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Content snapshot
Flag an inaccuracy →What's in this book, at a glance — five things readers want to know before they start.
Violence
Some
A murder investigation; no graphic violence
Language
Some
Some strong language
Sexual Content
Barely any
Some adult content in the backstory
Substance Use
Barely any
Social drinking
Emotional Intensity
Some
The gap between a man's public reputation and his private complications; the specific intimacy of a small community investigating one of its own
What this book is about
Harry Steadman — a retired businessman who devoted his later life to local Yorkshire history — is found buried under a pile of stones near the village of Helmthorpe. He was beloved and had no obvious enemies. Detective Chief Inspector Banks investigates, discovering that a man's public image can be a very incomplete picture of his private life. Peter Robinson's second Inspector Banks novel is quieter than the first, more focused on character and community, and deeply attentive to the Yorkshire landscape that will be central to the series throughout its run.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
second of the Banks series; works as a standalone
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