Customer Reviews (5)

Between Fair and Good
These 3 cd's were an abridgment. Had I known, I would not have ordered it. I've enjoyed several of Robinson's books. However, this shorten version left way too many holes. By the way, I was not pleased that Amazon failed to note the abridgment! Oh yeah, let me state my displeasure one more time. Then again, a few more grumbles might make me feel better!

Great reading, an excellent novel.
Peter Robinson is one hell of a good writer.I have read his entire Inspector Banks series and every single novel is terrific, compulsive reading.Whilst Caedmon's Song is a departure from his Inspector Banks series, the novel is just as compulsive and quite frankly, terrific.

Kirsten, a young uni graduate attacked and left for dead by a serial killer, survives the attack but with terrible, disfiguring injuries.The novel tells the story of Kirsten's recovery, side-by-side with the vigilante journey of Kirsten's avenging angel alter-ego, Martha Browne.Whilst slightly confusing to begin with, the structure of the novel soon becomes utterly gripping as Kirsten/Martha goes to extraordinary length to track down her attacker in order to extract her own form of justice.

As a psychological thriller, the book succeeds mightily.I devoured it in one-and-a-bit sittings!A fantastic read that pulls you in from page one and never lets go.I have no hesitation in rating it 5 star and urge all lovers of the psychological thriller/crime genre to read it.

The First Cut
Peter Robinson was born in Yorkshire in 1950, and is probably best known for his series of Inspector Banks novels. "Caedmon's Song"was first published in 1990, and was the first of his books set away from Banks' world.

Whitby is a coastal town in the north-east of England, and apparently relies heavily on the fishing and tourism industries. When Martha Browne arrives in Whitby in the early autumn, she doesn't have much bother finding a guest house. However, while she tells her landlord she's in town to research a book, it's pretty clear she's arrived to cause someone in Whitby a great deal of trouble. More than that, it seems she may be a little unhinged. (She has arrived with a `talisman' - a small, glass paperweight - and appears to believe that Caedmon - a poet who lived in Whitby in the 7th Century - "was the one who had called her here.")

Kirsten, on the other hand, has just finished her university exams, and will soon be graduating with first class honours. She's originally from just outside Bath, in the south of England - which, of course, means a rich family - although she chose to study in the north. In a bid to stay away from home, she and her boyfriend, Galen, are planning on taking postgrad courses in Toronto. On the night we meet her, she's celebrating her exam results with some friends - although Galen is at home, following his grandmother's death. The group of friends have had their difficulties over the years, but they've all remained close. (Hugo would prefer he and Kirsten were a little closer, but she's a devoted girlfriend to Galen). After being thrown out of the pub, they go to a party at a friends place for a while. Kirsten leaves alone, and walks home through the park - where she is, unfortunately, attacked. She only comes round ten days later, in hospital, with no memory of what happened to her. However, bearing in mind what actually happened to her, that may be something of a blessing...

The book switches back and forward, laying out Kirsten's recovery and Martha's search side by side. Martha seems a very cold, calculating individual and there's very little in the way of warmth or tenderness about her - but, right from the off, there's clearly a link between the two women. It doesn't take too long to figure out exactly what the link is - I suspect most will have it worked out a little more quickly than Robinson hoped for when he wrote the book. It's a little unbelievable at times, and it is a little dated too - you wuoldn't get a B&B for £9.50 today, while Kirsten's music collection is largely on cassette and not CD (or even MP3s, for that matter). At times, I found Robinson's writing is so formal it was nearly funny : Russell, apparently, "sure knew how to choose party music" while one of Kirsten's doctors actually says "And so you jolly well should". However, it's an easy enough read overall and it's a good deal better than some others I've read recently.

This Author's Books are Compulsive Reading

Peter Robinson grew up in Yorkshire, and is the author of a number of previous novels featuring Inspector Banks. He is the winner of numerous awards in the United States, Britain and Canada, and in 2002 he won the CWA Dagger in the Library. As I also come from Leeds the background to his stories is something that I have experienced first hand and because of this I have a special affection for his books. However they would be first class crime fiction wherever they were based.

It's a warm summer night and a young university student, Kirsten has not got a care in the world as she strolls home through a moonlit park. Suddenly here tranquil mood is shattered as she is brutally attacked. Later when she wakes up in hospital. She has no recollection of that night, or who attacked her. But then, slowly, as if in a waking nightmare the details slowly begin to reveal themselves . . .

Stunning.
I didn't want to believe that the theme of this book was "Monster Begets Monster" but that's exactly what it is, to me. The book is most certainly about a serial killer, but with none of the usual intrusion of police investigative themes. No real forensics. The absence of this, surprisingly, did not take away from the strength of the book. It is most certainly a hunt for the killer, but the hunter is not the usual hunter featured in such stories. For certain, this is a study in trauma; a unique look at victimology.

Add to this vivid scenery of English countrysides and fishing villages, careful character planning, and almost effortless plot development, and this book is most definately a stunner.

If you don't read this one, you're mad. ... Read more

Product Description

From the New York Times bestselling author comes a riveting collection of short fiction, marked by the piercing psychological insight and brilliant characterization that are hallmarks of his acclaimed novels

Ever since the publication of his first mystery featuring Detective Inspector Alan Banks, Peter Robinson has been steadily building a reputation for compulsively readable and perceptive novels that probe the dark side of human nature. Plumbing the territory that he has so successfully staked, The Price of Love and Other Stories includes two novellas and several stories featuring the Yorkshire policeman at his finest.

In the novella "Going Back," never before published in the United States, Banks returns home for a family reunion, only to find it taking a decidedly sinister turn. In "Like a Virgin," written especially for this volume, Banks revisits the period in his life and the terrible crime that led him to leave London for Eastvale. And in between, the disparate motives that move us to harm one another, from love and jealousy to greed and despair, are all explored with fascinating depth.

Edgy and smart, thrilling and suspenseful, this remarkable collection is a must-have for Robinson fans—and any fan of compelling crime fiction.

Product Description

From the New York Times bestselling author comes a riveting collection of short fiction, marked by the piercing psychological insight and brilliant characterization that are hallmarks of his acclaimed novels.

Customer Reviews (11)

A great little collection!
I really enjoyed this collection of ten short stories and a novella.

All of the stories have their very different twists and turns, and there is a good variety of unexpected endings. Some of the stories are fillers in the life of Alan Banks, the fictional detective for whome Peter Robinson is most renowned. The settings are mainly Toronto and Yorkshire: places where the author has lived.

