The Price of Love and Other Stories

Like all Peter Robinson's admirers, I look forward for every new book from the English-Canadian writer and I almost never get disappointed. I had become interested in his works even before I read my first Alan Banks' novel. I still remember how fascinated and deeply impressed I was after reading for the first time his award winning short story "Innocence" back in 1991. "Innocence" is a harrowing story about a man whose life was ruined only because he happened to be in the wrong place in the wrong time. The subject is not new or original but if you read the story, you will never forget it. "Innocence" was published in the collection of the best mystery short stories of 1989, I believe. The book consisted of about fifty first class works but "Innocence" was the only one that has stayed with me for all these years. Since that moment, I became a fan of everything Peter Robinson has written. It is my great pleasure to comment on the second short stories collection written by him.

If you have been following the books of Robinson as loyally as I do, it will be impossible to put The Price of Love down before you finish it. Then, you may want to open the book and to read some of your favorites again. Robinson is widely known and admired for 17 novels with the main character, Yorkshire Chief Inspector Alan Banks who is a successful and shrewd crime investigator and also a very intelligent man, the great fan of good music and English literature that we got to know very well since the first Banks novel, Gallows View was published in 1987. All Banks novels are not only the first -rate crime stories but also very well written works of literature.

Of twelve stories that their creator chose to include in the volume, three feature Eastdale DCI Alan Banks. The closing novella, Like a Virgin, finally shed light on the often mentioned in many novels case from long years ago that young Detective Inspector Alan Banks investigated as for the London Major Crimes Unit. The case had such impact on Banks that he decided to change his life drastically and took the position up in Yorkshire, for Eastdale PD. He never returned to London. We will also learn where the scar besides his right eye came from. If you happened never have read any book of Peterson and this collection is your introduction to him, I genuinely envy you. It is such a great starting point to begin to explore the writings of one of the very best contemporary authors who chose to write the mystery books. His books are good not only because of their subject matter, investigating of often horrific crimes, and finding out whodunit. They are good because their language is wonderful; the characters are fully fleshed, because they are human and compassionate. All these qualities you'll find in each of twelve first rate examples of short prose. Robinson will surprise you with the unexpected and clever twists more than once. He will take you on the dark alley where the devil will tempt the weak mortal with an offer that can't and won't be refused. He will twist the familiar biblical plot and mix it with the mafia element. He will prove to be an expert in noir genre and "the murder in the locked room" case. He will leave the lasting impression and make you sad for a character who was accused of rape based only on the color of his skin, and angry that it had happened more than often in reality. It is not easy to choose the favorite story. The one which truly moved me, almost brought the tears to my eyes, is the short Alan Banks story "Blue Christmas". Robinson mentioned in the After notes that he was challenged to write a Banks story without crime in it. What can I say? He succeeded admirably. Christmas could be the most joyful and happy time of the year or the loneliest, saddest, and hopeless. Robinson explores both sides of the most wonderful time of the year and comes up with a little bright gem of the story, bitter-sweet, hopeful and simply perfect.

I want to finish my review by quoting Globe and Mail (Toronto): "The writing is, as always with Robinson, colorful and evocative, and the characters are brilliant in their unpersonable way. This book is a must for Peter Robinson completists, of course, but also for anyone who appreciates good stories well told."

Dear reader of this and the other reviews,
We can't all be wrong. Please read this book. It should not be missed.