The fifth installment of Robinson's internationally bestselling Inspector Banks series.

The body of Caroline Hartley is found one evening before Christmas by her lover, Veronica Shildon. It is a cosy scene-log fire, sheepskin rug, Vivaldi on the stereo, Christmas lights and tree-but Caroline is naked and covered in blood. Detective Constable Susan Gay is the first detective at the scene. She has recently been promoted to C.I.D. and the case soon takes on overwhelming professional and personal importance for her. DC Gay and Chief Inspector Alan Banks soon find plenty of suspects as they begin to delve into Caroline's past and the women's present life: Veronica's ex-husband, who is a well-known composer; a feminist poet; the cast and crew of a play Caroline was rehearing; and Caroline's eccentric, reclusive brother, Gary Hartley. Inspector Banks's fifth case is an ironic, suspenseful tale of family secrets, hidden passions and desperate violence.

Peter Robinson's profile page

PETER ROBINSON was a beloved crime novelist whose work spanned thirty-five years. His final novel, Standing In the Shadows, is the twenty-eighth installment in the Inspector Banks series. His critically acclaimed books have won numerous awards in Britain, the United States, and Europe, and are published in translation all over the world. He also wrote two collections of short stories, and three stand-alone novels, including the #1 bestseller Before the Poison, winner of the Arthur Ellis Award, Sweden's Golden Crowbar Award, and the Dilys Award given by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association. In 2020, Robinson was presented with the Grand Master Award by the Crime Writers of Canada. Several Inspector Banks novels have been adapted for television by ITV and have appeared on PBS. Peter, who grew up in the United Kingdom, lived with his wife, Sheila Halladay, in Toronto, Ontario, and Richmond, Yorkshire. Visit www.inspectorbanks.com.

"After nearly thirty years of reading thousands of mysteries and thrillers, I've come up with my three favorites . . . and the latest [is] from Canadian author Peter Robinson, Past Reason Hated." —The Times, St Petersburg

"Robinson's got police procedure down pat, and he always manages to come up with an intriguing cast of characters, a skilfully crafted plot, and a climax that's as surprising as it is satisfying." —Booklist
"Intelligent, insightful and thoroughly compelling, this latest Inspector Banks novel just might convince you that the British really do write a better mystery. In the impeccable tradition of P.D. James and Elizabeth George, Peter Robinson's latest work makes for fascinating reading. . . . This book should come with a warning label that Robinson's novels are habit forming. If you weren't a fan of his before you pick up this book, you're guaranteed to become one by its exciting conclusion." —West Coast Review of Books, Art, and Entertainment