Book review: Abattoir Blues by Peter Robinson. A great police procedural that shows plots don’t have to be fanciful to be engaging

A couple of years ago I thought that the Banks series had run out of steam and was looking a touch jaded.  Last year I read Children of the Revolution and found it an enjoyable read, where Robinson had successfully pulled off a tricky balancing act of a straightforward plot that didn’t come across as one dimensional or simplistic.  I thought it was an enjoyable read.  So, when I saw Abattoir Blues, I wondered whether I’d be as satisfied with this novel.

The book starts with two parallel investigations – a stolen tractors, which is hardly a major crime, but with rural criminality brought to the top of the agenda by the new police and crime commissioner, it seem to rank at the same level as mysterious bloodstains found in an aircraft hangar at a disused military airfield.  Investigations progress, and follow ups flag a real concern about the whereabouts and safety of Michael Lane, not seen by his partner and stepson for several days.  To add a frisson of excitement a freak accident during a sever hailstorm results in a particularly gruesome find, which I won’t talk about here in case you’ve just had something to eat.  There are plenty of leads, but none provide the killer clue; that’s down to the team’s detective work to join the dots.

So, what did I think?  It’s another really good novel and although it’s the 22^nd Banks novel, the series isn’t running out of steam.  Winsome Jackman’s character has matured well and the introduction of other new characters a few novels ago has paid off handsomely.  I laughed at Doug Wilson’s unique but effective method of dealing with rowdy youths that make fun of him because of his similarity to Harry Potter and Gerry Masterson’s skills in intelligence led policing add a realistic dimension to the procedural aspects of the novel.  As Banks himself said the team are “coming along nicely”.

I thought the plot was great and really liked the way that the lines of inquiry diversified and developed, seemingly without any conclusion on the horizon, then started to join together and provide the answers everyone was after.   I wondered whether the sub plot of Jackaman’s love interest was a touch cheesy, but hey, it’s fiction, so really no cause for complaint.

Conclusion – a great novel whether you’re a hardened DCI Banks fan or just want to dip your toe in the water and find something new.

Romancrimeblogger