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Inspector Rebus #2
Hide and Seek
A junkie lies dead in an Edinburgh squat, spreadeagled, cross-like on the floor, between two burned-down candles, a five-pointed star daubed on the wall above.
Just another dead addict - until John Rebus begins to chip away at the indifference, treachery, deceit and sleaze that lurks behind the facade of the Edinburgh familiar to tourists.
Only Rebus seems to care about a death which looks more like a murder every day, about a seductive danger he can almost taste, appealing to the darkest corners of his mind ...
Just another dead addict - until John Rebus begins to chip away at the indifference, treachery, deceit and sleaze that lurks behind the facade of the Edinburgh familiar to tourists.
Only Rebus seems to care about a death which looks more like a murder every day, about a seductive danger he can almost taste, appealing to the darkest corners of his mind ...
261 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1990
1591 people are currently reading
5312 people want to read
About the author
Ian Rankin
424 books6,547 followersAKA 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
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
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,191 reviews
April 14, 2024
I’ve a habit of stumbling into a series and reading subsequent books - those that preceded it and those that followed - in random order. And that’s what I’ve done here. My only outstanding books are a handful (I’m not quite sure how many as I’m not absolutely certain which ones I’ve read and which I haven’t) at the start of the series. So, having recently read book one and really enjoyed it, it was now the turn of book two.
A friend of mine, a long time resident of Edinburgh, used to tell me that the city has this posh and calm appearance but what lurks just below the surface, invisible to the occasional visitor, is a darker, murkier place. And this is what John Rebus discovers here. He’s recently been promoted to Inspector, and, in truth, he seems rather drunk with the power of it. The main plot line concerns a dead drug addict, found in a squat. Rebus just has a feel about the scene of death and decides to sniff around a bit more than would normally seem necessary in a case seemingly as cut and dried as this. There’s also a new superintendent to deal with, and he’s co-opted John onto a small team looking at the wider issue of the city’s growing drug problems.
The story is interesting and well told as Rebus gradually unearths a few loose ends and tugs away at these strands until the bigger picture starts to appear. But the real beauty, the true quality of the writing, is in the character development and the superb dialogue. Here Rankin has created one of the enduring heroes of crime fiction, and what’s really pleasing is that even in this very early book (the series has reached 20 episodes and is still going) the quality is already abundantly clear. There were scenes here that had me laughing aloud, which also included dialogue as caustic and cutting as you’ll find anywhere in literature. The full spectrum from light to absolute darkness is here.
I’ll continue to make my way slowly (like the best meals, I don’t want to gobble it all up too fast) through the outstanding books. Do yourself a favour – if you like crime fiction but have somehow missed out on the delights of Rebus, put it right ASAP. You won’t regret it.
A friend of mine, a long time resident of Edinburgh, used to tell me that the city has this posh and calm appearance but what lurks just below the surface, invisible to the occasional visitor, is a darker, murkier place. And this is what John Rebus discovers here. He’s recently been promoted to Inspector, and, in truth, he seems rather drunk with the power of it. The main plot line concerns a dead drug addict, found in a squat. Rebus just has a feel about the scene of death and decides to sniff around a bit more than would normally seem necessary in a case seemingly as cut and dried as this. There’s also a new superintendent to deal with, and he’s co-opted John onto a small team looking at the wider issue of the city’s growing drug problems.
The story is interesting and well told as Rebus gradually unearths a few loose ends and tugs away at these strands until the bigger picture starts to appear. But the real beauty, the true quality of the writing, is in the character development and the superb dialogue. Here Rankin has created one of the enduring heroes of crime fiction, and what’s really pleasing is that even in this very early book (the series has reached 20 episodes and is still going) the quality is already abundantly clear. There were scenes here that had me laughing aloud, which also included dialogue as caustic and cutting as you’ll find anywhere in literature. The full spectrum from light to absolute darkness is here.
I’ll continue to make my way slowly (like the best meals, I don’t want to gobble it all up too fast) through the outstanding books. Do yourself a favour – if you like crime fiction but have somehow missed out on the delights of Rebus, put it right ASAP. You won’t regret it.
December 7, 2022
Inspector Rebus, mystery No. 2: All about the mysterious Mr 'Hyde'. There's lots about Holmes too, who is Rebus' gofer... and yes the detective's gopher's surname is Holmes! An average story for mystery, suspense and thrills - nowhere near as much a page turner as the first book in the series was, so a mere 5 out of 12, Two Star read!
2010 read
2010 read
September 9, 2022
This is my first book by author and as I was reading other reviews people mentioned that how this is better than the first and how much the main character changes through the course of 22 books, I wish it is so because I guessed for a character driven person like me I need a character to like in order to continue reading !
what I liked?
• strong writing and good dialogue :- the smart, witty and engaging conversation between protagonists kept me engrossed with the story . There were some really good dialogues to look forward to and not to mention the flawless writing skills of the author
what I disliked?
