the typo on page 87 (first printing - don't know if it'sin later reprints) where the word `fist' is used instead of `first' - takenin the context of which it is used it's fairly amusing.
Peter sets up the book quite nicely but slightly botches the endingin my view, & it finished up as a bit of a shaggy dog story. Banks is a bit more willful than normal, pursuing a linein a case he (and Annie Cabbot) have been repeatedly told to back away from. He also acts out of character when making a sexist comment to an attractive lady. This makes him a sort of non-PC PC (yes I know he's actually a DCI, but the line wouldn't work!)
Altogether I was a little dissatisfied, but it is full of Robinson's trademark crystal clear writing. This provides for a silky smooth read with not a single jarring sentence. In all fairness there aren't many real twists. However, the characters do come alive off the page.
The consistently excellent standard of Peter's writing has led Stephen King to comment `The Alan Banks mystery-suspense novels are, simply put, the best series on the market'. Very high praise from such a great author. Mr. Robinson is indeed a fantastic writer with some outstanding novels to his credit. I've read them all & honestly believe this isn't one of them. However it's still an enjoyable read - I just expected something a little better. However, don't let my bit of griping put you off - go read it for yourself!
Complex and Brilliant - By: Omega Man, 11 Aug 2008 
The story starts as a murder suicide case & explodes into something much bigger & gripping. But Peter Robinson never forgets to bring great depth to his characters. Banks is consistently more & more interesting as are his relationships with co-workers & the womenin his life. A must for those who love & know the Banks series, as well as for those who want to read a sophisticated thriller.
Middling Banks - By: John Grimbaldeston, 03 Aug 2008 The latest instalmentin the Inspector Banks series is a little disappointing. The plot is clichéd, reliant on tired conspiracy theories about the extent the secret services interferein our mundane lives, & an ending that is presumably meant to be enigmatic is both inconclusive & unbelievable. The musical product placements become both tedious & pretentious as Banks takes every opportunity at home orin the car to select music to suit his mood, & if they are meant to imply that the author has his finger on the pulse thenin other areas he seems out of touch. To have comprehensive school teachers describe themselves as teaching "physics", & "arithmetic & algebra" rather than "science" & "maths" indicate that Mr Robinson did more of his researchin Canada than he didin Richmond. Banks' son's rock group is "The Blue Lamps": with a name like that they would surely be playingin Conservative Clubs & retirement homes to an audience old enough to remember "Dixon of Dock Green", rather than clued-up rock fans at the Shepherd's Bush Empire.
He does leave us with one rather incestuous puzzle: one of his characters interviews a crime writer who smells, swears all the time & `pontificates about literary fiction'. To which of his crime-writing colleagues can the author be referring?
