Inspector Rebus - my assessment of the books by Ian Rankin (work in progress)

 

The Inspector Rebus Novels – My Views

An irreverent look at the work of Ian Rankin

WARNING – CONTAINS SPOILERS

Inspector Rebus police Scotland?
Isn't AI wonderful?

Novel 11 Set in Darkness

A crime that ultimately doesn’t get solved. Rebus does a lot of his usual mooching around, we are introduced to DI Derek Linford who is supposed to be a bit of a career creep but turns up the only useful clue, although his peeping tom antics with Siobhan Clarke should have been enough to get him kicked out the force later on.

Set against a background of the opening of the Scottish Parliament it does have some interesting insights into Edinburgh at the turn of the Century.

Cafferty gets himself let out of prison, presumably because Rankin was fed up concocting scenarios for Rebus to visit him in jail.

Novel 12 The Falls

I had read this book before but couldn’t remember much about it. It is famous because it does nor feature Cafferty. Rebus develops a new romantic partner in Jean Burchill as old flame Gill Templer takes over from Detective Chief Superintendent ‘Farmer’ Watson who retires at the beginning of the book.

Siobhan Clarke gets herself involved in a puzzle to solve the crime and with her partner Grant Hood who appears to be another with a crush on Siobhan. DS Ellen Wylie had done a decent job in Book 11 Set in Darkness but comes undone after she messes up the media job which ultimately goes to Grant Hood as Siobhan decides she doesn’t want it. Rebus steps in to protect Ellen, presumably unsuccessfully as she isn’t mentioned in Book 13 The Resurrection Men.

Siobhan puts herself in danger to solve the case but has been promoted by Book 13 so apparently no harm done. Grant Hood seems to have taken a step back by Book 13 as he is still a DC. Donald Devlin, formerly Professor of Medical Science turns out to be a serial killer and Rebus’s old confessor Father Conor Leary dies, although Rebus cannot face going to his funeral.

Does Donald Devlin feature in earlier books?

Does journalist Steve Holly appear in later books and how did he have Siobhan’s mobile number?

Novel 13 Resurrection Men

Siobhan is now a DS and is developing a platonic relationship with Brains Bain. Rebus is in the doghouse and having to go through retraining due to contrived mug throwing incident. This is primarily where the “resurrection” comes from in the title, although there is a lot of resurrection going on with ex-cons gaining employment and tarts going on to better things. Cafferty is back as an honest to goodness criminal not to be confused with the bent coppers which are theme of the book (and seemingly beyond resurrection).

There are two murders being investigated in the book, one being a cold case introduced as a syndicate exercise for Rebus’s retraining workshop, and which features a murder which Rebus appears to have more knowledge of than he’s letting on. Siobhan is left to work on the other case with Derek Linford popping up to be a nuisance again.

There’s also a drug heist for good measure to keep Claverhouse and Ormiston busy. One of the most contrived moments of the book has to be Cafferty’s dog Claret and his part in this robbery.

The Weasel has disappeared – will he return?

Did Eric “Rico” Lomax and Richard “Dickie” Diamond feature in an earlier Rebus novel?

And why did Chief Constable Sir David Strathern get Tennant to choose the Rico Lomax case for Rebus’ workshop? Will this come back later on?

ACC Colin Carswell is promoted sidewards and Linford losses his sponsor – how will this play out.

Jean Burchill still providing romantic interest for Rebus.

Novel 14 A Question of Blood

Siobhan seems to have dropped Bains (as he wanted to move their relationship to the next level), is having trouble with a stalker and Rebus is required to give advice on a murder case involving an ex-member of the SAS. Rebus manages to get himself suspended again although this doesn’t seem to affect his ability to investigate the case or make a general nuisance around Edinburgh. He is also distantly related to one of the victims, providing another secret for him to hang onto and another reason why he really shouldn’t have been involved.

Rankin’s joint themes that he hangs the story on are gun crime and the adverse effects of military service on the mind. Of course, the latter is very much the catalyst for Rebus’ whole modus operandi, so it is not clear why he felt the need to revisit it hear. Perhaps he was looking for ways of mixing in the stories of the Dunblane massacre and the infamous Chinook helicopter crash (it was the software wot done it!) on Jura.      