• plot points :- some of the plot points didn't make sense, the story itself lacked potential and not to forget the ending , I just couldn't get through the end!
• characters :- there was nothing likeable about any of the character , some were your average junkies ( mostly) and inspector rebus was good bit nothing like "I love this character "
Well I don't think I will read any of his other books as of now !
But I would definitely like to read them in future✌
what I liked?
• strong writing and good dialogue :- the smart, witty and engaging conversation between protagonists kept me engrossed with the story . There were some really good dialogues to look forward to and not to mention the flawless writing skills of the author
what I disliked?
• plot points :- some of the plot points didn't make sense, the story itself lacked potential and not to forget the ending , I just couldn't get through the end!
• characters :- there was nothing likeable about any of the character , some were your average junkies ( mostly) and inspector rebus was good bit nothing like "I love this character "
Well I don't think I will read any of his other books as of now !
But I would definitely like to read them in future✌
March 13, 2023
Ronnie's death, seemingly by his own hand, was the beginning of a complex case where things most definitely were not what they seemed. The seedy side of Edinburgh drew the addicts, prostitutes and conmen, always finding someone to work over. But gradually Inspector John Rebus sifted through the rubble, finding not a lot to shock him, but more than he'd expected. The outcome could be shocking - or it could be pushed under the carpet...
Hide & Seek is the 2nd in the Inspector Rebus series by Ian Rankin and I quite enjoyed it. Rebus is a character who never lets the wool be pulled over his eyes - always with an eye on the endgame. Recommended.
Hide & Seek is the 2nd in the Inspector Rebus series by Ian Rankin and I quite enjoyed it. Rebus is a character who never lets the wool be pulled over his eyes - always with an eye on the endgame. Recommended.
May 7, 2023
I am currently comfort reading and Ian Rankin is accomplished in fulfilling that objective. This is the second Rebus novel. It follows the apparent accidental overdose of Ronnie an addict in a squat with possible Satanic links. The play on word hide or is it Hyde was a nice touch. Set in the 1990s in a gritty Edinburgh where wealth and poverty are side by side in a city of contrasts.
Rebus finds himself rubbing shoulders with the wealthy of Edinburgh. He also investigates the motive behind the murder of Ronnie who was an amateur photographer. His girlfriend Tracy is a woman with anger management issues gives him the clues, a missing camera and Ronnie’s last words to her to hide.
Throw in a link to Satanism, a yearning to rekindle his relationship with Gill who is seeing a disc jockey and with a few red herrings and you have a good story. Rankin really has an issue with wealthy people, lawyers and politicians. Corruption, blackmail, illegal boxing, exploitation and those at the top getting away with crimes appears to be a common conclusion with Rebus stories.
Rebus finds himself rubbing shoulders with the wealthy of Edinburgh. He also investigates the motive behind the murder of Ronnie who was an amateur photographer. His girlfriend Tracy is a woman with anger management issues gives him the clues, a missing camera and Ronnie’s last words to her to hide.
Throw in a link to Satanism, a yearning to rekindle his relationship with Gill who is seeing a disc jockey and with a few red herrings and you have a good story. Rankin really has an issue with wealthy people, lawyers and politicians. Corruption, blackmail, illegal boxing, exploitation and those at the top getting away with crimes appears to be a common conclusion with Rebus stories.
August 23, 2024
A peek under the kilt of a nasty side of Edinburgh!
The plot is certainly simple enough on the face of it. Inspector Rebus is assigned to investigate the death of a junkie in his run down tenement squat. The victim's body has been obviously arranged after death in the shape of a crucifix. Candles surround the corpse and the crude pentagram on the wall is so fresh that the paint is still tacky. At first blush, the cause of death appears to be a simple heroin overdose taken in the throes of some sort of odd satanic ritual but the medical examiner's autopsy discloses something entirely different. What now appears to be a murder by lacing a junkie's fix with rat poison takes Inspector Rebus on a tour of the seamy underbelly of a gritty Edinburgh that you certainly won't find in the Michelin five star travel guide.
Junkies, addicts and pushers; gay and straight prostitution; dog fighting; illegal high stakes gaming and brothels; corruption in the police force, on the bench and at the bar; alcoholics and drunkards - they all make their way onto the stage of Hide and Seek in a novel that seems determined to portray Scotland as a bleak and unrelentingly dreary den of sin and iniquity. On the face of it, the novel has the flavour of a Michael Connelly police procedural but the comparison stops right there. Rankin has provided little in the way of descriptions of dogged police work and the pursuit of clues and has focused on dialogue and character development almost to the exclusion of everything else.
So how does one rank that? From the point of view of looking for a great police procedural or an engaging mystery, I was singularly unimpressed (two stars at best). But the dialogue and the characterization was first rate. The clever, appealing, understated British style of wit and humour was apparent throughout the entire novel despite its dark setting (unquestionably worth four stars). I suppose we've got to give it an overall rating of three stars and try another entry in the series to see if there are better pickings as far as plot goes.
