Inspector Alan Banks
Encyclopedia
Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks is the fictional protagonist in a series of crime novels written by acclaimed writer Peter Robinson
.
, and the Edgar Award
.
commissioned a television adaptation of the novel Aftermath
, with Stephen Tompkinson
playing the role of Banks. The adaptation was broadcast over the period of two-one hour episodes, airing on September 27 and October 4, 2010. The viewing figures were successful enough for three more adaptations to be commissioned. Playing With Fire, Friend Of The Devil and Cold Is The Grave have all been adapted for television, and a series of six hour episodes started airing on September 16, 2011.
Peter Robinson (novelist)
Dr. Peter Robinson is an English crime writer, based in Canada. He is best known for his crime novels set in Yorkshire featuring Inspector Alan Banks...
.
Background
The first novel related to Banks was published in 1987, and carried the blurb: "After once living in London and working as part of the Metropolitan Police Unsolved Crime Squad, Detective Inspector Alan Banks now lives in the English town of Eastvale. He has two children, Tracy and Brian, and a doting wife, Sandra. Since moving to Eastvale, Banks now works as the DCI for Eastvale Police, with his own small office, containing a metal desk and two chairs, with the window looking out onto the town's busy Market Square. Coming from working-class stock, DCI Banks abhors anything to do with money and wealth, a driving force behind his decision to move from London to Eastvale. His big goal was to not get caught up in the materialism of the big city, and by moving away, has managed to raise a respected family in a bucolic setting. DCI Banks also has an unique but good taste in music, and often, his charming demeanor helps him to relate to his suspects, as well as victims of crime. He can come down hard, though, when he needs to get answers quickly. But his main strength - he uses creativity in his interrogations and investigations."Content
The majority of the first selection of novels focused mostly on crimes investigated by Banks, however, the 1999 novel, In A Dry Season, had a large focus on his divorce from his wife Sandra, after their marriage grew apart, and their children flew the nest. Later novels had a sub-focus on his romance with DS Annie Cabbot, who makes her first appearance in In A Dry Season, investigating a member of Banks' team who is accused of manslaughter. She later becomes a member of Banks' team, and the pair have had an on-off relationship ever since.Awards
The series of novels have frequently been shortlisted for a number of awards, and have won a number of the most prestigious awards in crime fiction, including the Arthur Ellis Award, the Anthony AwardAnthony Award
The Anthony Awards are literary awards for mystery writers presented at the Bouchercon World Mystery Convention since 1986. The awards are named for Anthony Boucher , one of the founders of the Mystery Writers of America....
, and the Edgar Award
Edgar Award
The Edgar Allan Poe Awards , named after Edgar Allan Poe, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America...
.
Adaptation
In July 2010, ITVITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
commissioned a television adaptation of the novel Aftermath
Aftermath (Peter Robinson novel)
Aftermath is the 14th novel by crime-writer Peter Robinson, published in 2002 and is 12th in the multi award-winning Inspector Alan Banks series.- Adaptation :...
, with Stephen Tompkinson
Stephen Tompkinson
Stephen Tompkinson is a British actor. He is best known for his work in comedy and drama productions such as Drop the Dead Donkey, Ballykissangel, Grafters, In Deep, Wild at Heart and DCI Banks....
playing the role of Banks. The adaptation was broadcast over the period of two-one hour episodes, airing on September 27 and October 4, 2010. The viewing figures were successful enough for three more adaptations to be commissioned. Playing With Fire, Friend Of The Devil and Cold Is The Grave have all been adapted for television, and a series of six hour episodes started airing on September 16, 2011.
Novels
- Gallows ViewGallows ViewGallows View is the first novel by Peter Robinson in the Inspector Banks Series.- Plot introduction :Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks has moved to the Yorkshire Dales from London. He intends to try to escape the stress of city life. Violence follows. A peeping tom is frightening his new...
(1987) - A Dedicated ManA Dedicated ManA Dedicated Man is the second novel by crime-writer Peter Robinson, published in 1988 and is second in the multi award-winning Inspector Alan Banks series.-Plot summary:...
(1988) - A Necessary EndA Necessary EndA Necessary End is the third novel by crime-writer Peter Robinson, published in 1989 and is third in the multi award-winning Inspector Alan Banks series.-Plot summary:...
