Now a skeleton has been found which is identified as the remains of his childhood friend. Hesitant to admit his sin of omission, Banks nonetheless informs the local authorities of his encounter with the stranger, thinking the man may also have been responsible for Graham’s death.

Shortly after the discovery of the remains of his boyhood chum, a fifteen-year-old lad, Luke Armitage, is reported missing by his quasi famous parents in Harrogate. Since Harrogate is within Banks’ jurisdiction, he is called in to aid the investigation. Luke is the son of a music legend who committed suicide when he was a baby. Now he lives with his ex-model mother and her new husband, footballer Martin Armitage. Luke is an extremely intelligent boy, drawn to literature and music, a disappointment to his stepfather who wants him to be more athletic. Banks can’t help but see a parallel between the two investigations; both involve lost teenagers confused about which way their lives seem to be heading.

Close to Home is the thirteenth Inspector Banks mystery by Peter Robinson. It is the first to give the reader a glimpse of Alan Banks’ life prior to his undertaking a career as a law enforcement official. In previous appearances, he has alluded to the fact that his parents are unhappy with his career choice, but their reasons for opposition are rather nebulous. Finally, the reader is treated to Banks’ reminiscing about the year he was fourteen and thoughts of that horrible day when Graham Marshall went missing.

As Banks mentally relives this period in his life the reader gains insight into what makes this man tick. Though the book could justifiably be considered a police procedural, the emphasis is on character development. Alan Banks reveals himself as one complex individual.

Because of the dual plot format of the book, the author is able to simultaneously create a mood reminiscent of the 1960’s concurrently with that of the present day. With Alan Banks as the link between the two scenarios, the correlation between the two plots is obvious, but it is interesting to see Alan almost becoming a child again in his parents’ home. As Banks hunts through his sixties memorabilia, the sense of what it must have been like to be a teenager in that era becomes clear. Today, viewing the possessions of Luke Armitage, Banks notes that the music and lifestyle are different, but teenage concerns are remarkably similar to his own so many years ago.

There is no information in Close to Home that would cause a reader unfamiliar with the series to scratch his head in puzzlement. However, to fully appreciate what a great character Alan Banks is a reader new to the series would do himself a favor and start with the earlier works. So much has happened to this man that influences his present day thinking, one is sold short with no knowledge of his prior adult life.

The British title for Close to Home is The Summer That Never Was. That American publishers feel compelled to change titles is, in my opinion, a shady business practice. The British title more appropriately addresses the emphasis of the novel, which makes it remain more distinct in the reader’s mind. The American publisher’s ploy is undoubtedly to sell more books for fans of Mr. Robinson will see an unfamiliar title and purchase it, only to discover they have already read the story with a different name.

For many writers after a few books in a series the plots and characters tend to get a bit stale. I fully appreciate authors that need to take a break and write a stand alone novel. Mr. Robinson, however, seems to have avoided stagnation in this excellent series. While the focus of the earlier works seems to be less character driven than the later books, all are exceptional and should not be missed. My paltry efforts to describe the depth and beauty of this novel do not come close to doing it justice. Read it yourself and see!

--Andy Plonka