Paul Weiss
The plot is certainly simple enough on the face of it. Inspector Rebus is assigned to investigate the death of a junkie in his run down tenement squat. The victim's body has been obviously arranged after death in the shape of a crucifix. Candles surround the corpse and the crude pentagram on the wall is so fresh that the paint is still tacky. At first blush, the cause of death appears to be a simple heroin overdose taken in the throes of some sort of odd satanic ritual but the medical examiner's autopsy discloses something entirely different. What now appears to be a murder by lacing a junkie's fix with rat poison takes Inspector Rebus on a tour of the seamy underbelly of a gritty Edinburgh that you certainly won't find in the Michelin five star travel guide.
Junkies, addicts and pushers; gay and straight prostitution; dog fighting; illegal high stakes gaming and brothels; corruption in the police force, on the bench and at the bar; alcoholics and drunkards - they all make their way onto the stage of Hide and Seek in a novel that seems determined to portray Scotland as a bleak and unrelentingly dreary den of sin and iniquity. On the face of it, the novel has the flavour of a Michael Connelly police procedural but the comparison stops right there. Rankin has provided little in the way of descriptions of dogged police work and the pursuit of clues and has focused on dialogue and character development almost to the exclusion of everything else.
So how does one rank that? From the point of view of looking for a great police procedural or an engaging mystery, I was singularly unimpressed (two stars at best). But the dialogue and the characterization was first rate. The clever, appealing, understated British style of wit and humour was apparent throughout the entire novel despite its dark setting (unquestionably worth four stars). I suppose we've got to give it an overall rating of three stars and try another entry in the series to see if there are better pickings as far as plot goes.
Paul Weiss
November 12, 2024
It was a long pause between book one and book two of this series.. and if truth be told, I read about a third of the book a few months ago and it just didn’t do anything for me.
I’m so glad I gave this Rebus installment another go.
Despite being slightly dated (no cell phones and the best research is microfiche or worse yet... the library), or maybe because of that, I really liked this classic detective procedural. Midway through I began realizing that Rebus is a bit of an oddball — certainly a loner.
He reminds me of Harry Bosch, another loner detective who has stolen my hard boiled heart!
I liked Rebus, I liked Homes and I liked the tone of the ending. Looking forward to continuing this series!!
(Reviewed 11/11/19)
I’m so glad I gave this Rebus installment another go.
Despite being slightly dated (no cell phones and the best research is microfiche or worse yet... the library), or maybe because of that, I really liked this classic detective procedural. Midway through I began realizing that Rebus is a bit of an oddball — certainly a loner.
He reminds me of Harry Bosch, another loner detective who has stolen my hard boiled heart!
I liked Rebus, I liked Homes and I liked the tone of the ending. Looking forward to continuing this series!!
(Reviewed 11/11/19)
November 10, 2021
In this second book in the 'Inspector John Rebus' series, the Edinburgh police detective investigates a murder that has reverberations among the city's power elite. The book can be read as a standalone.
*****
A young junkie named Ronnie McGrath is found dead in an Edinburgh squat - positioned like Christ on the cross - with candles beside him and what looks like satanic symbols on the wall.
Ronnie's girlfriend, Tracy, tells Detective Inspector John Rebus that Ronnie was distraught before he died, and repeatedly cried "hide, hide." At first it looks like Ronnie overdosed, but Rebus learns that Ronnie's dope was tainted with rat poison.
Because Rebus is involved in a drug case his boss, Superintendent Watson, invites the detective to lunch with a few Edinburgh bigwigs who are involved with an anti-drug campaign. Rebus seems to be of interest to these rich, successful men, who invite him to a classy party and give him an 'honorary membership' in a gambling club.
Meanwhile, Tracy reports that she's being followed, and Rebus notices that he's being followed as well. It's clear that someone is interested in Rebus's investigation, and he has to find out why.
To assist with his inquiries, Rebus reaches out to Sergeant Brian Holmes - the cop least likely to complain about Rebus's numerous demands.
It turns out that Ronnie was a threat to some people; Tracy knows more than she's telling; and Edinburgh's upper crust citizens have dark secrets. Some side plots in the story involve illegal dog fights, a gay character, and Rebus's ex-lover - Gillian Templer - who has a new radio DJ boyfriend. Rebus pines for Gillian and wants her back.
The book gets over-convoluted and some plot points don't make sense. Still, Rebus has good intuition and identifies the criminals in the end.
This is an early book in the Rebus series and he's kind of 'Rebus light.' That is - though he's demanding - Rebus isn't the difficult, pushy, irascible, alcoholic, boss-hating man he becomes in later books.
This is a pretty good story, recommended to mystery readers - especially Rebus fans.
You can follow my reviews at http://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com/
December 26, 2020
Esta es la segunda incursión que hago en la serie del inspector Rebus.
Poco a poco vamos viendo cómo evoluciona el personaje. De hecho, si la primera entrega fue una presentación del mismo, en esta segunda la trama se centra más en la investigación.
