Ian Rankin is another local author as he was born in Cardenden, Fife just a few miles from where I live and I thought it was about time I got around to reading something by him. The Rebus books have been dramatised for tv and I always watch them. I usually stick to vintage crime books but I did really enjoy this one.
Set in Edinburgh of course, and it’s nice to be able to drive and walk around the place in your mind if you know the city. Detective Inspector John Rebus’s police station has been closed down and the resulting reorganisation means that Rebus doesn’t even have a desk in his new station. It’s a big hint from the top brass that they want him to retire but Rebus has no intention of doing so.
When a murder victim is discovered in Knoxland, a rough housing-scheme, Rebus and his side-kick Siobhan have the task of finding out who he is before they can even start to find the murderer. During the investigation they uncover an illegal immigrant operation and the whole thing becomes quite convoluted with several different crimes being looked into.
Amongst other things, this is a book about the terrible plight of asylum-seekers and their exploitation. But it isn’t all doom and gloom and there are flashes of dry comedy here and there.
Ian Rankin does seem to have a thing about half-moon glasses. I’m sure that there were three minor female characters in this book who were described as being about 50 and wearing half-moon glasses. I haven’t seen anyone with those for absolutely years.
It’s a fairly large book at 399 pages but it flows easily so it didn’t take long to read. I tried to read Rankin’s first book years ago and I gave up because, if I’m remembering correctly, it was cliched and I didn’t like the style at all. However I heard recently that Ian Rankin described his earlier work as not being great, so I thought I should give him another go. I’m glad I did and I will read more of his work now.
You might want to take a look at his official website here.
According to the blurb his books are bestsellers on several continents and have been translated into 22 languages. He lives in Edinburgh now!
On a personal note, I just wish that he hadn’t given the housing estate the name of Knoxland because that was the name of the primary school that I went to. It was supposed to be THE school in the west of Scotland town that I grew up in, so has completely different connotations for me.