Even Dogs in the Wild

You’d have thought that Ian Rankin must have played all the possible permutations of John Rebus, Siobhan Clarke, Malcolm Fox and their nemesis Big Ger Cafferty by now, but he always seems to have a few more left up his sleeve. This time Rebus has retired from the force and Siobhan is investigating the murder of a government lawyer, whilst Fox is seconded to assist a team of Glasgow detectives on an organised crime investigation that has spilled over into Edinburgh, threatening the city with a three-way gang war. Needless to say, Rebus and Cafferty get caught up in it all, and it looks as though everything might be linked together by something that happened back in the days when music still came on cassette tapes.

Every bit as dark and show more nasty as you could want from a Rankin novel, and beautifully constructed, although the final cliffhanger was possibly a little bit underwhelming. I loved the way there was a crucial clue in a takeaway curry menu — just a hint of self-parody there, surely… show less

Crime novels don't get any better than a John Rebus story. Ian Rankin writes these books with all the effort that goes in to great works of literature: no gory details to hide a lack of characterisation here. They're not needed. Not only has John Rebus grown as a person throughout the series, but Siobhan Clarke, Malcolm Fox and Big Ger Cafferty, all develop as people, as well as characters for the individual novel. I particularly admire his work with Cafferty; a villain who always has that air of evil, whilst still showing a human side.

This tale follows the usual style of Rankin: just when you feel comfortable that you know what is happening, there's a twist. Not a silly twist, leaving the reader frustrated, but a believable deviation show more that sends the brain racing to attempt to catch up. The murders are wrapped up with a buried case of child molestation from the seventies. It would be easy to either turn out a bleak book, or trivialise the crime. Ian Rankin deserves enormous credit for doing neither.

I am reluctant to say anything more about the plot; not just because of spoiling it for anyone still to read it, but because I will want to re-read it after a few years and don't want to burn the solution into my brain! All I will say, is that if you haven't read this book, it is well worth so doing, whether you consider yourself a crime story fan, or no. show less

After so many years it is still great to read about that wonderful creation from Ian Rankin, that wily old fox who even in retirement can never let go; John Rebus. "Even Dogs in the Wild" is once again written to a very high standard and inevitably sees Rebus not so much confronting but consulting with his great adversary Big Ger Cafferty. As the years have passed they have developed perhaps not a fondness but a grudging respect for each other. The plot revolves around the murder of a well known MP and his association with "Acorn House" a care home for children. Given the amount of news coverage attributed to sexual abuse and in particular sexual abuse of minors it comes as no surprise the direction and shape this story takes. To me the show more bolder than life characters are more important than the theme and in this Rankin excels with shady underworld connections in the guise of Darryl Christie and Morris Cafferty and the robust old fashioned policing, nor forgetting the deadpan humour, of Detective Inspector John Rebus (retired) Rebus is everything you would expect a detective, whose routes lie in the past, to be. His methods are more suited to dogged hands on police work rather than as I am sure he would describe...fancy computers. He has no interest in the comforts of this world preferring to drive an old Saab, listen to bygone bands on his record player (The Steve Miller band and the amazing Rory Gallagher) and relaxing at the end of the day in his favourite watering hole The Oxford Bar with a pint of IPA close by.

Those readers acquainted with the style and wit of Ian Rankin will devour this story, just like stepping into a comfy pair of slippers. The only sadness is knowing that in the not too distant future John Rebus must surely finish leaving the reader to ponder if he will finally be stopped... his own decision? ill health? or perhaps have his life ended suddenly by an old acquaintance or underworld operator! show less