I particularly enjoyed "The Magic of your Touch" for its light supernatural element, and "Shadow on the Water," as there is a reflection of my own life in this one, and an example of how childhood events can affect adult behaviours.

My favourite of all of these stories is the title story, "The Price of Love." This brings out the deep feelings of a young lad whose father, a policeman, is murdered in the line of duty. The subsequent actions of the adults who surround his private and personal world are made in total ignorance of the effects that they are having on poor Tom's life.

I shan't say any more about any of the stories for fear of spoiling them for you.

Finally, and this is just the nicest touch imaginable for me, the author rounds of the book with his own short explanations of each of the stories. His personal thoughts and motivations for each of them, and insights into how they came about. These explanations just add an extra spark.

This book is well worth my five star rating.

An interesting collection
The days of slick magazines are gone, and authors usually do not write short stories, but occasionally an established author will contribute a story to a special anthology, and occasionally (as the case here) an author will publish a collection of stories in book form.This collection has 12 stories, two of which are longer novellas.Four of the stories feature Inspector Banks.The stories can be read in any order, and provide some shorter reading when you have some time during an evening.I started with "The Eastvale Ladies' Poker Circle" which had an interesting title.Things are not always as they seem.As in many Brisish crime stories, weapons often tend not to be guns.A fireplace poker may be suitable for the job.

I would note that the last story, "Like a Virgin," is a novella original to this collection.It is when Banks worked for the police in London, and includes his first visit to Eastvale to interview for the DCI job.The story itself is an investigation into the deaths of young women working as exotic dancers with some prostitution on the side.Hard times in Yorkshire made many employees redundant (known as a reduction in force in the USA), and many young women traveled to London to find work of any kind.

The Price of Love and Other Stories
Peter Robinson, the well-known novelist and award-winning writer of suspense fiction, has recently published //The Price of Love and Other Stories//, his second foray into the world of the short story form.While the novel is his more familiar format, Robinson has received requests over the years for various themed suspense and noir anthologies, and his favorites are collected here, along with two novellas featuring his famous detective, Inspector Alan Banks.

While the plot constructions are sometimes awkward and the endings feel rushed, these stories are a great sampling of Robinson's skill with genres such as crime, noir, and horror.In the title story, a young boy draws on the courage of his deceased father, a cop, to catch a gang of thieves.In other stories, a mob hit is seen from the charming, yet flawed perspective of a young girl, a preacher exercises dangerous influence over his conservative congregation, and a luckless P.I. investigates the murder of a former model.

Fans of Banks won't want to miss the selections which flesh out his past in London and his relationships with family, and those who enjoy mysteries will find much to love about Robinson's quick pace and myriad plot twists.

Reviewed by Katie Cappello

Wonderful and Memorable. Should not be missed
Like all Peter Robinson's admirers, I look forward for every new book from the English-Canadian writer and I almost never get disappointed. I had become interested in his works even before I read my first Alan Banks' novel. I still remember how fascinated and deeply impressed I was after reading for the first time his award winning short story "Innocence" back in 1991. "Innocence" is a harrowing story about a man whose life was ruined only because he happened to be in the wrong place in the wrong time. The subject is not new or original but if you read the story, you will never forget it. "Innocence" was published in the collection of the best mystery short stories of 1989, I believe. The book consisted of about fifty first class works but "Innocence" was the only one that has stayed with me for all these years. Since that moment, I became a fan of everything Peter Robinson has written. It is my great pleasure to comment on the second short stories collection written by him.

If you have been following the books of Robinson as loyally as I do, it will be impossible to put The Price of Love down before you finish it. Then, you may want to open the book and to read some of your favorites again. Robinson is widely known and admired for 17 novels with the main character, Yorkshire Chief Inspector Alan Banks who is a successful and shrewd crime investigator and also a very intelligent man, the great fan of good music and English literature that we got to know very well since the first Banks novel, Gallows View was published in 1987. All Banks novels are not only the first -rate crime stories but also very well written works of literature.

Of twelve stories that their creator chose to include in the volume, three feature Eastdale DCI Alan Banks. The closing novella, Like a Virgin, finally shed light on the often mentioned in many novels case from long years ago that young Detective Inspector Alan Banks investigated as for the London Major Crimes Unit. The case had such impact on Banks that he decided to change his life drastically and took the position up in Yorkshire, for Eastdale PD. He never returned to London. We will also learn where the scar besides his right eye came from. If you happened never have read any book of Peterson and this collection is your introduction to him, I genuinely envy you. It is such a great starting point to begin to explore the writings of one of the very best contemporary authors who chose to write the mystery books. His books are good not only because of their subject matter, investigating of often horrific crimes, and finding out whodunit. They are good because their language is wonderful; the characters are fully fleshed, because they are human and compassionate. All these qualities you'll find in each of twelve first rate examples of short prose. Robinson will surprise you with the unexpected and clever twists more than once. He will take you on the dark alley where the devil will tempt the weak mortal with an offer that can't and won't be refused. He will twist the familiar biblical plot and mix it with the mafia element. He will prove to be an expert in noir genre and "the murder in the locked room" case. He will leave the lasting impression and make you sad for a character who was accused of rape based only on the color of his skin, and angry that it had happened more than often in reality. It is not easy to choose the favorite story. The one which truly moved me, almost brought the tears to my eyes, is the short Alan Banks story "Blue Christmas". Robinson mentioned in the After notes that he was challenged to write a Banks story without crime in it. What can I say? He succeeded admirably. Christmas could be the most joyful and happy time of the year or the loneliest, saddest, and hopeless. Robinson explores both sides of the most wonderful time of the year and comes up with a little bright gem of the story, bitter-sweet, hopeful and simply perfect.

I want to finish my review by quoting Globe and Mail (Toronto): "The writing is, as always with Robinson, colorful and evocative, and the characters are brilliant in their unpersonable way. This book is a must for Peter Robinson completists, of course, but also for anyone who appreciates good stories well told."

Dear reader of this and the other reviews,
We can't all be wrong. Please read this book. It should not be missed.

Wonderful and memorable. Should not be missed.
Like all Peter Robinson's admirers, I look forward for every new book from the English-Canadian writer and I almost never get disappointed. I had become interested in his works even before I read my first Alan Banks' novel. I still remember how fascinated and deeply impressed I was after reading for the first time his award winning short story "Innocence" back in 1991. "Innocence" is a harrowing story about a man whose life was ruined only because he happened to be in the wrong place in the wrong time. The subject is not new or original but if you read the story, you will never forget it. "Innocence" was published in the collection of the best mystery short stories of 1989, I believe. The book consisted of about fifty first class works but "Innocence" was the only one that has stayed with me for all these years. Since that moment, I became a fan of everything Peter Robinson has written. It is my great pleasure to comment on the second short stories collection written by him.

