Children of the Revolution, by Peter Robinson

Peter Robinson. Children of the Revolution (An Inspector Banks Novel). New York: William Morrow, 2014. 336 pages. ISBN 9780062240507.

Gavin Miller was a former college instructor who left work after being accused of inappropriate behavior towards a student. Since his dismissal he has been living in near poverty. Recently he told a friend that things were starting to look up for him, but within a week he turns up dead after falling from a bridge. Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks believes that he was murdered and begins digging into Miller's background to find out who might have motive to kill him. Banks' investigation includes both Miller's work at the university as well as his own experiences as a student 40 years previously, when he was friends with students in the Marxist movement. Perhaps one of them has something to hide?

This was my first mystery by Peter Robinson, although he's already published two dozen books. His characters are well-drawn and intriguing, and the plot moved along at a good pace. I enjoyed all of the pop culture musical references, and the contrast between the cultural knowledge of Banks and that of his younger colleagues. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys mysteries, especially those set in the English countryside.

This review is based on the galley; Children of the Revolution will come out in April 2014.