A Dedicated Man

An Inspector Banks Novel

By: Peter Robinson

Narrated by: James Langton

Length: 8 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's summary

A dedicated man is dead in the Yorkshire dales - a former university professor, wealthy historian, and archaeologist who loved his adopted village. It is a particularly heinous slaying, considering the esteem in which the victim, Harry Steadman, was held by his neighbors and colleagues---by everyone, it seems, except the one person who bludgeoned the life out of the respected scholar and left him half-buried in a farmer's field.

Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks left the violence of London behind for what he hoped would be the peaceful life of a country policeman. But the brutality of Steadman's murder only reinforces one ugly, indisputable truth: that evil can flourish in even the most bucolic of settings. There are dangerous secrets hidden in the history of this remote Yorkshire community that have already led to one death. And Banks will have to plumb a dark and shocking local past to find his way to a killer...before yesterday's sins cause more blood to be shed.

Investigate another case with Inspector Banks.

©1992 Peter Robinson (P)2010 Tantor

Critic reviews

“Robinson's profound sense of place and reflective study of human nature give fine depth to his mystery.” ( The New York Times Book Review)

As good as the first

If you could sum up A Dedicated Man in three words, what would they be?

The past matters.

What did you like best about this story?

I like the build up, the way the author layered the story, slowly exposing you the characters surrounding the murder was very nice. I like this author work, because it takes the time to paint a local picture.

Which scene was your favorite?

The scene at the bar, when Banks and his wife went to hear Penny sing. I could really relate to Banks annoyance with Barkette (might be the wrong name).

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Shadows from the past

Any additional comments?

I really liked the first narrator, Mark Honan, and I did not hate the new author, but I felt like he struggled with the gruff voices he tried to portray. He sounded hoarse and strained, which tended to distract me from the story.

Excellent narrator

Some won't like this series because, well, it's written in the late 1980s so there are no female "coppers" and the characters are all very white and very British. And all of the women characters seem to be described in terms of their shagability (but this turns out to actually be a plot point here).

I got past these issues, perhaps because of my affinity for the TV series. And I’m hooked and I read the book fast, which is always a sign of a good one to me and despite its unmemorable title. I get impatient with writing that's manipulative, and this is anything but that. You are taken along on the investigation and it's a good ride. A body is found on the moors; the man seems beloved by everyone — and a teenage girl decides the police are lame and she's going to solve it herself.

Bechdel test: Pass

Grade: B+

The narrator on book #1 ("Gallow's View") was really good so I was worried when I saw a switch for book #2, but James Langton is excellent. He does women well and navigates the various accents easily (I personally couldn't tell a Yorkshire accent from a Welsh one, so he may do a horrible job for someone from the UK, but the accents are distinguished enough that as an American, I hear the characters from different areas of the country as distinct.)

Liked the book but the not the narrator

I like the Inspector Banks stories and the characters in the novels. He's simply relentless in getting to the solution. Thus I really liked the book. James Langton, the narrator, does a terrific job of capturing the variety of characters to the point that I can practically see them in my mind. What bothered me was the way he handled the narration segments. His voice drones and I felt as if I was listening to a meditation audio. My mind would go blank and I would have to back it up to get the full understanding of the narrative. Considering Mr. Langton's talent he could easily fix this issue.

A better read

Peter’s writing and my imagination gives a better visual of the English country side than having it read to me. I got a better enjoyment in dwelling on the complete story at my pace then on the speed of the narration. Mr Langton’s performance was outstanding throughout the book. I will look for his name on other books.

Poor narrator

My first DCI Banks book and I was a bit disappointed. The story was good enough but I found it difficult to stay engaged. I think it may have been the narrator. He was too bland for me; rather monotonous.

The main characters are interesting and I think the books must be good since there are so many of them. I will definitely give the next one in the series a listen hoping things improve.

What a waste of time

I can’t understand why this book was rated so highly. The story was dull and the ending was stupid. You never really cared about the characters. The detective was sexist, and his deductions were ridiculous.

The narration is a problem

I only got half way through the book—the narrator became steadily more irritating. Most of the accents were well done, but with the exception of male dialogue it was like being read to by a nursery school teacher.
The story was good enough that I will buy the paper back and read it.

narration

Making women's voices nearly inaudible does not make them feminine. It is extremely annoying not to be able to hear the narrative unless being blasted by the other characters.

Fooled me to the end

Thoroughly enjoyed the intrigue and the scenery swept me away in my mind. It was a nice treat after visiting Yorkshire last summer.