If you have been following the books of Robinson as loyally as I do, it will be impossible to put The Price of Love down before you finish it. Then, you may want to open the book and to read some of your favorites again. Robinson is widely known and admired for 17 novels with the main character, Yorkshire Chief Inspector Alan Banks who is a successful and shrewd crime investigator and also a very intelligent man, the great fan of good music and English literature that we got to know very well since the first Banks novel, Gallows View was published in 1987. All Banks novels are not only the first -rate crime stories but also very well written works of literature.

Of twelve stories that their creator chose to include in the volume, three feature Eastdale DCI Alan Banks. The closing novella, Like a Virgin, finally shed light on the often mentioned in many novels case from long years ago that young Detective Inspector Alan Banks investigated as for the London Major Crimes Unit. The case had such impact on Banks that he decided to change his life drastically and took the position up in Yorkshire, for Eastdale PD.He never returned to London. We will also learn where the scar besides his right eye came from. If you happened never have read any book of Peterson and this collection is your introduction to him, I genuinely envy you.It is such a great starting point to begin to explore the writings of one of the very best contemporary authors who chose to write the mystery books. His books are good not only because of their subject matter, investigating of often horrific crimes, and finding out whodunit. They are good because their language is wonderful; the characters are fully fleshed, because they are human and compassionate.All these qualities you'll find in each of twelve first rate examples of short prose. Robinson will surprise you with the unexpected and clever twists more than once. He will take you on the dark alley where the devil will tempt the weak mortal with an offer that can't and won't be refused. He will twist the familiar biblical plot and mix it with the mafia element. He will prove to be an expert in noir genre and "the murder in the locked room" case. He will leave the lasting impression and make you sad for a character who was accused of rape based only on the color of his skin, and angry that it had happened more than often in reality. It is not easy to choose the favorite story.The one which truly moved me, almost brought the tears to my eyes, is the short Alan Banks story "Blue Christmas". Robinson mentioned in the After notes that he was challenged to write a Banks story without crime in it. What can I say? He succeeded admirably. Christmas could be the most joyful and happy time of the year or the loneliest, saddest, and hopeless. Robinson explores both sides of the most wonderful time of the year and comes up with a little bright gem of the story, bitter-sweet, hopeful and simply perfect.

I want to finish my review by quoting Globe and Mail (Toronto): "The writing is, as always with Robinson, colorful and evocative, and the characters are brilliant in their unpersonable way. This book is a must for Peter Robinson completists, of course, but also for anyone who appreciates good stories well told."

Dear reader of this and the other reviews,
We can't all be wrong. Please read this book. It should not be missed.
... Read more

Product Description
A dedicated man is dead in the Yorkshire dales -- a former university professor, wealthy historian and archaeologist who loved his adopted village.It is a particularly heinous slaying, considering the esteem in which the victim, Harry Steadman, was held by his neighbors and colleagues -- by everyone, it seems, except the one person who bludgeoned the life out of the respected scholar and left him half-buried in a farmer's field.

Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks left the violence of London behind for what he hoped would be the peaceful life of a country policeman.But the brutality of Steadman's murder only reinforces one ugly, indisputable truth: that evil can flourish in even the most bucolic of settings.There are dangerous secrets hidden in the history of this remote Yorkshire community that have already led to one death.And Banks will have to plumb a dark and shocking local past to find his way to a killer before yesterday's sins cause more blood to be shed. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Early Robinson Showing His Best
Published in 1988, A Dedicated Man shows off the classic Robinson murder writing.Alan Banks is newly ensconced in his role as Chief Inspector in the smaller Northern area of Swainsdale, having just left London.This is the second book by Robinson and shows marked improvement over "Gallows View", his first book.

The clues are laid out before the reader as Banks receives them, but small nuances play an important role in this story.Robinson writes with clarity and succinctly develops the plot into quite a nice murder yarn.Any fan of the more recent books by Peter Robinson, should try to find this one and backfill on the earlier character.

While Banks doesn't yet show his dark side and the moodiness that is to come, it was enjoyable to see Inspector Banks before he becomes the brooding, introspective, dark, and rebellious character we have come to love.

Not for me
This was just not for me. Only read about half of the book, which is something that I normally would not do. Could not get into it.

Another good story
This second in the Inspector Banks series does not disappoint.I enjoyed it as much as I did the first one.In this book, Banks is on the trail of a pretty cold and calculating killer who has killed a local man and buried him under rocks in the open area in the area of Yorkshire where Banks lives.Banks finds he has to start sifting through some past history in order to figure out who did the deed, and unfortuanelty he isn't quick enough to find out who it is before another murder occurs.People will go to great lengths to keep the past buried.This is a pretty good series and for anyone who likes British procedurals, it certainly fills the bill.

Second Book in What Turns Out to be a Wonderful Series

Peter Robinson grew up in Yorkshire, and is the author of a number of previous novels featuring Inspector Banks. He is the winner of numerous awards in the United States, Britain and Canada, and in 2002 he won the CWA Dagger in the Library. As I also come from Leeds the background to his stories is something that I have experienced first hand and because of this I have a special affection for his books. However they would be first class crime fiction wherever they were based.

The body of a well-liked and equally well respected local historian is found partially buried under of all things a drystone wall, close to the small village of Helmthorpe, Swaindale. Why would anyone want to murder a quiet unassuming man?

Funnily enough several people seem to be in the frame for the killing. Penney Cartwright, a folk singer with a somewhat murky past, a shady land developer and Harry's own editor, plus a local thriller writer. All of these characters play some part in Harry's past life. A life full of wonderful summers in the dale.

A young girl, Sally Lumb seems to know more than she is letting on and her knowledge could put her and others in danger. Inspector Banks is certainly going to have his work cut out with this case.