Gill Templar is put under pressure by Carswell to suspend Rebus although we were told Carswell was being moved aside in Book 13. And Ellen Wylie is back although she didn’t appear in 13, as is Steve Holly.

It’s as if 13 and 14 are in the wrong order except Jean Burchill and Rebus appear to be cooling off even more in 14 than they were in 13.

We have our first introduction to Mullen from the Professional Standards Unit (the Complaints) and the sub villains of the piece are Rab Fisher, a street gang leader, Peacock Johnson who is trading arms and his side kick Rob who Rebus decides a save with a copy of Toad Hall! You couldn’t make this stuff up – oh hang on, Rankin manages to.

Everybody seems able to connect their laptops to the internet either via landline or mobile phone with consummate ease and effectiveness – this isn’t my recollection of 2003 😊

But the most important lesson in the book is don’t get pished and fall asleep on the lavatory when you’ve filled the bath up with scalding water……………………………..   

The story grinds on to its inevitable implausible conclusion, although for once thankfully we do have a conclusion of sorts. Or do we? Does Rankin leave us with enough in the epilogue to suggest that the double jeopardy provided by Rebus’ involvement has scuppered the case?

Novel 15 Fleshmarket Close

Oh, a story about illegal immigrants in Scotland. I really dislike it when an author uses one of his books to showcase his prejudice which is what Rankin does here. The dialogue is often used for needless details about the plight of illegals in this country, detracting from the plot and wasting valuable reading time.

Shioban is once again working separately from Rebus although their cases do tend to cross from time to time. The Rebus “partner” interest is provided by artist and human rights campaigner Caroline Quinn who has a falling out with Shioban halfway through and somehow Caroline plays no further part. Siobhan is partnered up with Les Young who is a DI at a neighbouring station on one of the murder cases. Rebus and Siobhan are basically homeless as their old station, St Leonard’s, no longer has a CID section so they are sent to Gayfield Square where they meet back up with Phyllida Hawes. Ellen Wylie is back on the case at another station (Torpichen Place) and works with Rebus.

Another theme of the book is very much about how it’s time for Rebus to retire but his problem is he loves the job too much. All the puzzles in the book are sewn up towards the end with Rebus relying on his intuition once again, pulling a few rabbits out of the hat and somehow pinning it all on Cafferty (again)! As usual there is no proof so Cafferty goes free (although he does seem to spend all his time in the hot tub in his back garden – he must be well boiled.) 😉

Rebus and Siobhan manage to stay friends and are drinking together at the end of the book.

 Novel 16 The Naming of the Dead

This actually became quite a good read. The title comes from the practice of reading out a list of victims at memorial services.

The book is constructed around events in Edinburgh during the week of the G8 summit in 2005 and visits some popular Rebus themes - Cafferty, inner city deprivation, getting old, Siobhan’s development and family. The theme of what is really good and bad is visited again and I got the impression Cafferty quoted a line from Rebus in the previous book.

“they (the police) spend most of their time chasing the underworld, but really it’s the overworld that an eye should be kept on” Fleshmarket Close

As well as Rebus all the police characters appear to be struggling between right and wrong whether it be Ellen Whylie (whose sister Denise ends up being responsible for one crime of passion), Eric Bains who is duped into being Cafferty’s mole, Siobhan, who falls under Cafferty’s spell, or Corbyn the Chief Constable who is hob knobbing with the great and the good some of whom have blood on their hands?

The newspaper reporter Marie Henderson is back involved and she provides Rebus with useful information to progress the case.

Gets boring describing the action from the summit and the counter protest. Perhaps Rankin just wanted to prove he was there. And, after describing Siobhan’s difficult journey to Gleneagles, Rebus just magically “turns up” to rescue her (and cause George Bush to fall off his mountain bike) 😉.)

Another Rebus case that gets solved in his mind but not in practice. Another Rebus case where he gets suspended and yet is still able to operate with impunity. And another Rebus case where Cafferty appears as the honest crook and the device of both Rebus and Cafferty turning up unannounced on the other’s doorstep is deployed exhaustively.