Aparecen nuevos personajes, como Brian Holmes, que tiene bastante importancia en esta novela y otros como Gill Templer, ex de Rebus, que pierden protagonismo.
Rebus va perfilándose como el investigador solitario al que no le importa tener que enfrentarse a los grandes, si con ello consigue que la verdad salga a la luz.
Es un libro con una narración sencilla, una trama poco complicada y no muy extenso, que se lee bien y te mantiene entretenida.
Poco a poco vamos viendo cómo evoluciona el personaje. De hecho, si la primera entrega fue una presentación del mismo, en esta segunda la trama se centra más en la investigación.
Aparecen nuevos personajes, como Brian Holmes, que tiene bastante importancia en esta novela y otros como Gill Templer, ex de Rebus, que pierden protagonismo.
Rebus va perfilándose como el investigador solitario al que no le importa tener que enfrentarse a los grandes, si con ello consigue que la verdad salga a la luz.
Es un libro con una narración sencilla, una trama poco complicada y no muy extenso, que se lee bien y te mantiene entretenida.
September 22, 2018
Una historia mucho más centrada en la investigación que en la vida personal de Rebus, de la que ya tuvimos detalles en su anterior novela. Me ha gustado mucho, con un estilo narrativo que te hace devorar las páginas hasta el final. Se nota que el autor está intentando enganchar a sus lectores en la serie, y conmigo lo consigue. Un thriller poco enrevesado, y que podrá llegar, como así lo ha demostrado, a miles de seguidores. Lectura ágil y agradable, con esporádicos toques de humor.
August 27, 2011
I have a big complaint about Ian Rankin’s early Rebus novels, and it is a complaint that continues to taint my enjoyment of the series. D.I. John Rebus is too erudite. He’s impossibly well read, he knows and loves fine wine, and he’s a big jazz fan; he’s way too cultured to be a D.I..
So for that reason alone I find it impossible to enter the “really liking” territory with these books.
Yet I can’t really attack Rankin for his early decisions because the guy diffuses the bomb in his forwards to Knots and Crosses and Hide and Seek. He’s his own biggest critic when it comes to the early characterization of Rebus, and he claims that he fixes the problems as the series continues. I have to believe him until I see for myself, so my criticism is a waste of time.
I can complain, however, about Rankin’s borderline cheesy need to cleverly reference classic literature. In this book alone he has characters named Holmes, Watson and Macbeth. He has an illegal boxing club named after Edward Hyde (and by coincidence, Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic just happens to be the book Rebus picks out of a pile to read while in the middle of his investigation). We know you’re well read, Ian. Enough already.
Even with all this nitpicky criticism, though, I really enjoyed Hide and Seek. Rankin knows how to spin a mystery, even at the early stage of his career, and while he didn’t really keep me guessing, he kept me reading. And at the heart of that desire to continue is D.I. Rebus. He may be the biggest son of a bitch who’s ever been the leading detective in a mystery series. He is corrupt, self-righteous, hypocritical, misogynistic, violent, egomaniacal, bullying, and delusional. But he is smart, effective and predatory when the hunt is on. It seems to me that he’s the real deal. Not a caricature, but a character of real depth and complexity. Quite something when you consider that I’ve only reached the second book in the series.
So for that reason alone I find it impossible to enter the “really liking” territory with these books.
Yet I can’t really attack Rankin for his early decisions because the guy diffuses the bomb in his forwards to Knots and Crosses and Hide and Seek. He’s his own biggest critic when it comes to the early characterization of Rebus, and he claims that he fixes the problems as the series continues. I have to believe him until I see for myself, so my criticism is a waste of time.
I can complain, however, about Rankin’s borderline cheesy need to cleverly reference classic literature. In this book alone he has characters named Holmes, Watson and Macbeth. He has an illegal boxing club named after Edward Hyde (and by coincidence, Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic just happens to be the book Rebus picks out of a pile to read while in the middle of his investigation). We know you’re well read, Ian. Enough already.
Even with all this nitpicky criticism, though, I really enjoyed Hide and Seek. Rankin knows how to spin a mystery, even at the early stage of his career, and while he didn’t really keep me guessing, he kept me reading. And at the heart of that desire to continue is D.I. Rebus. He may be the biggest son of a bitch who’s ever been the leading detective in a mystery series. He is corrupt, self-righteous, hypocritical, misogynistic, violent, egomaniacal, bullying, and delusional. But he is smart, effective and predatory when the hunt is on. It seems to me that he’s the real deal. Not a caricature, but a character of real depth and complexity. Quite something when you consider that I’ve only reached the second book in the series.
August 24, 2021
3.5 stars rounded up to 4. Scribd.com's English text, and translation for Portuguese + audio in English from Google Translate. Continuing the Project Learning English by myself.
Synopsys: "A junkie, dead in an Edinburgh squat, the body laid out with ritual precision. A girl with a past, running wild and running scared.
