Saints of the Shadow Bible

Siobhan Clarke and Rebus are back working as a team. With the new rules on retirement age, Rebus has been taken back into CID but has had to take a downgrading to Detective Sergeant, meaning Siobhan now outranks him.
This latest outing is a series of complex contrasts with a number of diverse threads to the plot.
An investigation into an unexplained car crash is the initial backdrop for a lively paced story which weaves a complex and highly satisfying mix of past and present, black and white, right and wrong. Set in Edinburgh in the context of current issues around Scottish independence, the whole book has a real time feel.

At the same time, DI Malcolm Fox of the Complaints Division is looking at a 30 year old case that involved the show more detectives at the Summerhall Police Station who were well known for keeping down the crime rate by doing things their way and sometimes bending the law to do this. Rebus was a raw Detective Constable at the time and was recruited to become one of the "Saints of the Shadow Bible" who swore to uphold their own policing standards. Rebus admits that at times he did a few things he now regrets but he was never knowingly involved in really bad things. While initially wary of Fox as a result of their past history, John Rebus decides to help him with his investigation with the philosophy of "if you don't like them join them". Surprisingly, Rebus and Fox work well together, but with slightly different motivations.

Over the years, Rebus has even learnt to toe the line just a little bit, as the police force has tightened up on mavericks and corruption in real life. But he remains of the old school: computers and the internet are not his thing; people skills are not his thing; getting along with his superiors is not his thing. His thing is old style detective work: following up clues and solving the murders. Fox has started hunting murderers and is completing his last case for Complaints. Siobhan has developed into a mature leader, treating Rebus with the affectionate respect an erstwhile mentor deserves.

Reading a Rebus novel is like settling down with an old friend; you know you're in good company. Rankin certainly knows how to tell a good story: his pacing is superb and his plots are always both complex and believable. His characterisation is second to none - Rebus and Clarke have been real people to us for years now, people we feel we know, and Fox is rapidly joining them as just as important a character. They don't perform superhuman feats; there’s no suppressed romance; and there are no cliff-hanger endings. Instead, there is a realism that makes us believe this is how the police really work. show less

John Rebus finds himself back on the force, but demoted to a lowly DS and relegated to working with his arch-enemy, Malcolm Fox, as they look into shady dealings in the cop shop Rebus worked in back when he was just starting out as a DC. In those days, Rebus joined forces with a group of detectives who weren't opposed to cutting corners or knocking heads if that's what it took. It's an uncomfortable place for Rebus to be; he's still not above going around the law when it suits him, but he's made uncomfortable by just how far his compatriots went and is torn between his loyalty to them and his desire to do his job. Of course, things become more complicated than just revisiting an old inquiry. Siobhan Clarke, his former subordinate, is show more now his boss, and she's doing a good job. Fox is moved back into regular detective work, but he oddly has Rebus at his side as they both end up working together and maybe even developing a respect for each other.

The old series has benefitted from the shake up. Clarke is better as Rebus's boss and it's good for Rebus to be held to account by someone who knows him well. And Fox, who was thinly and unpleasantly drawn in the last book, is reclaiming three-dimensionality. I hope Rankin continues to develop Fox as a real character. I'm also interested in the way he's highlighting Rebus's own willingness to skirt the law whenever it's not working fast enough for him. Rebus is becoming a likable, but unpredictable anti-hero. I'm looking forward to where Rankin takes things next. show less

