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Black and Blue by Ian Rankin
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Black and Blue

by Ian Rankin

Series: Inspector Rebus (8)

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Showing 1-5 of 12 (next | show all)
This book in the Inspector Rebus series is longer than most, if not all, of it's predecessors. This is no bad thing, since it's also one of the best books in the series so far.

The plot centres around the oil industry. Rebus is juggling three or four intertwined cases and suffering through an official investigation at work. The action is mainly divided between Edinburgh and Aberdeen and the field trips north to 'oil country' make for an interesting variation on the standard Rebus theme.

My mani criticism of this book would be that some of the prose jarred for me. The explanation of scottish words e.g. teuchter feels a bit stilted to me, and the dialogue contains an excess of bad puns, which I could also do without. However, these are small irritations in a book which I largely enjoyed. ( )
  cazfrancis | Oct 2, 2009 |
This is the sixth book in the John Rebus series, but I felt like I was reading a different book this time. Rankin appears to have turned a corner with his character with this book. I always loved Rebus's character and his human flaws, but in this book we see Rebus totally uncovered. His character is so beautifully displayed in this book. The story itself was complex. There were three apparently different cases that Rebus was investigating and he continues he begins to think that all three are actually connected in some way. He does his investigations almost completely single-handed while his career is in an uproar and while he is under investigation. This is a powerful, complex and totally un-put-downable book. I cannot wait to read more Rebus, and with the way this one ends, you just know that John Rebus is not yet done with this particular investigation. What a great book! ( )
  Romonko | Sep 20, 2009 |
The first 2/3 of this book is very introspective. Most of the action happens in the head of the main character – his memories and thoughts muddled by alcohol. The last 1/3 of the book gets better, as more characters are added and action outside the main character's head happens.

This book had some very interesting details about Scotland, and was quite educational that way.

This book was not really to my taste, but it was interesting to read an Ian Rankin book, as he is such a well-known author. ( )
  Calypso42 | Aug 26, 2009 |
This series just keeps improving - this is the best I have read so far. Rebus is an inspired creation. ( )
  riverwillow | Jun 9, 2009 |
Rebus, in trouble again, juggles two new cases whilst dealing with the fact that his mentor was probably corrupt and has committed suicide leaving Rebus to carry the can when a TV programme reopens an old murder case. If this weren't enough for our hero, he also faces up to, and tries to deal with, his drink dependency: something has got to give....
This book, as one comes to expect with Ian Rankin, drives on from page one to the last sentence. Excellent! ( )
  the.ken.petersen | May 1, 2009 |
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Black and Blue (novel)

Book description

Amazon.com Product Description (ISBN 0312966776, Mass Market Paperback)

Bible John killed three women, and took three souvenirs. Johnny Bible killed to steal his namesake's glory. Oilman Allan Mitchelson died for his principles. And convict Lenny Spaven died just to prove a point. "Bible John" terrorized Glasgow in the sixties and seventies, murdering three women he met in a local ballroom--and he was never caught. Now a copycat is at work. Nicknamed "Bible Johnny" by the media, he is a new menace with violent ambitions.

The Bible Johnny case would be perfect for Inspector John Rebus, but after a run-in with a crooked senior officer, he's been shunted aside to one of Edinburgh's toughest suburbs, where he investigates the murder of an off-duty oilman. His investigation takes him north to the oil rigs of Aberdeen, where he meets the Bible Johnny media circus head-on. Suddenly caught in the glare of the television cameras and in the middle of more than one investigation, Rebus must proceed wiht caution: One mistake could mean an unpleasant and not particularly speedy death, or, worse still, losing his job.

Written with Ian Rankin's signature wit, style and intricacy, Black and Blue is a novel of uncommon and unforgettable intrigue.

(retrieved from Amazon Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:57:56 -0400)

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