But who cares? These are the dregs, a squalid society of addicts and derelicts, people long since disconnected from a society that is preoccupied with the new businesses and the new homes bringing prosperity to a city concentrating on advertising its quality of life.
Only Detective Inspector John Rebus senses something evil, something too dangerous to ignore that has to be investigated and brought up into the light. Something that may prove to be very closely connected indeed to the bright new world above. It is an investigation that will find him not just trying to solve a crime but fighting for his life."
Synopsys: "A junkie, dead in an Edinburgh squat, the body laid out with ritual precision. A girl with a past, running wild and running scared.
But who cares? These are the dregs, a squalid society of addicts and derelicts, people long since disconnected from a society that is preoccupied with the new businesses and the new homes bringing prosperity to a city concentrating on advertising its quality of life.
Only Detective Inspector John Rebus senses something evil, something too dangerous to ignore that has to be investigated and brought up into the light. Something that may prove to be very closely connected indeed to the bright new world above. It is an investigation that will find him not just trying to solve a crime but fighting for his life."
August 11, 2021
Headed for a PhD in Scottish literature from the University Of Edinburgh, Ian Rankin was inspired by his infamous countryman to author three modern “Jekyll & Hyde” novels. His creations of the likeable John Rebus becoming hits of the mystery genre, surprised him. My omnibus of this introductory trio reveals that Ian had not been a mystery reader. His work entails well-balanced stories of an intimately layered character. Excellent mysteries are plotted around that. I absolutely love and have a keen nose for picking up anything fresh, from styles we are used to seeing. My favourite attribute is immersing in Glasgow as a city of the world, without any of the usual phonetically rearranged spelling to emphasize an outrageous Scottish brogue. Our characters simply speak as relatable, modern people, with sprinklings of regional words.
It is my extra special pleasure to share the experience of reading this series with my friend, Shirin. I was blessed to have seen Scotland a little but we are foreign fans from countries far afield. Seeing where our perspectives differ and in the main, where they meet, enriches our interpretations of the stories we read. It was fun to observe that this 1990 title mirrors the line from 1886: “If you be Mr. Hyde, I will be Mr. Seek!” Shirin & I saw no similarities except in the way that characters hide criminal aspects of themselves in decent company.
An occult thread only served as a red herring, however nothing felt superfluous. Shifting between acquaintance of John as a person and his determination to solve a junkie’s murder, left no pause at which to stop reading. Having been promoted, there was a realistic learning curve of putting officers to work and being friendly with them. This mystery comprised numerous story elements and they fit together.
It is my extra special pleasure to share the experience of reading this series with my friend, Shirin. I was blessed to have seen Scotland a little but we are foreign fans from countries far afield. Seeing where our perspectives differ and in the main, where they meet, enriches our interpretations of the stories we read. It was fun to observe that this 1990 title mirrors the line from 1886: “If you be Mr. Hyde, I will be Mr. Seek!” Shirin & I saw no similarities except in the way that characters hide criminal aspects of themselves in decent company.
An occult thread only served as a red herring, however nothing felt superfluous. Shifting between acquaintance of John as a person and his determination to solve a junkie’s murder, left no pause at which to stop reading. Having been promoted, there was a realistic learning curve of putting officers to work and being friendly with them. This mystery comprised numerous story elements and they fit together.
February 23, 2025
Published in 1990, this is the second novel in the long-running series featuring Scottish police detective John Rebus. As the book opens, a young junkie and aspiring photographer named Ronnie is found dead of an apparent drug overdose in a rundown building. It quickly becomes apparent, though, that the young man was murdered by someone who substituted a deadly dose of poison for the drugs the man thought he was taking.
The body has been moved and arranged in a manner that suggests that the death was ritualistic, and complicating the death investigation is Ronnie's last word, as reported to Rebus by Ronnie's girlfriend, Tracy. As he breathed his last, Ronnie said "Hide", or was it "Hyde", and if so, what did the poor man mean?
At the same time he is investigating this crime, Rebus's boss appoints him to take part in a new anti-drug campaign that will have Rebus rubbing elbows with some of Edinburgh's movers and shakers--not the sort of company that Rebus would normally keep. His association with these men will quickly produce problems of its own for the detective.
It will take a while for Rebus to sort all this out, and the book moves a bit slowly. It also seems somewhat disjointed as Rebus bounces back and forth between the death investigation and the anti-drug campaign. But the character of John Rebus already shows a lot of promise, and, sour and combative as he often is, it will be a lot of fun to hang out with him in future installments.
The body has been moved and arranged in a manner that suggests that the death was ritualistic, and complicating the death investigation is Ronnie's last word, as reported to Rebus by Ronnie's girlfriend, Tracy. As he breathed his last, Ronnie said "Hide", or was it "Hyde", and if so, what did the poor man mean?
At the same time he is investigating this crime, Rebus's boss appoints him to take part in a new anti-drug campaign that will have Rebus rubbing elbows with some of Edinburgh's movers and shakers--not the sort of company that Rebus would normally keep. His association with these men will quickly produce problems of its own for the detective.