Midsomer murders...in Yorkshire!
A good follow up to Gallows View but it didn't grip me quite as much.
Again a believable crime and good character descriptions.
It's great to read a book and feel like you know the town and the characters...Robinson certainly has a knack for realism. ... Read more

Product Description
A skeleton has been unearthed. Soon the body is identified, and the horrific discovery hits the headlines ...Fourteen-year-old Graham Marshall went missing during his paper round in 1965. The police found no trace of him. His disappearance left his family shattered, and his best friend, Alan Banks, full of guilt ...That friend has now become Chief Inspector Alan Banks, and he is determined to bring justice for Graham. But he soon realises that in this case, the boundary between victim and perpetrator, between law-guardian and law-breaker, is becoming more and more blurred ...'Move over Ian Rankin - there's a new gunslinger in town looking to take over your role as top British police procedural author'. - "Independent on Sunday".Amazon.com Review
Having already shown, in 1999's In a Dry Season, that he can plumb historical homicide for gripping modern drama, Peter Robinson goes further in Close to Home, telling parallel stories about teenage boys lost in a grownup world, decades apart. The first is Graham Marshall, a childhood pal of Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks, who vanished mysteriously in 1965, the supposed victim of a pedophile. Hearing that Graham's bones have finally been unearthed, Banks quits his vacation in Greece and heads to his hometown of Petersborough, England, hoping to assist the investigation--and, perhaps, assuage his guilt over his friend’s fate. Meanwhile, Banks's colleague and ex-lover, Annie Cabbot, is busy probing the recent disappearance of 15-year-old Luke Armitage, the sensitive, brainy son of a rock star who committed suicide during Luke's infancy. After Cabbot catches hell for interrupting what may or may not have been a legitimate ransom payment for Luke's return, she seeks Banks's advice, drawing these two plot lines neatly together.

As this intense and intricately crafted puzzler develops, blending fiction with a bit of fact (the Kray brothers, who ran a criminal ring in London's East End during the mid-20th century, play off-camera roles here), Robinson explores Banks's troubled relationship with his parents, especially his working-class father, who "had never approved of his choice of career." He also raises doubts about a famed copper who’d originally tackled the Marshall case, involves Banks romantically with a damaged detective whose investigative diligence threatens her safety, and shows Cabbot as someone better and stronger than merely Banks's protégé. Working with themes of lost youth and the dark secrets hidden in small towns, Robinson delivers in this 13th Banks novel a police procedural of remarkable human depth. --J. Kingston Pierce ... Read more

Customer Reviews (28)

A strong entry in an increasingly excellent series
It's apparent that the author feels sufficiently secure now about the success of this excellent British cop series to experiment somewhat with plot structure and narrative strategy. Each of the last few novels featuring DCI Alan Banks, homicide specialist with the North Yorkshire CID, has been a bit unusual in one way or another. This time, Banks becomes involved in two separate cases, one certain homicide and one possible. They're far apart both in geography and in time, but both involve adolescent boys. There are three POVs and three narrative voices, too. Graham, the earlier victim was a buddy of Banks's when they were both fourteen, back in Peterborough in 1965; he simply vanished one day, but his bones have just turned up at a building site. And Banks has always felt a certain formless guilt about his friend's disappearance. Luke, the present-day victim, is the son of an ex-supermodel and a rock musician who killed himself and the stepson of a retired professional footballer. Banks is handling the new case -- taking it over, actually, from the young, newly promoted DI with whom he had recently had an affair -- and simultaneously sticking his nose into the old one, which is being worked by another DI with her own issues and nightmares. Did Graham, whose earlier years were spent around the Kray twins down in London, have a secret life his contemporaries knew nothing about? Was the star copper of the day somehow involved? And was Luke's death really a tragic accident that someone tried in a panic to cover up?

Much of the enjoyment this time comes from Banks's not entirely nostalgic reminiscences and reflections on what it was like to be a kid in the mid-`60s, when homosexuality was still illegal, when there wasn't always a lot to choose between the cops and the criminals, when life was more "innocent" -- except it probably wasn't. Banks and I aren't that far apart in age and I remember the same pop music and so on -- but it's a bit of a shock to hear that many suburban working-class homes at that time still didn't have indoor toilets, or that Alan's father's station wagon was built on a wooden frame, or that the television his parents had just bought sounds similar to the one my family had around 1952. And I frankly have a bit of trouble believing that anyone could really remember the details of overheard casual conversations from nearly four decades before, especially when the listener was an adolescent.

Solid Entry In Alan Banks Series
In Close to Home by Peter Robinson, Alan Banks and his former lover Annie Cabbot each tackle mysteries involving teen boys-- Banks the disappearance of a childhood friend almost forty years ago and Annie the disappearance of the teen-aged son of a famous soccer player and model. When the bones of Graham Marshall are found on a construction site, Banks returns early from his vacation in Greece where he was seeking solace after his break up with Annie. Although not officially involved with the case, Banks works with the detective in charge, Michelle Hart, to locate Graham's killer and bring him to justice.

Robinson blends this case very skillfully with Annie Cabbot's parallel case as Annie tries to determine what happened to Luke Armitage, a sensitive teen-ager who has disappeared. In the course of a fine police procedural novel, Robinson explores Banks's attempts to recover from his relationship with Annie and venture out into a new relationship with Detective Hart, who has some baggage of her own. We also learn quite a bit about Banks's boyhood, and possibly a little too much about how often teen-aged boys think about sex!

In working on a crime that occurs on his home turf, Banks also has to deal with his parents, who have never completely accepted his career choice as police officer, seeing it as a betrayal of his working class roots. This is a very character driven novel as Banks, Cabot and Hart all explore the concept of relationships and learn how much emotional baggage each of them carries with them.

It's a pleasure to see Annie work on her own case, proceeding with confidence even as she recognizes how much she has learned about the art of detection from Banks. The mysteries themselves are not particularly noteworthy-- although solid and well plotted, there's nothing earth shattering in the resolution of either.They serve as more of a backdrop to the development of Banks, Hart and Cabbot than anything else-- but that's not a bad thing.

If you are already a Peter Robinson fan, you will enjoy this novel for the insight it gives you into the characters. If you are not already a fan, my suggestion would be to read another book in the series first, possibly All the Colours of Darkness or Aftermath. I enjoyed this book, but then I am already a fan of this author.

The summer that never was?
"I dunno." "Dunno what you mean." "What are you saying?" "Whatja think?" "That's one theory." "It's possible." I'd like to count how many times the author used these phrases in this rather dreary book. If you trim the occurrences, say, by half, you could probably cut 100 pages off this very lengthy story. The characters sit around, drinking tea and eating digestive biscuits while asking and answering the same questions over and over. The story, slow and meandering to begin with, bogs down even more during these pages-long exchanges of one-liners.

The audio version of this book was FOURTEEN disks long. Plus, Ron Keith's reading was silly. All the women sounded like Mrs. Doubtfire, always sounding slightly amused regardless of the situation, and all the men growled like Monty Python characters. It grew more irritating as the book wore on.