This is the 20th book in the Inspector Rebus series, and, as good as they all have been, I think this is one of the THE best in this series. Rebus is supposedly retired for real now, but even so he finds himself drawn into an investigation by none other than his old nemesis Big Ger Cafferty. Cafferty was shot at while he was in his own home, and although he wasn't hurt, he wants to find out who has it in for him. He asks Rebus to help him, and when Rebus starts looking he finds out that Siobhan is looking into a murder that has the same hallmarks as the attempts on Big Ger's life. So they each follow their own leads which eventually come together and discover that other victims may be tied in. While they are pursuing these leads, DI show more Malcolm Fox has been seconded to work with a drugs task force. The more Malcolm digs, the more it looks like an all-out gang war is going to break out on the streets of Edinburgh. Some of the old mobsters like Big Ger are getting older and there are younger gangs out there that want to push them out. And it appears that there may even be some dirty cops in that mix. Malcom has stirred up a huge can of worms all on his own. Rebus is stirring his own can of worms and digs out some huge big names of politicians, judges and even police constables from Edinburgh's past who reside in that can. Rankin is always good at introducing two storylines, and then having them converge in the end, but in this book he has gone a step further and has three storylines, and they all do eventually converge, with everybody getting their man or men in the end. The tension is fraught throughout the whole book and the plot does not even get remotely muddled with all of this going on. That is what makes Ian Rankin the best detective story writer out there today. If you haven't discovered Rebus yet, hopefully my review will help direct you that way. May i suggest that you start with book number one though so that you can get the full benefit of Mr. Rankin's extraordinary authorial skills. That book is called Knots and Crosses. I envy you your journey of discovery. show less

Even Dogs in the Wild by Ian Rankin is the 20th instalment in his John Rebus series of police procedurals. Rebus is still a strong and viable presence when he is brought out of retirement as a consultant to assist Siobhan Clarke in the investigation of a series of shootings, including one at the home of “Big Ger” Cafferty. Meanwhile Malcolm Fox has been assigned to assist a team from Glasgow who are following a team of Glaswegian gangsters, Joe and Dennis Stark as they stalk the streets of Edinburgh. The story twists and turns between the three main characters and slowly we begin to see connections between the two plots.

This series shows no signs of petering out. The author has provided a set of strong characters placed against the show more backdrop of the dark side of Edinburgh, and a powerful story-line. He keeps things fresh and entertaining with humor and shows both the protective and competitive side of John Rebus.

With a theme of fathers and sons that the author uses repeatedly the book is cohesive and emotional. Rebus, connects with his daughter and although he doesn’t have a son, he is starting to act rather fatherly toward Malcolm Fox. He also obtains a dog by the end of the book which will certainly change his lone-wolf life. Bring on book 21! show less

After 20 outings with Rebus, you would think the series might not be as fresh as it once was. Think again. This book is great, one of the best.
Rebus, Siobhan Clarke and Malcolm Fox working together to solve seemingly different cases that of course come together.
The story is told by all of the characters over a series of days. The personality of Fox comes forward and it seems almost as if Rebus could be a mentor for him as Fox tries to live in a police world outside complaints.
I can only hope that Ian Rankin never tires of writing about Rebus and that he continues to entwine the stories of Siobhan and Fox and Rebus.

Even Dogs in the Wild is Ian Rankin at his best. Rebus is here, but he's retired, allowed back because Big Ger Cafferty is involved - a bullet is shot through his living room window one night and he won't talk to anyone but Rebus. Siobhan is in the middle of a complex series of murders and she and Malcolm Fox are seeing each other. Fox is stuck in a no-man's land, where he's too highly ranked to do basic police work, but there's very little available for an ex-Complaints guy. So he gets stuck chaperoning a group of Glasgow cops who have come to Edinburg as part of a long-term undercover operation. They don't trust him or want him anywhere near their work, but Fox has experience in finding out things.

It's a solid crime novel. And it's show more fun to see all the usual characters doing their thing. And Rebus's too cool for school attitude even has him opt out of getting information he would have found useful later, which I enjoyed seeing. This isn't a change in direction and the pattern of the series holds, but it's working well for now and Even Dogs in the Wild was fun to read. show less