It will take a while for Rebus to sort all this out, and the book moves a bit slowly. It also seems somewhat disjointed as Rebus bounces back and forth between the death investigation and the anti-drug campaign. But the character of John Rebus already shows a lot of promise, and, sour and combative as he often is, it will be a lot of fun to hang out with him in future installments.
August 10, 2025
Spoiler alert and trigger warning all in one: This review of Ian Rankin's novel "Hide and Seek" is about the very disturbing topic of the international sex trade.
It is, sadly, a topic that one should not have to preface with a “trigger warning”. I don’t like the term "trigger warning" only because they seem to me to be much like “taboo subject”, which I think is utter and complete horseshit. (I understand that there is a difference, and I apologize to anyone who may be triggered by this topic. I do not mean, in any way, to trivialize or downplay the issue of mental triggers.) I don’t believe any subject should be taboo. I believe labeling a subject taboo makes talking about important subjects that need to be talked about that much harder to talk about.
Cancer used to be a taboo subject, mainly because medical science didn’t understand what cancer was. We know more about cancer today (not everything, of course, mainly because while our scientific knowledge may seem pretty advanced, the truth is that we are still less than a hundred years away from people thinking women and black people were intellectually inferior to white males. Hell, there’s a huge segment of the population that still believes that. They’re called Republicans.), but that doesn’t stop a lot of idiotic people out there who actually still believe that diseases like cancer or AIDS are caused by homosexuals.
There are still idiots who believe that covid-19 isn’t real and that vaccines will cause autism, infertility, and the desire to vote Democrat. Poverty used to be a taboo subject, precisely because talking about it might actually make one sympathize with the poor, and one shouldn’t do that because poor people are only poor because God hates them and loves only rich people. (Many rich people still believe this garbage. Don’t believe me? Go to any church service on Sunday morning at any church where, if you aren’t driving a Lexus, Rolls-Royce, or a Mercedes, they ask you (politely of course) to park in the overflow lot down the street.)
So, I say fuck trigger warnings. If talking about the topic of international sex trafficking or the global big-business industry of pedophelia and child pornography bothers you, stop reading this review immediately. If we never talk about this shit, the problem will never go away, which, for many people (namely, sex traffickers and child pornographers and pedophiles), is a great thing. Personally, I detest pedophiles and sex traffickers. (Which is a stupid statement, really. It's like saying "I hate vomiting." or "I hate world-destroying meteors". Like, duh...) I want to see more of these assholes go to prison for life. Personally, I would love to see them all end up like Jeffrey Epstein.
I would love to put motherfuckers like Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew, Alan Dershowitz, Harvey Weinstein, Woody Allen, and Bill Cosby in a basement, tied to chairs, let the women who were victimized by these creeps have thirty minutes in the room with them, providing them with an assortment of rusty surgical equipment. Thirty minutes. That’s all. That would be fucking awesome.
But what we have instead is a culture that still, for the most part, sweeps the vile crimes that these fuckers commit under the rug. We still, for the most part, treat these men with a respect that none of them deserve. Mainly because everything’s political nowadays. Trump is a rapist, but only if you are a Democrat. If you’re a Republican, those women are all liars. Clinton is a rapist, but only if you’re a Republican. If you’re a Democrat… oh fucking hell, you should get the point by now.
But it’s not even politics, really. It’s the entertainment industry. Weinstein got a free pass for decades because nobody in Hollywood had the balls to call him out, because nobody wanted to lose a chance at a piece of that golden egg. Cosby got away with it for decades because how the fuck can you accuse lovable Dr. Huxtable of drugging women so that he could diddle their vajajays? Allen gets away with it because he makes such wonderful funny movies that always win Oscars.
Nobody talks about this shit because nobody wants to talk about it, and that’s exactly the way people like Trump, Clinton, Dershowitz, Weinstein, Cosby, and Allen, et al, want it.
Getting back to Rankin’s novel: published in 1990, “Hide and Seek” was written at a time when this horrendous shit was still a taboo subject. Nobody was writing about it, or, if they were, they were getting castigated and enormous shit for it. I’m wondering if Rankin didn’t get some major shit for talking about it then. Interesting that this book, about a detective who uncovers a hidden underbelly beneath his hometown of Edinburgh, Scotland in which super-wealthy assholes do horrible things to homeless young men and women and get away with it because nobody has the balls to actually do anything about it was only about 18 years away from a movie (“Taken”) in which a father uncovers a secret underbelly of super-wealthy assholes who kidnap young women and do horrible things with them. The difference is that in the 2008 film, the father (Liam Neeson) does something about it, in a big way, in a way that is not-so-secretly satisfying to every father who has a daughter.