Eventually, what it came down to was resolution of both "mysteries" revealed in yet more lengthy dialogue. In the end, there was no suspense; nothing was revealed that couldn't have been surmised long before the resolutions, which, unrealistically, occurred simultaneously. I was hoping for so much more from this author.

Two Teenage Boys, Murdered a Generation Apart
Inspector Banks is in Greece on holiday, relaxing for the first time in years. It's too good to last. The bodies of two teenage boys have been found, one is in Inspector Banks's precinct, and one is his boyhood friend's skeleton in his hometown. His old neighborhood case involve him with an antagonistic inspector who sends him packing, and professionally and romantically with a new detective, Michelle Hart. The other case has him teamed up with his former girlfriend Annie Cabbot. Robinson is good at getting inside the minds of his female detectives.
Peter Robinson, one of the best British procedural writers extant in this his thirteenth outing, gets readers enmeshed in a number of incidents, suspects, and red herrings as he tells dual stories in alternating chapters. We dare not give up the chase in our reading anymore than Banks will; Robinson's tales are hypnotic and spellbinding. He gets you hooked and keeps you hooked.
Readers are tiring of Banks's constant references to bands and music in general as well as his angst over his long-departed wife. Get over it, Inspector, and get on with your police work!
When Robinson gets close to unraveling his cases, watch out because he is known to take some shortcuts and close out some cases in ways that don't always sound quite credible and integral to his stories. Everything remains five stars until the two cases are wrapped up a little too conveniently and with stretches in believability. We wish his endings would be more evolutionary to the narrative, and less facile.
He does a beautiful job of describing the countryside with its hoof and mouth plague, the many witnesses and suspects, the interrogations, the pubs, the insights into the police operations, the false turns and confrontations.
These are two complicated stories with tentacles reaching everywhere--you're going to want to keep reading because this storyteller is gifted.

I listened to the CD version
Close to Home is one of the best mystery/police stories that I have "experienced."(I won't say "read" since I listened to it while driving.)This is not a genre that I usually enjoy but I did enjoy Close to Home and plan to read or listen to more of Peter Robinson's books.

The production of the CD version that I listened to was excellent.The book is entertaining and helps make a tedious five-hour drive endurable--actually several five-hour drives, since there are fourteen CDs in the set.

I cannot give this book five stars because, for me, there were some flaws:some parts of the plot are implausible and seemed to play no role, e.g. the ridiculous and violent attempts to discourage the investigation of the Marshall murder; Robinson can be unimaginative and trite in his descriptions of characters' reactions and emotions, e.g. he overuses "shiver"; the constant musical references bored me, it was overdone.

Having gotten these carps off my chest, I can say that Robinson is an intelligent writer, he evokes life and character convincingly, and I like the leisurely pace of his plot development.I do not know if I would have read this book sitting in my armchair at home, but it was ideal for easing the boredom of highway driving. ... Read more

Product Description

As a young speechwriter in the Reagan White House, Peter Robinson was responsible for the celebrated "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall" speech. He was also one of a core group of writers who became informal experts on Reagan -- watching his every move, absorbing not just his political positions, but his personality, manner, and the way he carried himself. In How Ronald Reagan Changed My Life, Robinson draws on journal entries from his days at the White House, as well as interviews with those who knew the president best, to reveal ten life lessons he learned from the fortieth president -- a great yet ordinary man who touched the individuals around him as surely as he did his millions of admirers around the world.

Customer Reviews (57)

Refreshingly Down-to-Earth
I greatly enjoyed reading this warm and entertaining account by an author who developed a genuine admiration and respect for President Reagan.Mr. Robinson saw first-hand the enduring work ethic, dignified behavior, and decency of this fine American statesman.The author observed with growing appreciation how Mr. Reagan, as a Constitutional Originalist, fought tirelessly to uphold the integrity of our Republic and its people's individual liberties. In doing so, Mr. Robinson also witnessed our 40th President exhibit only the highest esteem for the Executive Office with unwavering selflessness and dignity. By observing President Reagan express his core values in all that he did, Mr. Robinson came to gain renewed respect for, marital fidelity, self-reliance, hard work, individual responsibility and duty to country.Highly recommended reading!

Marceau O'Neill,
Author of "I Know You Know I'm Out Here!" and "If Not Honour"

Life Lessons Taught by the Gipper
In 1982, Peter Robinson was hired as a speechwriter in the Reagan Administration and came to realize that our fortieth president was someone who had many qualities worth emulating.

Robinson talks about how the former president's misfortunes and life experiences brought him to a place of great serenity and how this helped his political career.The author discusses how, contrary to myth, Reagan was a very hard worker, and also discusses the importance of Reagan's sense of humor.Another great chapter describes the conflicts in the administration between pragmatists and "true believers", and Robinson asserts why a political movement must have both.

This volume shows that while winning the Cold War, restoring the nation's sense of confidence, and building the modern economy, President Reagan also managed to have a personal impact on many younger people who worked in his administration.

Great Book
After reading this book from the library, I purchased a copy for myself, my brother and my father.While this is not really a biography, it gives some insight into the character of President Reagan.More importantly, it cuts right to the one of the best reasons for actually reading a biography and that is what lessons you can learn and apply to your own life.

Thought-provoking and appealing
This is a very appealing audio book for anyone who is interested in presidential history.It combines high points of President Reagan's presidency with inside information from one of his speech writers.The author's reading of his own work is warm and nuanced.I ordered a second copy for my son, a student of history.

The speechwriter teaches the president
Particularly good at illustrating both what a presidential speechwriter's challenge is, and how this particular speechwriter succeeded.Key is the episode in which Robinson points out that everyone else (including many presidential staffers senior to the staffer) wanted Reagan to eliminate the challenge, "Mr Gorbachev: Tear down this wall," but that Reagan kept it in.That episode illustrates the degree to which a successful speechwriter will absorb the outlook of the president and (my words) will teach him what he really wants to say.

In this and kindred absorbing accounts, Robinson's book teaches one much more about the speechwriting"vocation" than, say, Carol Gelderman's book on presidential speechwriting, which, however, is also valuable, though it includes unfortunate accolades of Bill Clinton.

