In a Dry Season

By: Peter Robinson

Narrated by: Ron Keith

Length: 16 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

In a Dry Season, winner of the Anthony Award, is an outstanding example of mystery fiction. Peter Robinson's Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks conjures up memories of classic detectives like Philip Marlowe and Sherlock Holmes.

An insufferable drought ravages the Yorkshire countryside, depleting the Thornfield Reservoir, revealing the remnants of the flooded town of Hobb's End and the terrible secrets kept safe within its watery tomb. Amongst the ruins, the remains of a woman's body are discovered. Detective Banks deduces that the woman was strangled and repeatedly stabbed more than 50 years ago. His investigation takes him on a treacherous quest to bring a killer, who has escaped detection for over a half a century, to justice.

Robinson pushes the boundaries of the genre by giving listeners fresh insights into the myriad nuances of crime fiction. Ron Keith immerses himself in his multiple roles and superbly voices the novel's complexities.

Follow Inspector Alan Banks as he investigates Yorkshire's toughest crimes.

©2000 Peter Robinson (P)2004 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"Anyone who loves a good mystery should curl up gratefully with a cuppa to enjoy this rich 10th installment of the acclaimed British police procedural series....Once again, Robinson's work stands out for its psychological and moral complexity, its startling evocation of pastoral England, and its gritty, compassionate portrayal of modern sleuthing." (Publishers Weekly)
"Peter Robinson is an expert plotter with an eye for telling detail...the characters have complexity and the issues range broad and deep." (The New York Times Book Review)

Don't Start in the MIddle

I found this book very interesting and enjoyed the listening experience, but would have preferred to read (listen) to the series in order, but was unaware I was starting in the middle.

Time and memory

A long and well developed story with great character development and an acknowledgement of the messiness of human understanding and their resulting actions.

So well written

Robinson knows how to develop characters and put you in the scene. His stories are very real. The only problem is the narrator. although he’s a very good narrator he has too old of a voice for Banks and all of his women sound elderly.

Not a Banks fan

I came away from this book still not understanding why the Inspector Banks series is so well-liked. The device of interspersing what's essentially a historical novel into the detective story was a good idea, but in the end the whole thing felt pedestrian -- I didn't care about Banks, his paramours, or the people in the 1940s story.

The reader was a mixed bag -- good in the historical sections, but not so much outside of that. His characters didn't sound like Yorkshire-folk.

One of the very best and more than just a good story

I’ve listened to nearly all of the Inspector Banks series, but I’ve listened to this one this one several times. As usual, the writing is so vivid and poetic and even the most minor characters are described in such vivid detail, their picture appears in your mind. The two intertwined stories make this a fantastic listen. The story is excellent and there is something in hearing it out loud that touches me internally much like a good poem would do. The narration is excellent in my opinion.

Terrible narration

I can't stand this narrator. His dramatizations of the characters completely misreads them. His characterizations of the women are especially obnoxious. In the last chapters, there is a lot of static in the reading, making it difficult to listen to. I absolutely loved this book when I read it and am very disappointed.

heads up

good book but listen to it sped up, say 1.5X or at least 1.25X - reader is a bit slow

Great listen

The book was quite good, ending was not visa ble until last chapter.The only complaint I have is the reader. After many books with James Langston, Ron Keith's performance was less than what I was used to. He does not change voices for the many characters so it is easy to get confused during the story. I almost put the book down after the first chapter but I hated to loose a good story to a bad performance. I am sorry that the rest of the series is read by Mr Keith. I can only hope he performance improves.

loved it!

The crime, 50 years past. The murderer still alive. Banks solves the case. What happens to his marriage, his kids, his first roommate, all explained. Now I can go back to book 3 and enjoy the story. I hate too much suspense. If suspense is all you have. . . well, F it. A good story. That is what I like.

Love DCI Banks!

This is my favorite Banks book. I have read it twice. When I came across it on Audible, I had to have it to listen to while I walk. The story switches back and forth smoothly. It was interesting to read about life during WWII. I liked how the murder was resolved. I highly recommend this book.