In Rankin’s novel (spoiler alert, by the way), the detective doesn’t have the balls to do anything about it, even though he also has a daughter that he is trying to protect from the super-rich predators of the world. Unlike Neeson’s character, Inspector John Rebus stops short of actually doing something worthwhile, such as alerting the media or exposing the guilty. In part, he knows that his job would be at risk, his loved ones would be at risk, his life would be at risk, and these rich fuckers would probably just get a slap on the wrist anyway, if that. It’s infuriating and disgusting and (I’ll be honest) I wanted to throw the fucking book across the room, but I also know that Rankin was merely writing about an inconvenient truth about 1990: nobody wanted to talk about this stuff because to do so meant that they might have to do something about it, and that would require a lot of hard work and stress.
The sad thing is: Rankin may as well have been talking about 2021. Sure, things like the #MeToo Movement have made a stir, and more people are at least willing to talk about it, but things, sadly, haven’t changed a whole helluva lot since 1990. Correct me if I’m wrong, but Trump is still president and saying stupid shit that the lapdogs at FOX News eat up like candy and Clinton is publishing unreadable thrillers with James Patterson. This is, in no way, progress.
It is, sadly, a topic that one should not have to preface with a “trigger warning”. I don’t like the term "trigger warning" only because they seem to me to be much like “taboo subject”, which I think is utter and complete horseshit. (I understand that there is a difference, and I apologize to anyone who may be triggered by this topic. I do not mean, in any way, to trivialize or downplay the issue of mental triggers.) I don’t believe any subject should be taboo. I believe labeling a subject taboo makes talking about important subjects that need to be talked about that much harder to talk about.
Cancer used to be a taboo subject, mainly because medical science didn’t understand what cancer was. We know more about cancer today (not everything, of course, mainly because while our scientific knowledge may seem pretty advanced, the truth is that we are still less than a hundred years away from people thinking women and black people were intellectually inferior to white males. Hell, there’s a huge segment of the population that still believes that. They’re called Republicans.), but that doesn’t stop a lot of idiotic people out there who actually still believe that diseases like cancer or AIDS are caused by homosexuals.
There are still idiots who believe that covid-19 isn’t real and that vaccines will cause autism, infertility, and the desire to vote Democrat. Poverty used to be a taboo subject, precisely because talking about it might actually make one sympathize with the poor, and one shouldn’t do that because poor people are only poor because God hates them and loves only rich people. (Many rich people still believe this garbage. Don’t believe me? Go to any church service on Sunday morning at any church where, if you aren’t driving a Lexus, Rolls-Royce, or a Mercedes, they ask you (politely of course) to park in the overflow lot down the street.)
So, I say fuck trigger warnings. If talking about the topic of international sex trafficking or the global big-business industry of pedophelia and child pornography bothers you, stop reading this review immediately. If we never talk about this shit, the problem will never go away, which, for many people (namely, sex traffickers and child pornographers and pedophiles), is a great thing. Personally, I detest pedophiles and sex traffickers. (Which is a stupid statement, really. It's like saying "I hate vomiting." or "I hate world-destroying meteors". Like, duh...) I want to see more of these assholes go to prison for life. Personally, I would love to see them all end up like Jeffrey Epstein.
I would love to put motherfuckers like Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew, Alan Dershowitz, Harvey Weinstein, Woody Allen, and Bill Cosby in a basement, tied to chairs, let the women who were victimized by these creeps have thirty minutes in the room with them, providing them with an assortment of rusty surgical equipment. Thirty minutes. That’s all. That would be fucking awesome.
But what we have instead is a culture that still, for the most part, sweeps the vile crimes that these fuckers commit under the rug. We still, for the most part, treat these men with a respect that none of them deserve. Mainly because everything’s political nowadays. Trump is a rapist, but only if you are a Democrat. If you’re a Republican, those women are all liars. Clinton is a rapist, but only if you’re a Republican. If you’re a Democrat… oh fucking hell, you should get the point by now.
But it’s not even politics, really. It’s the entertainment industry. Weinstein got a free pass for decades because nobody in Hollywood had the balls to call him out, because nobody wanted to lose a chance at a piece of that golden egg. Cosby got away with it for decades because how the fuck can you accuse lovable Dr. Huxtable of drugging women so that he could diddle their vajajays? Allen gets away with it because he makes such wonderful funny movies that always win Oscars.
Nobody talks about this shit because nobody wants to talk about it, and that’s exactly the way people like Trump, Clinton, Dershowitz, Weinstein, Cosby, and Allen, et al, want it.
Getting back to Rankin’s novel: published in 1990, “Hide and Seek” was written at a time when this horrendous shit was still a taboo subject. Nobody was writing about it, or, if they were, they were getting castigated and enormous shit for it. I’m wondering if Rankin didn’t get some major shit for talking about it then. Interesting that this book, about a detective who uncovers a hidden underbelly beneath his hometown of Edinburgh, Scotland in which super-wealthy assholes do horrible things to homeless young men and women and get away with it because nobody has the balls to actually do anything about it was only about 18 years away from a movie (“Taken”) in which a father uncovers a secret underbelly of super-wealthy assholes who kidnap young women and do horrible things with them. The difference is that in the 2008 film, the father (Liam Neeson) does something about it, in a big way, in a way that is not-so-secretly satisfying to every father who has a daughter.