(1989) - The Hanging ValleyThe Hanging ValleyThe Hanging Valley is the fourth novel by crime-writer Peter Robinson, published in 1989 and is fourth in the multi award-winning Inspector Alan Banks series.-External links:*...
(1989) - Past Reason HatedPast Reason HatedPast Reason Hated is the fifth novel by crime-writer Peter Robinson, published in 1989 and is fifth in the multi award-winning Inspector Alan Banks series, itself winning the 1991 Arthur Ellis Award.-Plot summary:...
(1991) - Wednesday's ChildWednesday's Child (novel)Wednesday's Child is the seventh novel by crime-writer Peter Robinson, published in 1992 and is sixth in the multi award-winning Inspector Alan Banks series, and was the first of Robinson's novels to be shortlisted for the Edgar Award.-Plot summary:...
(1992) - Dry Bones That DreamDry Bones that DreamDry Bones that Dream is the 8th novel by crime-writer Peter Robinson, published in 1994 and is 7th in the multi award-winning Inspector Alan Banks series. It was published in the United States under the title Final Account....
(1994) - Final Account (1995) - American title for Dry Bones That Dream
- Innocent GravesInnocent GravesInnocent Graves is the 10th novel by crime-writer Peter Robinson, published in 1996 and is 8th in the multi award-winning Inspector Alan Banks series...
(1996) - Dead RightDead RightDead Right is the 11th novel by crime-writer Peter Robinson, published in 1997 and is 9th in the multi award-winning Inspector Alan Banks series. Upon publication in the USA, the novel was titled Blood at the Root....
(1997) - Blood At The Root (1998) - American title for Dead Right
- Not Safe After Dark - Short Novella in a collection of short stories
- In A Dry SeasonIn a Dry SeasonIn A Dry Season is the 12th novel by crime-writer Peter Robinson, published in 1999 and is 10th in the multi award-winning Inspector Alan Banks series. The novel is widely acclaimed as Robinson's best, a large step forward in ambition from previous books, and this was reflected in its critical...
(1999) - Cold is the GraveCold is the GraveCold Is The Grave is the 13th novel by crime-writer Peter Robinson, published in 2000 and is 11th in the multi award-winning Inspector Alan Banks series...
(2000) - AftermathAftermath (Peter Robinson novel)Aftermath is the 14th novel by crime-writer Peter Robinson, published in 2002 and is 12th in the multi award-winning Inspector Alan Banks series.- Adaptation :...
(2001) - The Summer that Never WasThe Summer That Never WasThe Summer That Never Was is the 15th novel by crime-writer Peter Robinson, published in 2003 and is 13th in the multi award-winning Inspector Alan Banks series.-Plot summary:...
(2003) - Close To Home (2004) - American title for The Summer That Never Was
- Playing with FirePlaying with Fire (novel)Playing with Fire is the 16th novel by crime-writer Peter Robinson, published in 2004 and is 14th in the multi award-winning Inspector Alan Banks series.-External links:*...
(2004) - Strange AffairStrange Affair (novel)Strange Affair is the 17th novel by crime-writer Peter Robinson, published in 2005 and is 15th in the multi award-winning Inspector Alan Banks series.-External links:*...
(2005) - A Piece of My HeartA Piece of My HeartPiece of My Heart is the 18th novel by crime-writer Peter Robinson, published in 2006 and is 16th in the multi award-winning Inspector Alan Banks series.-Plot summary:Piece of My Heart is the 16th Inspector Banks novel by Peter Robinson...
(2006) - Friend of the DevilFriend of the Devil (novel)Friend of the Devil is the 19th novel by crime-writer Peter Robinson, published in August 2007 and is 17th in the multi award-winning Inspector Alan Banks series.-External links:*...
(2007) - All The Colours Of DarknessAll the Colours of DarknessAll the Colours of Darkness is a 2008 novel by British-born Canadian crime-writer Peter Robinson, part of his popular Inspector Alan Banks series set in Yorkshire and the North of England. It is also a little-known song by the British band "Comus" from the early 1970s.-External links:*...
(2008) - The Price Of Love (2009) - Short Novella in a collection of short stories
- Bad Boy (2010)
- Before The Poison (2011) - Short Novella in a collection of short stories