Is this lazy writing from Rankin, pumping out a winning formula around the theme of the year, or creatively giving his audience what they want?

Novel 17 Exit Music (November 2006)

The final Rebus novel where he is still a CID officer, based in the ten days prior to his retirement at age 60. Rankin went on to author novels around Malcolm Fox for five years until returning to Rebus in a cold case capacity.

What to say about this lack lustre novel. A Russian poet is apparently mugged and murdered in Edinburgh and Siobhan and Rebus set about resolving the case before Rebus retires. Of course, Rebus gets suspended and has to work behind the scenes to solve the case and of course Cafferty is involved. Once again Rankin demonstrates his ignorance of technology and manages to bring in a SNP angle. Couldn’t finish soon enough for me.

In the end, and on the final day of his time as a serving police officer, Rebus stops messing about and solves the two murders with minutes to spare before leaving drinks in the Oxford Bar. We have two new characters, DC Phyllida Hawes and DC Colin Tibbet as supporting cast, and the heading for a fall ambitious PC Todd Goodyear who might just have a score to settle with Rebus before the DI retires.

Cafferty is once again quite literally the fall guy, and the book closes with Rebus astride Cafferty's hospital bed performing CPR as Siobhan gives the arch villain the kiss of life............................. Is he going to be alright?

Novel 17A The Complaints (February 2009)

As Rebus is enjoying retirement, we meet up with Malcolm Fox in his role as an officer in the Complaints and Conduct Department, Known colloquially as "The Dark Side". I didn’t know what I expected from DI Malcolm Fox, but I did expect him to be one for correct procedure, very much the antithesis of DI John Rebus. How wrong I was. 137 pages in and he’s suspended. At least he had to hand his warrant card in!

So once again we have our hero working outside the system and yet operating seemingly unhindered despite having his wings clipped. Where he differs from Rebus is that he’s very much a gum and Iron Bru kind of guy, as alcohol had proved his undoing in the past.

Was the book believable – not in the slightest; but it did move forward at a reasonable pace and brought all the loose ends to a satisfactory conclusion in the end. Of course, I wanted some obscure link to Rebus but it just wasn’t there (well apart from Edinburgh). This was possibly deliberate on Rankin’s part and thankfully we were spared Cafferty as the arch villain of the piece.

Novel 17B The Impossible Dead (timing not specified)

Malcolm Fox again. Can a book be both gripping and yet implausible; The Impossible Dead proves that it can.

A novel based on a stupidly impossible plot twist. I’m not sure how Rankin expects us to find it plausible. And once again Fox doesn’t appear to have a real job but instead can spend his time investigating a case from 1985 and allow Rankin to express Scottish separatist rhetoric across every other page.

No wonder Rankin gave up with Fox after two novels and engineered a way for Rebus to return.

Novel 18 Standing in Another Man’s Grave

Reading my last comment I realise I’ve done Rankin an injustice. The reason why we got introduced to Malcolm Fox in the previous two books was so that we could bring Rebus under the “Complaints” spotlight in “Standing in another man’s grave”. 

How do we do that if Rebus has retired? Well we have him working for a cold case unit (New Tricks without the theme tune) and also applying to rejoin CID now that the age restriction has been lifted.

I found this to be a novel about the changing of the guard. Cafferty appears, very much alive and thankful to Rebus for saving his life, but there are new younger forces at work in the world of crime for both Cafferty and Rebus to be wary of.

Novel 19 Saints of the Shadow Bible

Rebus is back in CID and working for Siobhan, until Fox decides he can assist him in investigating a cold case Fox is working on. This are strong links to the ultimately unsuccessful (depending how you look at it) independence campaign in Scotland and lots of references to the traffic disruption caused by the installation of a tram network in Edinburgh.

But things are never as they straightforward as they seem with Rebus and pretty soon Fox is assisting Siobhan and working his way back into CID leaving to do his own thing, pull all the threads together and upset DCI Jimmy Page by passing all the useful information to another station and thereby being kicked out by Page.