In a House of Lies -- Free Preview

by Ian Rankin

A new investigation threatens to unearth skeletons from Rebus's past in this "must-read" (Tana French) mystery.

Rebus' retirement is disrupted once again when skeletal remains are identified as a private investigator who went missing over a decade earlier. The remains, found in a rusted car in the East Lothian woods, not far from Edinburgh, quickly turn into a cold case murder investigation. Rebus' old friend, Siobhan Clarke is assigned to the case, but neither of them could have predicted what buried secrets the investigation will uncover.

Rebus remembers the original case--a shady land deal--all too well. After the investigation stalled, the family of the missing man complained that there was a police cover-up. As Clarke and her team investigate the cold case murder, she soon learns a different side of her mentor, a side he would prefer to keep in the past.

A gripping story of corruption and consequences, this new novel demonstrates that Rankin and Rebus are still at the top of their game.

Genres: Mystery

384 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 23, 2018

About the author

AKA Jack Harvey.

Born in the Kingdom of Fife in 1960, Ian Rankin graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 1982 and then spent three years writing novels when he was supposed to be working towards a PhD in Scottish Literature. His first Rebus novel was published in 1987; the Rebus books are now translated into 22 languages and are bestsellers on several continents.

Ian Rankin has been elected a Hawthornden Fellow. He is also a past winner of the Chandler-Fulbright Award, and he received two Dagger Awards for the year's best short story and the Gold Dagger for Fiction. Ian Rankin is also the recipient of honorary degrees from the universities of Abertay, St Andrews, and Edinburgh.

A contributor to BBC2's Newsnight Review, he also presented his own TV series, Ian Rankin's Evil Thoughts, on Channel 4 in 2002. He recently received the OBE for services to literature, and opted to receive the prize in his home city of Edinburgh, where he lives with his partner and two sons.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/ianrankin

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though this free preview available from Amazon is short, it was a welcome reunion with Siobhan and Rebus. Really looking forward to full book.

[Jeanne Cosmos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolute fan of Ian Rankin. Love Rebus. Gave it 4 stars because this book had a bit too much of Clark & not enough Rebus. Also, I think Rankin was disrespectful of Rebus’ character as a retired cop.

Rebus in this narrative seems Soddy & slow & not the guy I love. I’m disappointed that the characterization is a bit slanted & shows authors bias Re:age & ageism. I was really bothered by that, actually. Why should a retired Rebus be less valued or less brilliant.
Do, actually I would not recommend this one.
I truly hope Rankin will rethink he’s Rebus of a certain age.

[Lozza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Ian Rankin's writing and this did not disappoint.

[Steven Pace · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is novel #22 (2018) featuring now former Inspector John Rebus. If you really want to get a read on Scotland Police’s most well known fictional detective, read Knots & Crosses (1987) or Hide and Seek (1990). To quote the publisher, “Everyone has something to hide. A missing private investigator is found, locked in a car hidden deep in the woods. Worse still – both for his family and the police – is that his body was in an area that had already been searched.”
Highlighted here is is currently serving Detective Inspector Siobhan (shiv-AWN) Clarke. She’s a buddy of the retired Rebus and still goes to him for help and counsel, like a senior mentor. Rebus has had a few questionable officer acts over the years and Clarke is sympathetic since she has accountability issues in the department too. For Malcolm Fox fans, he's there too.
So Rankin gives us an old cold case murder to solve, another case Clarke thought she was through with, and the interwoven criminal underworld you might not expect in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Again as the book industry puts it, “Nobody is innocent. Every officer involved must be questioned, and it seems everyone on the case has something to hide, and everything to lose. But there is one man who knows where the trail may lead – and that it could be the end of him: John Rebus.” As John says, “Listen, I might be able to help.” Indeed, you can John.

[Chris]

Excellent Edinburgh prep. And a satisfying story, as always.

[Gail Cranshaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s written in a typical Rankin detective style but without Rebus as the focal point, to me, the intensity is just not there. All the old favourites, Cafferty etc, are there but as this case goes back years, the interweaving and involvement of the corruption unit sometimes is a little far-fetched.

[Carol Fuller · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book but don't really understand why so many criminal investigation books have an underlying theme of police corruption or simply back stabbing/not getting along.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid Rebus mystery. I think Rankin might be growing a bit funnier as he ages. As the title suggests, its plot of the novel is driven by a complicated web of lies, icluding several told by Rebus.

[Kally Sheng · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting

It’s difficult to review a preview of a book when you only have a few chapters to read, that said however, having read them, I want to read the whole book!