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Abattoir Blues

The 22nd DCI Banks novel from The Master of the Police Procedural

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Abattoir Blues

By: Peter Robinson
Narrated by: Simon Slater
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About this listen

 The twenty-second novel in Number One bestselling author Peter Robinson's critically acclaimed DCI Banks series.

When two boys vanish under mysterious circumstances, the local community is filled with unease. And when a caravan belonging to one of the youths is burned to the ground, and a bloodstain is discovered in a disused World War Two hangar nearby, things quickly become much more sinister.

Assigned to the case, DCI Banks and his team are baffled by the mystery laid out before them. But when a motor accident throws up a gruesome discovery, the investigation spins into a higher gear - and in another direction. As Banks and his team struggle desperately to find the missing boy who holds the key to the puzzle, they find themselves in a race against time where it's their turn to become the prey . . .

(P)2014 Hodder & Stoughton©2014 Eastvale Enterprises Inc. Crime Fiction Mystery Police Procedural Suspense Thriller & Suspense Fiction Crime Banking

Critic reviews

Classic Robinson: labyrinthine plot merged with deft characterisation
Peter Robinson deserves a place near, perhaps even at the top of, the British crime writers' league
A real page-turner that confirms Robinson as a master of crime fiction
As always with the excellent DCI Alan Banks novels, you can expect the story to grip you from beginning to end
[Peter Robinson deserves a place] near, perhaps even at the top of, the British crime writers' league
It's neither the setting nor even the characters that makes Robinson's work so satisfying, but the plotting of Swiss-watch precision
Classic Robinson: labyrinthine plot merged with deft characterisation
As always with the excellent DCI Alan Banks novels, you can expect the story to grip you from beginning to end.
A real page-turner that confirms Robinson as a master of crime fiction.
All stars
Most relevant

If you could sum up Abattoir Blues in three words, what would they be?

Banks needs Annie!

What other book might you compare Abattoir Blues to, and why?

All the other banks books....

Did Simon Slater do a good job differentiating each of the characters? How?

Hmmm, good question - Joanna McDonald had a scots accent in the book where she goes to Tallin with Banks - seems to have lost it with her married name? I guess he does need to make Winsome sound "black" but it always sounds a little bit OTT. Being picky I know - overall I do like the way he reads these books - I like them and I expect to hear Simon Slater

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

What's a tag line?

Any additional comments?

The bits where information is given to characters over the phone are difficult to hear properly when in the car - I listen to my books when driving 50m home from work so this is a bit annoying - not much you can do about it, just thought I would say

Good story but not for vegetarians

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Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

No. It's boring with a very thin plot and the narration was appalling

What could Peter Robinson have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Very little; the plot, such as it is just not up to main stream crime novels

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

The narration was poor particularly the attempt at the many ascents required by the author.

Did Abattoir Blues inspire you to do anything?

Yes, not to download this author again

Any additional comments?

Boring, slow, thin plot - just not worth the effort - how this ends up with a 4.5 star rating in beyond me. Not worth more than 2/3 stars.

Don't be fooled by the 4.5 star rating

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Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

No, it was sometimes hard to hear the voices, particularly during the phone calls in the story.

Would you recommend Abattoir Blues to your friends? Why or why not?

No, it wasn't interesting enough.

Any additional comments?

Banks is called in when a murder is discovered in an abandoned hangar but when he begins to investigate, it spirals into organised crime.
I listened to this book in the audio version and it took me a while because I didn’t find it very gripping. I definitely wouldn’t read another book from the series because it didn’t do anything for me. I will say, however, the plot flowed, and it was written well. I just think it lacked any emotionally charged characters or exciting cat and mouse chases which meant the story just unfolded without drama.

Not thrilling enough

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Good story, Banks back to his best in Yorkshire . I liked the narrator also. For me the Yorkshire accent added to the story.

Great story and narrator

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If you could sum up Abattoir Blues in three words, what would they be?

Interesting & well constructed

Who might you have cast as narrator instead of Simon Slater?

I couldn't take the narration seriously after two different characters both sounded distinctly like Les Dennis - quite funny but spoilt the effect for me. Jeff Harding would have been my choice

Any additional comments?

This is my first Peter Robinson book it was enjoyable and well written so I will almost certainly buy more but not if read by Simon Slater

Good story - poor narration

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