Thriller

This one didn't hold my attention nearly as well as previous Rebus tales. I couldn't bring myself to care very much about any of it, alas. ( )

22 books into the series and it still remains great. Ian Rankin is a master and one of the few authors I read right when there books come out.

I also love that this book is more of a team book and less of a Rebus book (although he is still a big part of it). You can see that Rebus is winding down and his end is probably near but the rest of the gang is still.going strong. ( )

The body of a private investigator who disappeared some years ago is found in the trunk of a car in a field, his ankles bound by what appear to be police-issue handcuffs, and DI Siobhan Clarke is assigned to the team asked to investigate, while DI Malcolm Fox is required to go over the original investigation to uncover possible police misdeeds. In the meantime, Siobhan asks retired cop John Rebus to look into the more recent arrest of a young man convicted of murdering his girlfriend, a case that she had a role in solving. As old and new cases converge, issues concerning rich businessmen, gay rights and organized crime become more and more important…. This 22nd Rebus (and 7th Malcolm Fox) novel has all the hallmarks of Mr. Rankin’s well-loved series: lots of atmospheric Edinburgh, musical quotes and inventive relationships, but with Rebus now officially retired (and suffering from COPD), it’s hard to imagine him lasting much longer. Still, I’ll read the books while they’re being written, so recommended! ( )

Rebus is a tired character, in the story and as a writer's muse. His involvement is shoe horned into this complex story; Rankin has done much better. ( )