Robinson's book also tells us a good deal about Reagan, his charisma, and his character. ... Read more

Product Description

From the New York Times bestselling author comes a riveting collection of short fiction, marked by the piercing psychological insight and brilliant characterization that are hallmarks of his acclaimed novels

Ever since the publication of his first mystery featuring Detective Inspector Alan Banks, Peter Robinson has been steadily building a reputation for compulsively readable and perceptive novels that probe the dark side of human nature. Plumbing the territory that he has so successfully staked, The Price of Love and Other Stories includes two novellas and several stories featuring the Yorkshire policeman at his finest.

In the novella "Going Back," never before published in the United States, Banks returns home for a family reunion, only to find it taking a decidedly sinister turn. In "Like a Virgin," written especially for this volume, Banks revisits the period in his life and the terrible crime that led him to leave London for Eastvale. And in between, the disparate motives that move us to harm one another, from love and jealousy to greed and despair, are all explored with fascinating depth.

Edgy and smart, thrilling and suspenseful, this remarkable collection is a must-have for Robinson fans—and any fan of compelling crime fiction.

Customer Reviews (3)

Highly Recommended
I've been waiting for every new Peter Robinson's book for over ten years now after I read his award winning short story "Innocence" back in 1991. "Innocence" is a fascinating harrowing story about a man whose life was ruined only because he happened to be in the wrong place in the wrong time. The subject is not new or original but if you read the story, you will never forget it. "Innocence" was published in the collection of the best mystery short stories of 1989, I believe. The book consisted of about fifty first class works but "Innocence" was the only one that has stayed with me for all these years.""Innocence" is a shining star of the excellent collection "Not Safe After Dark And Other Stories" that is a great introduction to Mr. Robinson's writings and consists of thirteen short stories. In addition to "Innocence", my favorites are "The Two Ladies of Rose Cottage" which was inspired by Robinson's interest in Thomas Hardy's writings, "Fan Mail"- darkly hilarious with a wonderful twist, and short but outstanding with the completely unexpected and fascinating end, "Carrion".

Robinson is the author of 16 novels with the main character, Yorkshire Chief Inspector Alan Banks who is a successful and shrewd investigator but also a very intelligent man, the great fan of good music and English literature. All novels are not only the first -rate crime stories but also very well written works of literature with the interesting characters. Alan Banks appears in three of this collection's 13 stories.

That's what Stephen King has said of Peter Robinson's books: "The Alan Banks mystery-suspense novels are, simply put, the best series now on the market. In fact, this may be the best series of British novels since the novels of Patrick O'Brian. Try one and tell me I'm wrong." I can only say to that: "Tell me something I don't know already".

A Collection of Short Stories

Peter Robinson grew up in Yorkshire, and is the author of a number of previous novels featuring Inspector Banks. He is the winner of numerous awards in the United States, Britain and Canada, and in 2002 he won the CWA Dagger in the Library. As I also come from Leeds the background to his stories is something that I have experienced first hand and because of this I have a special affection for his books. However they would be first class crime fiction wherever they were based.

This is Peter Robinson's first collection of short stories. Asrule I am not a lover of short stories, preferring something I can get my "teeth into."But on this occasion I was pleasantly surprised. I found the book to be full of good and interesting stories.

Not Safe After Dark
If one were to have a serious complaint to put forth about this good anthology by Petewr Robinson it would be that the marvelous Inspector Alan Banks is present in only three of the stories herein.Nothing futher need be said to the growing number of Banks devotees in the U.S. but the uninitiated may wish to know more.The stories which feature Robinson's compassionate'music-loving and ultimately very tough British policeman are just interesting enough to whet the appetites of those who love P.D> James's Dalgleish and Ruth Rendell's Wexford.They are well worth the reading of them but Robinson reveals himself to be far more than a one-trick pony as he ranges beyond his stellar creation to construct short gems that are often as lyrical as they are true to the protocols of his genre. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Beginning of Inspector Banks
I read the other books in Peter Robinson's Inspector Banks series and was glad to be able to read the first 3 books - Gallow's View, A Dedicated Man and A Necessary End.These books give the background of Inspector Banks' relationships with his wife Sandra and Sergeant Hatchley.Peter Robinson's writing is detailed without being boring and seamless going from one scene to the next.Inspector Banks solves his cases by looking at all the evidence, not just the convenient pieces of evidence.
One inconsistency I did note was that Banks' father had to retire because of angina early in the series but later on in the series he was made redundant due to Thatcher policies.
On the whole, this book was well worth reading. ... Read more

Product Description

From the New York Times bestselling author comes a riveting collection of short fiction, marked by the piercing psychological insight and brilliant characterization that are hallmarks of his acclaimed novels

Ever since the publication of his first mystery featuring Detective Inspector Alan Banks, Peter Robinson has been steadily building a reputation for compulsively readable and perceptive novels that probe the dark side of human nature. Plumbing the territory that he has so successfully staked, The Price of Love and Other Stories includes two novellas and several stories featuring the Yorkshire policeman at his finest.

In the novella "Going Back," never before published in the United States, Banks returns home for a family reunion, only to find it taking a decidedly sinister turn. In "Like a Virgin," written especially for this volume, Banks revisits the period in his life and the terrible crime that led him to leave London for Eastvale. And in between, the disparate motives that move us to harm one another, from love and jealousy to greed and despair, are all explored with fascinating depth.

Edgy and smart, thrilling and suspenseful, this remarkable collection is a must-have for Robinson fans—and any fan of compelling crime fiction.

Product Description

Former London policeman Alan Banks relocated to Yorkshire seeking some small measure of peace. But depravity and violence are not unique to large cities. His new venue, the quaint little village of Eastvale, seems to have more than its fair share of malefactors, among them a brazen Peeping Tom who hides in night's shadows spying on attractive, unsuspecting ladies as they prepare for bed. And when an elderly woman is found brutally slain in her home, Chief Inspector Banks wonders if the voyeur has increased the intensity of his criminal activities. But whether related or not, perverse local acts and murderous ones are combining to profoundly touch Banks's suddenly vulnerable personal life, forcing a dedicated law officer to make hard choices he'd dearly hoped would never be necessary.

Product Description
ROBINSON CRUSOE is one of the most enduring adventures of the past four centuries and one of the most well-known works in the English language. Or is it?

Recently discovered amidst the papers of the 20th century writer and historian H. P. Lovecraft is what claims to be the true story of Robinson Crusoe. Taken from the castaway’s own journals and memoirs, and fact-checked by Lovecraft himself, it is free from many of Defoe’s edits and alterations. From Lovecraft’s work a much smoother, simpler tale emerges--but also a far more disturbing one.

