The 20th in the DCI Banks series, Bad Boy is arguably not Robinson’s best and certainly not one to start with if you’re not a pre-existing fan of the series. Absent for much of the novel, it lacks Banks narrative and instead his partner DI Anne Cabbot and his daughter Tracy are thrust into the spotlight. The interesting turn of events and untraditional story should be enough to keep his die-hard fans reasonably happy.
If DCI Alan Banks had been in his office when his old neighbour came calling, perhaps it would have turned out differently.
Perhaps an innocent man would still be alive.
And perhaps Banks's daughter wouldn't be on the run with a wanted man.
But Banks is on holiday, blissfully unaware of the terrible chain of events set in motion by the discovery of a loaded gun in a young woman's bedroom, and his daughter's involvement with the ultimate bad boy . . .