Strange Affair by Peter Robinson.
New York: William Morrow, 2005. $24.95 — 368 pp.

9/11’s impact on literature seems to be infinite. Take Peter Robinson’s latest novel, Strange Affair, for example. The destruction of the Twin Towers becomes a kind of fulcrum or catalyst for a moral “turning point” in this tight and tense British thriller.

Detective Alan Banks is a morose fellow who is inclined to drink too much. He also spends a great deal of time alone, listening to his CD collection (Mahler, Beethoven, Verdi, etc.), brooding on his broken marriage, his disrupted affair with fellow officer Annie Cabbot and his bleak future as a law officer. (In fact, Banks has a great deal in common with his Scottish counterpart, Ian Rankin’s John Rebus, that I reviewed several weeks ago.) Depressed about the loss of his home (arson) and his slow recovery from injuries sustained in his last adventure (Playing With Fire), Alan is not prepared for the puzzling message on his answering machine from his younger brother, Roy.

“I must talk to you. It may be a matter of life and death,” says a frightened Roy.

This message is the last time Alan Banks will hear his brother’s voice. Roy vanishes, leaving the door to his posh digs unlocked.

Alan’s desperate search for his younger brother leads to a poignant discovery – the belated knowledge that in recent years, Roy has not only become a kinder and gentler man, but has also developed an appreciation for classical music and art. Alan begins to suspect that he had misjudged his brother and attempts to reconstruct their former conflicts. Estranged by sibling rivalry, envy and a radical difference in lifestyles, Alan and Roy had rarely talked. As the years passed, Alan had grown to resent his brother’s affluence — especially his success with women. He also suspected that Roy’s wealth originated from unethical and possibly criminal activities: inside trading ventures, arms and munitions smuggling and shady (but laundered) investments. When Roy’s frightened cry for help comes, Alan begins a painful quest that includes a significant amount of self-discovery.

When Alan immerses himself in his brother’s life – reading his correspondence, visiting former lovers and prowling through his computer files – he stumbles on evidence that his brother’s radical change of character came during a business trip. When Alan discovers that Roy was in New York on the day of 9/11, he begins to understand. Roy was on the street before the Two Towers and witnessed the subsequent horrors. In the aftermath of this tragedy, when he returned to London, Roy underwent a fundamental change. He became introspective, developed an interest in photography and opera and (most startling of all) began attending church. Is it possible that Roy felt that he had contributed to 9/11 in some way?

Strange Affair has several subplots including a serial murderer that preys on women in London’s commuter traffic. There is also an investigation into a thriving prostitution ring that victimizes Russian teenagers. There are many recurring characters from Alan’s world, including officers who manage to be arrogant and antifeminist and insensitive; yet, in spite of their flaws, they are appealing — and capable. Robinson creates the “English” atmosphere admirably with just the right mixture of tea, Silk Cuts (English cigarettes), fish and chips, pubs, music and McDonalds.

Let’s begin with the puzzle of a dead woman sitting in her car in the off-lane, near a busy intersection ....

(Gary Carden is a writer, storyteller and lecturer whose book, Mason Jars in the Flood, was recently named Book of the Year by the Appalachian Writers Association. He can be reached at gcarden498@aol.com.)