Here Crusoe is revealed as a man bearing the terrible curse of the werewolf and the guilt that comes with it--a man with no real incentive to leave his island prison. The cannibals who terrorized Crusoe are revealed to be less human than ever before hinted--worshippers of a malevolent octopus-headed god.And the island itself is a place of ancient, evil mysteries that threaten Crusoe’s sanity and his very soul.

This version of the classic tale, assembled by two legends of English literature and abridged by Peter Clines, is the terrifying supernatural true story of Robinson Crusoe as it has never been seen before. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

how to improve a classic...
A wonderful read and a pleasant surprise - a mash-up book that takes itself seriously, and is smart and genuinely creepy for it, while also maintaining the feel of the original.If you've read the original a bunch of times, this is a wonderful reimagining; if not, it's a fab introduction to a rightful classic, now with moar scariness.Definitely the best entry in the mash-up genre so far.Fingers crossed for a sequel, preferably with zombies in it as well.:)

A classic seen through a new lens.
We're all familiar with the Defoe classic, "Robinson Crusoe", and even if you're like me, one who has never read it all the way through, it has so pervaded our culture(His "Man Friday" for example), it feels like you know it cover to cover.

So, imagine my surprise when picking up this book, which promised an enticing mix of everything I love, Lovecraftian horror and dread, with an imaginative re-telling of a story I thought I knew, and I discovered that it not only delivered on the promise of the blurb, it exceeded it.

From his enticing and totally immersive forward, Peter Clines dragged me into his premise as surely as the storms dragged Crusoe's vessel off course.I once again found myself reveling in the account of a man desperate to hold onto his sanity, control his inner beast, and try to survive in a world that seems contrived to do him in at every turn.

I found myself liking Crusoe, perhaps for the first time.

Excellent imaginative twist.Buy it now. Read it.And keep it.

trend re-setter!
I've read some of the current mash-ups and I have been disappointed. Therefore, I approached this book with some trepidation, even knowing Peter Clines' work ethic and quality of output.

This book is worth it! I have the urge, right now, to email my kid's school and ask them to replace the Defoe on thier shelves with this one. Seriously. I remember reading ROBINSON CRUSOE in school, and I did not relish the experience. Don't misunderstand me; the book has stood the test of time for a reason, but Mr. Clines has cut the fat and replaced it with liberal doses of Lovecraft tie-ins and werewolfy goodness.

This book ends with END OF VOL. I, and I was *crushed* when I remembered that was how the original ended and not something added by the author. Co-author, whatever. (I haven't asked if there are plans for a continuation.)

Keep an eye on this Clines fellow. He's rather good.

Brilliant -- doesn't just riff on the original but actually improves on it.
As a fan of Permuted Press in general, and Clines' "Ex-Heroes" in particular (one of the best books I read all year--and I read a LOT), I was curious to check this out despite my mixed memories of "Robinson Crusoe."As a kid I enjoyed the massively abridged, simplified versions of Robinson Crusoe (Illustrated Classics-y stuff), but when I had to read the real unabridged Robinson Crusoe for a college Brit lit class I found the heavy-handed Christian stuff off-putting and thought the action was too few and far between for modern readers.Still, when I heard Clines and Permuted were doing a multi-mash-up (MMU?) of Crusoe & Lovecraft & werewolves, I was intrigued...if not completely sold on the idea.There are a lot of mash-ups that are amusing as a concept but don't really hold up for the whole book.But because I dug Ex-Heroes I was willing to give this a try.

Okay, the first thing I have to say is, this book is a bit different from a lot of the "mash-ups" out there in that this isn't just a one-joke gimmick.It's actually not a joke at all...it reads as completely authentic and is played for horror, not humor.I swear there were times (a whole lot of times) Clines had me totally convinced this was the REAL Robinson Crusoe, and that the werewolf-y and Lovecraftian elements were always supposed to be there.The horror additions are so seamless and the period language (and period spelling) is mimicked so effectively that I actually found myself double-checking the version of Crusoe on Project Gutenberg to see if such and such line was from the original text or not.The funny thing is, when you compare the book scene by scene with the original, you can't help but notice what a better read Clines' version is.Cry heresy if you wish, English Professors, but the truth is, Clines has significantly improved upon the original story, at least from the point of view of modern audiences.This is far more entertaining, more readable, and more emotionally engaging than Defoe's tale.I actually found myself tearing up in some of the later chapters (I won't say why, because I'd have to reveal spoilers), and all of the story points and character moments that I found so moving are completely absent from the original.And yeah, there's a lot of creepy stuff too.The horror is more of the subtle, "suspense and dread" variety than the gory splatter variety (as the title says, it's "eerie,") which is the perfect tone for the period and Lovecraftian elements.Like a lot of gothic-style horror it kind of gets under your skin and worms its way into your dreams, even some of the parts that don't seem all that disturbing when you're reading them.

I will say, it does take a chapter or two to adjust to the authentic-feeling language and spelling, especially if it's been a while since you've read any classic literature, but after a while I hardly even noticed it.It was more like an accent or flavor.(Fans of Lovecraft shouldn't have any difficulty adjusting at all.)"Smart horror" fans who take the time to immerse themselves in this story will be well rewarded. ... Read more

Product Description
The influence of cognitive processing on second language acquisition (SLA), and on the development of second language (SL) instruction, has always been a subject of major interest to both SLA researchers and those involved in SL pedagogy. Recent theoretical research into SLA and SL pedagogy has shown renewed interest in the role of cognitive variables such as attention, short, working, and long term memory, and automaticity of language processing. This volume first examines the theoretical foundations of research into the cognitive processes underlying SLA, and then describes various implications for pedagogically oriented research and for SL classroom practice. This book's blend of research from the cognitive sciences and applied linguistics make it an excellent introduction to applied linguists and language teachers interested in the psycholinguistic processes underlying SLA. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A great collection of articles
A great text for those who are interested in researching the field of second language acquisition and for those research-minded teachers out there. You will not find an emphasis on pedagogical techniques per se but I see this volume as crucial to the understanding of the language learner. It is a worthwhile addition to your library and a useful companion to the more recent "Handbook of Cognitive Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition" BUY BOTH in my opinion. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

No Cure for Bad Writing
I really enjoyed the Inspector Banks series which has interesting characters and plots.This book has neither and is written in such a trite way it is impossible to finish.I started the book on two different occasions and just decided this book wasn`t worth my time.I can`t believe that Peter Robinson wrote this book or that someone thought it was fit to publish.

Definitely a Disappointment
An avid reader of Peter Robinson's superb Inspector Banks series, I picked up No Cure for Love with certain expectations with regards to the quality of the book. To say I was disappointed was an understatement.