This is the 19th book in one of my all-time favourite series - John Rebus. The writing is excellent - crisp, clear and the words just fly off the page. John Rebus is not just a fictional character to those who follow this series, he is an old friend, and I for one can't wait to read the next book in this series because I just have to see what old John will get up to next time. In this one, John's back on the force, but at a much lower rank. He retired as a DI, but couldn't handle retired life, so has come back as a DS. His old friend and partner Siobhan is now a Di and she's the boss this time. And, not only that, Rebus's old adversary from The Complaints, Malcom Fox, is working his last case for The Complaints, and his case touches on show more Rebus's past history. Rebus was a young DC working in a CID group in the 80's. This group of cops called themselves The Saints and they were not afraid "to fly too close to the wind", and weren't afraid to bend, break or stretch proper police procedure. Fox is to study one of their past cases when a known thug seemed to get away with murder. At the same time, Siobhan and her team are trying to solve a fresh case where this same offecder from the 80's has been murdered. Rebus is working with a new DCI by the name of James Page and they're following up on a motor vehcile accident where a young woman has been badly injured, but the crash site just doesn't look right to Rebus. Now how can all these cases ever have a common thread? Well, under Rankin's skillful pen, they all do seemingly have a binding thread, and Rebus is just the man to unravel the mess. Rebus being Rebus, can't help stepping on toes, blindsiding unsuspecting people, both guilty and not guilty, and generally making life miserable for his superiors. By the end of the book everything is explained and the only real casualty is Rebus himself. Has he had his last case for sure now? We don't know at the end of this book whether or not his job with the Edinburgh police will still be there. I for one know that I am not ready to see the end of this remarkable creation called John Rebus. The story of his life and career is told so masterfully that Rebus is indeed a real person to me and that makes reading a Rebus novel a very pleasurable experience indeed. show less

When some exceptions are introduced to the double jeopardy rule in Scotland, Malcolm Fox is asked to take another look at an old murder case, one that involved a young John Rebus and his then colleagues, a group whose members called themselves the "Saints of the Shadow Bible." Besides the interesting plots and brilliant dialogue that come standard with Rankin, what I really enjoy is how each story is firmly placed in its contemporary history and that the characters are allowed to grow older and change. While Scotland is preparing to cast the vote on independence, Rebus is allowed to be his regular blood-houndy self, Clarke gets to throw some well-deserved weight around, and Fox gets a little more rounded so that he's not all show more holier-than-thou. As soon as Fox was introduced in The Complaints, I was hoping that we would eventually be treated to a proper Rebus/Fox match-up and it's finally here and it's all good - both of them are allowed to be their own selves and also take on some of each other's traits, like they would do in real life. I do hope we get to see this duo get into more mischief in a future installment. show less

Inspector John Rebus has come out of retirement albeit to a lower rank but, although the demotion galls him, it’s better than nothing. Unfortunately his return coincides with a change to the double jeopardy law and now the Police Complaints Department is looking at an old case in which Rebus’ former colleagues from the Summerhill CID are involved. Rebus was a newly branded detective when he became one of the Saints of the Shadow Bible as they called themselves, old school detectives back in the ‘80s who were not opposed to a little rough justice of their own when they believed the courts had failed. As Rebus explains when asked how dirty Summerhill CID was, - “Dirty enough. You ever see that programme Life on Mars? It felt like show more a documentary”. In this case, an old snitch for the group, Billy Saunders had been charged with murder but had gotten off thanks, or so it was rumoured, to the aid of the Saints. Now, Rebus is placed in the position of helping the inquiry and turning on his old friends or protecting the Saints and going down with them. When Billy Saunders disappears and is then found murdered, Rebus begins to have his own doubts about the Saints.

At the same time, he is looking into a car accident in which a young girl was injured. Rebus is convinced she wasn’t alone and there is a lot more going on than just an accident. But without the cooperation of the girl or her father, the case seems to be at a dead end. However, despite the lack of evidence or interest of the higher ups in the department, Rebus is determined to suss out what really happened. Then the father of the girl’s boyfriend is murdered, a man prominent in the Scottish independence Movement and the opponent of one of the old Saints, and Rebus begins to suspect the two cases are somehow linked.

