As someone who has dipped in and out of this series, I've found it fairly easy to pick up any of these titles and dive right in. In this one, Banks and Annie are investigating two seemingly unrelated cases, one involving a young local woman and the other involving a man in his sixties. The story goes back and forth between the two investigations, and also introduces a third element of intrigue when Annie's father's new partner alerts Banks and Annie to the return of a dangerous old enemy. The tension is palpable as it mounts with each turn of the page.

I think that I might have benefitted from having read the series in order, or at least the book(s) involving the old enemy, to better appreciate the portion of the story involving the old enemy. It did not detract from my reading experience though. I just know I likely missed some nuance that others who have read all of the prior books in the series might not have. This series tends to be a bit grittier than others I read on a regular basis, and this one was no exception. I don't mind a grittier read from time to time, but more sensitive readers may want to weigh that.

Many thanks to William Morrow for providing a NetGalley copy of this title in the Inspector Banks series! They kindly provided this very early in the pandemic lockdown days and I'm glad that I finally read it, albeit much later than intended. I'm sorry to see this series end with the passing of Peter Robinson in 2022. His contributions to the mystery genre are many and I am so fortunate to have had the chance to meet him several years ago at a conference where he was one of the honorees. He was incredibly personable and kind to his fans, and was an engaging speaker. I look forward to continuing to read other books in the Inspector Banks series and exploring this world even more.

As I read this book I was reminded of the British mystery series I enjoy so much., then I realized this series WAS the basis of the TV series DCI Banks.

It’s the kind of mystery I enjoy very much with rich characters, multiple cases that end up being intertwined cases with a surprising and satisfying result. I know there are many more in the series and I’d certainly check them out.

Ok… so I have have very mixed feelings about this one

LIKES:
1) I love British crime stories
2) lots of moving pieces to keep you guessing
3) mentions HP and Scott & Bailey!
4) left me curious about Zelda

DISLIKES:
1) felt a little of the same formula. I mentioned before that I enjoy British crime shows, but I also have had to take a break because so many seem the same.
2) some of the writing felt lazy and predictable. Where I didn’t know for sure who the murderer was, it was probably it because I zoned out. It really wasn’t too hard to figure it out.

Good detective novel. This is a later book in a series featuring Inspector Alan Banks and as I have not read any of the earlier novels, it is difficult to compare. The storyline was interesting but I felt there was too much emphasis on the main character’s music and reading choices and not enough on the procedures for solving the mystery of three deaths. There were many characters and relationships mentioned that apparently were featured in the previous books, as well as references to crimes committed against them. I recognize that reading the series in order would likely allow one to better appreciate this latest book, but I still felt that it could have been a better stand alone novel without the all of the past references. Last the novel ending and wrap up of the mysteries was rather abrupt and left the reader with just another cliff hanger.

Title: Careless Love
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and BCG for the free Friday read. 4 stars. Will recommend

I would not have requested this book if I had known it was number 25 in the series. I was able to follow along just fine, but I think I missed some of the details. Obviously, I came into the story late in the game, and the storyline about Zelda was a bit confusing. The murder cases in this book were easy enough to follow, but I don’t feel compelled to go back and read the series from the beginning or continue on with the characters.

Careless Love is an installment in Peter Robinson's Inspector Banks series, book 25. It was interesting to follow Banks as he investigated the murders, however I felt a bit bored with the directions the story veered off on at times. It's not my favorite book, but maybe if I had been reading all the others in the series I'd be more invested!

This is the first book I’ve read in this series and this is the 25th installment! I usually like to read series in order and so perhaps would have enjoyed this one more if I’d had more background. DI Banks is an interesting character. Perhaps I’ll go back and read from the beginning.

Having never read any of the DCI Banks series by Peter Robinson, this was a good introduction to it and I enjoyed the book very much. I liked the main characters and it had a good and interesting plot. I would read more of this series.

This is the 25th novel in the DCI Banks series and it begins with two deaths. A young student is found dead in an abandoned car & an old man is found dead on an isolated area of a moorland. There are no signs of foul play, but in a Peter Robinson novel things aren't what they seem.
This is a good Banks novel, but some of his others are extraordinary. While the mysterious deaths are fascinating I found the solution rather less interesting. Solid 3 star read in the series.

This is the first book in the DCI Banks series I’ve read. I liked the characters and the story was well developed.

I really enjoyed this book. I had not read one of his before. I liked the characters. I was intrigued by the story line at the beginning of the book. Planning to read the rest of the series. It would be nice to have a list of all of the songs mentioned in the book, so readers can go and listen to them. Will definitely recommend

This is the 25th novel in Peter Robinson's Inspector Banks series. The book can be read as a stand alone novel;, even though there are minor references to a previous storyline.

Careless Love opens with DS Alan Banks and DI Annie Cabbot investigating the discovery of two bodies found not far from each other. The first body is that of a second year college student found in an abandoned car. The second body is that of a rich local gentleman that fell down an embankment. Are these two crimes connected or a coincidence?

This is the first novel I have read by this author. The characters are likeable and well-developed. After 24 other novels I suspect they are like family to the author. The criminal investigation and story development is formulaic. I was easily able to figure out a key piece of information to solve both mysteries early on. However, the author delayed full disclosure on the link to the investigation until the resolution of the story.

This was a very enjoyable, quick read and I look forward to enjoying other books in this series. Thank you #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This is the first time I have read Robinson. The book was okay. Held my interest. I liked the characters in it. A car is stranded and tagged by police to be removed, before it is removed a dead girl is found in it. She has no identification and appears to have died from overdose which caused her to vomit and asphyxiate. The detectives attempt to find out how she ended up there and while investigating, another dead body is found.

Careless Love is a solid-showing British mystery. It is definitely a slow build, putting pieces together after a young woman and an older man are found dead in a close time span. At first glance there wouldn't be any connection between the two - the woman having been placed in an abandoned car after her death, and the man being found deep in a gully with a broken neck. But nobody believes in coincidences so the investigators split up and begin tracking backward to see if one is really a suicide and the other really an accident. A call from a former team member about a murder in his district only heightens the mystery and begins to allow pieces to fall together. This isn't really a page turner, but it's perfect if you are looking for something that isn't graphic and tickles the gray matter as you try to solve the mystery alongside the inspectors. I haven't read any of the other books in the Inspector Banks series, but besides backstory on the main characters that isn't really necessary for following the story.

In the late nineties and early to mid 2000s, I loved Peter Robinson’s DCI Banks’ novels, and would eagerly anticipate the next installment in the series. Unfortunately, his latest novels haven’t live up to the earlier excellence. “Careless Love, book 25 in the series was similarly disappointing as it dragged in many places and felt dull and plodding.

In “Careless Love,” Chief Inspector Alan Banks and his team from the quaint Yorkshire village of Eastvale discover two mysterious deaths—one of a young woman found dead of an overdose in a car with a “Police Aware” sign in the window, and the other of a middle aged man who had apparently fallen into a gully and broken his neck. Halfway through the book a third death of another young woman is discovered in an old derelict shack.

What follows is a plodding series of tedious police interviews of various friends, family and acquaintances of the victims, interspersed with equally boring meetings among the police team in which the meager evidence is repeatedly hashed over and an attempt is made to determine whether the three cases are related. No progress is made in the cases until at least three quarters of the way through the book. I had to force myself to finish the book and it was a painful process. It’s a shame that a once interesting series has become so boring. Perhaps it is time for Peter Robinson to retire Inspector Banks and start a new series.