I was simply unable to finish the book - the plot is weak, the characters one-dimensional and the writing style poor. The story is rather hackneyed and parts of it read like a badly-written romance novel.

While Robinson is clearly writing more of an American detective story rather than his characteristic British procedural series, I found it hard to believe that such a mediocre book could have been written by this author.

The story centres around a British actress, Sarah Broughton, starring on a hit American police series. The TV detective finds herself in a real-life crisis after receiving threatening and explicit letters from a deranged stalker, and the situation rapidly escalates to murder.

While the book is relatively fast-paced, it leaves very little time for character development. This results in extremely clichéd characters that seem to appear straight out of a third-rate American cop show! The dialogue is banal, the prose repetitive, and the story generally unexciting.

Overall, I found No Cure for Love clearly lacking, and a patent departure from Robinson's usual quality of writing.

I'd recommend this book only to die-hard Robinson fans. ... Read more

Product Description

From the New York Times bestselling author comes a riveting collection of short fiction, marked by the piercing psychological insight and brilliant characterization that are hallmarks of his acclaimed novels

Ever since the publication of his first mystery featuring Detective Inspector Alan Banks, Peter Robinson has been steadily building a reputation for compulsively readable and perceptive novels that probe the dark side of human nature. Plumbing the territory that he has so successfully staked, The Price of Love and Other Stories includes two novellas and several stories featuring the Yorkshire policeman at his finest.

In the novella "Going Back," never before published in the United States, Banks returns home for a family reunion, only to find it taking a decidedly sinister turn. In "Like a Virgin," written especially for this volume, Banks revisits the period in his life and the terrible crime that led him to leave London for Eastvale. And in between, the disparate motives that move us to harm one another, from love and jealousy to greed and despair, are all explored with fascinating depth.

Edgy and smart, thrilling and suspenseful, this remarkable collection is a must-have for Robinson fans—and any fan of compelling crime fiction.

Product Description
"The Look of Goodbye" contains Peter Robinson's poetry from his last half dozen years living and working in Sendai and Kyoto. Difficulties associated with having your heart in Europe and your life in Japan are explored across the shadowy terrains of a world grown decidedly more at risk, dangerous, and violent. The stays of love, friendship, family, place, and memory are tested by death, loss, and displacement; yet Robinson's poetry celebrates all that it can by means of the poet's rhythm, formal dexterity, and his eye for the energized processes of landscape and atmosphere. Composed at the same time as their author began to write and publish aphorisms, these poems show Robinson extending his range of subjects and developing the fresh directness with which he treats them. While bidding farewell to his Japanese years, "The Look of Goodbye" is as welcoming of readers, new and returning, as ever. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Robinson's Surprise
What a fun surprise and great read!Although I shouldn't have been surprised because meeting Peter Robinson at author signing always sends you away with a smile - please do not be detered by ratings, enjoy this book for yourself!

robinson's poetry
I don't think it was clear that this was a book of poetry - I would not have purchased it if I had known.I love the Alan Banks book series, but think Robinson's books are dark enough that his poetry would not be full of sunshine and light.And I am not even sure this is the same Peter Robinson... ... Read more

Product Description

From the New York Times bestselling author comes a riveting collection of short fiction, marked by the piercing psychological insight and brilliant characterization that are hallmarks of his acclaimed novels

Ever since the publication of his first mystery featuring Detective Inspector Alan Banks, Peter Robinson has been steadily building a reputation for compulsively readable and perceptive novels that probe the dark side of human nature. Plumbing the territory that he has so successfully staked, The Price of Love and Other Stories includes two novellas and several stories featuring the Yorkshire policeman at his finest.

In the novella "Going Back," never before published in the United States, Banks returns home for a family reunion, only to find it taking a decidedly sinister turn. In "Like a Virgin," written especially for this volume, Banks revisits the period in his life and the terrible crime that led him to leave London for Eastvale. And in between, the disparate motives that move us to harm one another, from love and jealousy to greed and despair, are all explored with fascinating depth.

Edgy and smart, thrilling and suspenseful, this remarkable collection is a must-have for Robinson fans—and any fan of compelling crime fiction.

Product Description

From the New York Times bestselling author comes a riveting collection of short fiction, marked by the piercing psychological insight and brilliant characterization that are hallmarks of his acclaimed novels

Ever since the publication of his first mystery featuring Detective Inspector Alan Banks, Peter Robinson has been steadily building a reputation for compulsively readable and perceptive novels that probe the dark side of human nature. Plumbing the territory that he has so successfully staked, The Price of Love and Other Stories includes two novellas and several stories featuring the Yorkshire policeman at his finest.

In the novella "Going Back," never before published in the United States, Banks returns home for a family reunion, only to find it taking a decidedly sinister turn. In "Like a Virgin," written especially for this volume, Banks revisits the period in his life and the terrible crime that led him to leave London for Eastvale. And in between, the disparate motives that move us to harm one another, from love and jealousy to greed and despair, are all explored with fascinating depth.

Edgy and smart, thrilling and suspenseful, this remarkable collection is a must-have for Robinson fans—and any fan of compelling crime fiction.

Product Description

Settle Disputes and Negotiate Better Deals

Experienced mediators and educators present a simple, practical guide to negotiating better deals. Strategies and tactics developed through research in communication theory, game theory and psychology help you negotiate better business deals and improve communication with customers, suppliers and competitors. Concrete guidance on conflict resolution allows you to settle disputes before they escalate into costly lawsuits. Stories and examples pulled from situations you may face on a daily basis illustrate key points and demonstrate good and bad negotiation techniques.

Guasco and Robinson cover:

• The essential steps in negotiation preparation
• Diagnosing your strengths and weaknesses and developing a negotiation plan
• A thorough analysis of competitive and cooperative negotiation, and tips on choosing the best course for a particular situation
• Strategically managing behavior at the negotiation table to shift the outcome in your favor

These effective negotiation strategies ensure that you come out on top of any negotiation.

Sample Documents on CD-ROM!

• Negative Behaviors and Tactics Problem-Solving Tool
• Closing Checklist
• Negotiation Preparation Checklist
• Negotiation Strategy Assessment Tool

For 30 years, Entrepreneur has provided the most trusted business advice available to business owners. Our legal guides continue that tradition by offering current and cost-effective legal advice so you can resolve the business and legal issues you face on a daily basis. We also help you identify when it's in your best interest to seek the personalized advice and services of a practicing lawyer. ... Read more