Ian Rankin is one of those authors you can always trust to write a compelling, complex, and, best of all, intelligent read and Saints of the Shadow Bible doesn’t disappoint on any of these. Rankin is also a master of nuance and shades of gray. It is great to have Rebus back on the force where he belongs. Although he recognizes that it’s a good thing that the bad old days of the Shadow Bible are over, thankfully the new Rebus still has a touch of the Saint about him. show less

John Rebus, newly returned to the force and rescued temporarily from an obscure retirement. The main condition of his reinstatement is the demotion of his rank from Detective Inspector to Detective Sergeant. He is working under the auspices of Siobhan Clarke who ironically is now promoted to DI, of no real concern to Rebus as he is just pleased to have been returned to his old hunting ground.

Rebus and Clarke arrive at the scene of an accident; a VW Golf travelling at speed suddenly leaves the road and impacts with an oak tree. It would appear there is only one casualty, Jessica Traynor, but Rebus is suspicious that Traynor was not actually the driver and is covering for this unknown person who has fled the scene. As with all Rankin show more books events as initially portrayed rarely tell the truth and as avid fans will be pleased to know, on closer investigation, our two intrepid heroes discover unscrupulous underhand activity with political undertones. The author is very fond of introducing a secondary plot and usually involves John Rebus at a different time in his career. Malcolm Fox (just returned from the Complaints/Professional Standards dept) is investigating a newly reopened 30 year old case. At that time it could be argued that police enforcement was more akin to an episode of "Life on Mars" (British tv series 2007 where officers were content to physically abuse a suspect in order to attain a confession) and Fox is tasked with investigating the suspicious death of Douglas Merchant, the seemingly unreliable evidence of snitch Billy Saunders, and the shadowy underhand involvement of "Saint of the Shadow Bible" a number of police colleagues who swore a bond on something called the shadow bible.

However, all of the above is I feel incidental to what is really at the heart of Ian Rankin's writing; his Scottishnes and his unbelievable drawing of characters, in particular John Rebus. Rebus is an isolated individual, separated from his wife Rhona and daughter Samantha, living a lonely existence in his Marchmont flat, surrounded by his booze, cigarettes and endless vinyl records of 70's/80's music icons...."He led the way up two flights of stairs to the door to his flat. Unlocked it and scooped up the mail before switching on the hallway light. She followed him into the living room. The ashtray next to his armchair needed emptying. A couple of beer bottles sat alongside, plus an empty whisky glass." Rebus is best described as an old fashioned "dogged" copper, not for him meetings, protocols and endless google searches....and this is what makes us love him!..."She hadn't known John Rebus long, but she knew he was good at this, like a bloodhound given a scent and then left to do what it was best at. Form-filling and protocols and budget meetings were not Rebus's thing-never had been and never would be. His knowledge of the internet was rudimentary and his people skills were woeful....he was a breed of copper that wasn't supposed to exist anymore, a rare and endangered species."

D I Siobhan is the complimentary opposite to Rebus and holds a great respect and platonic love for him. She is highly intelligent and understands how JR operates, curtailing even cautioning him but values his deep understanding of the criminal mind and how it operates. She feels for him and worries about him; his out of control drinking, smoking, loneliness and what, she wonders, will finally become of him when he is no longer able to operate and contribute to the Scottish Constabulary.

I as a reader adore John Rebus, I see him as a real and living individual and for that I hold the greatest admiration for his creator Ian Rankin. I highly recommend this book and in closing this review leave the parting words to Detective Sergeant John Rebus..."I'm from the eighties, Peter- I'm not the newfangled touchy-feely model. Now get out of my f***ing car!" show less

This was my first time reading anything by Rankin, and I'm quite happy I decided to pick it up as I thoroughly enjoyed it. There was plenty of intrigue and just enough plot twists to keep me guessing. I loved the character development, and how Rebus, Fox and Clarke progressed as individuals AND as a team. I also loved Rankin's narrative style. This book was quite a change from the typical American murder mysteries/thrillers that I'm accustomed to. Although there were some shady dealings, this story wasn't about a rogue officer speculating wildly and chasing multiple red herrings. Instead, there was actual detective work involved! I loved that aspect, as well as the change of setting. Somehow, Scotland makes a better backdrop for this show more type of story than the United States. show less