In Rankin’s novel (spoiler alert, by the way), the detective doesn’t have the balls to do anything about it, even though he also has a daughter that he is trying to protect from the super-rich predators of the world. Unlike Neeson’s character, Inspector John Rebus stops short of actually doing something worthwhile, such as alerting the media or exposing the guilty. In part, he knows that his job would be at risk, his loved ones would be at risk, his life would be at risk, and these rich fuckers would probably just get a slap on the wrist anyway, if that. It’s infuriating and disgusting and (I’ll be honest) I wanted to throw the fucking book across the room, but I also know that Rankin was merely writing about an inconvenient truth about 1990: nobody wanted to talk about this stuff because to do so meant that they might have to do something about it, and that would require a lot of hard work and stress.
The sad thing is: Rankin may as well have been talking about 2021. Sure, things like the #MeToo Movement have made a stir, and more people are at least willing to talk about it, but things, sadly, haven’t changed a whole helluva lot since 1990. Correct me if I’m wrong, but Trump is still president and saying stupid shit that the lapdogs at FOX News eat up like candy and Clinton is publishing unreadable thrillers with James Patterson. This is, in no way, progress.
Want to read
October 23, 2018This hardcover copy is signed by author Ian Rankin.
October 4, 2020
3.5*
I recently realized I'd not read a few of the early books, despite being a fan for years. As I wait for #23, Rebus & I are spending a lot of time together ☠️
I recently realized I'd not read a few of the early books, despite being a fan for years. As I wait for #23, Rebus & I are spending a lot of time together ☠️
March 15, 2020
I enjoyed this more than Knots and Crosses. Rebus' worst character flaws got a bit less spotlight – most especially his own misogyny and fleeting but creepy private thoughts regarding younger women. I often like flawed protagonists, and don't necessarily mind when those flaws cross boundaries. In this case, Rebus at least seems aware and guilty about some of his more questionable qualities, and they present in his life as realistically low-key. I still disagree with the readers who take exception to Rebus' imbalanced erudition and Rankins' over-fondness for literary references. I find Rebus' positives to be more interesting than his stereotypical struggles. I don't think that literary references have to feel arrogant. For my own taste, they are an entertaining add to what feels like a trek through tropes...and I suppose at least explain how heavily those tropes are used. (I'm hoping Rebus will continue to grow into his own. It's still early game in light of the rest of the series.)
Having recently read an almost terrible teen romance set in Edinburgh, I was fascinated by how different perspectives can alter the same setting. Without the city being named, one would never have assumed they took place in the same area at all. Rebus' Edinburgh is grit-washed gray and has a wafting despondence that permeates the pages. This seems to be a strength of Rankin's.
Still reserving judgment, but a little bit happier about having one more to go (in my 3-book omnibus)
Having recently read an almost terrible teen romance set in Edinburgh, I was fascinated by how different perspectives can alter the same setting. Without the city being named, one would never have assumed they took place in the same area at all. Rebus' Edinburgh is grit-washed gray and has a wafting despondence that permeates the pages. This seems to be a strength of Rankin's.
Still reserving judgment, but a little bit happier about having one more to go (in my 3-book omnibus)
February 19, 2019
After reading the first book in the series, Knots and Crosses, I felt the ending was open ended and that I needed to read this second book. The books are so dissimilar that I’m a bit at a loss. The John Rebus from the first book was suffering from memories of the war, and in this book there’s very few mentions of the war and none of what haunted him. It’s almost as if this is a new character entirely.
In reading some reviews, I now understand that the future John Rebus is, as one reviewer put it, “surly, petulant, impulsive and distrusting.” I don’t see that as full blown yet in this book, but there were some mean and hurtful comments, especially directed toward DC Brian Holmes. I thought Ian Rankin had created a great character in John Rebus in the first book, and although different, the John Rebus in this book is just as interesting.
In spite of all that, I really enjoyed this book. It is well written, the story flows naturally, and it is very readable. It is also on the short side at only 210 pages. I look forward to the third book to see how Ian Rankin further develops John Rebus.
In reading some reviews, I now understand that the future John Rebus is, as one reviewer put it, “surly, petulant, impulsive and distrusting.” I don’t see that as full blown yet in this book, but there were some mean and hurtful comments, especially directed toward DC Brian Holmes. I thought Ian Rankin had created a great character in John Rebus in the first book, and although different, the John Rebus in this book is just as interesting.
In spite of all that, I really enjoyed this book. It is well written, the story flows naturally, and it is very readable. It is also on the short side at only 210 pages. I look forward to the third book to see how Ian Rankin further develops John Rebus.
April 10, 2017
I think Rankin was still trying to develop the persona of John Rebus which is so strong in the later books in this long running series. But that is the fun of reading the early books in a series......seeing the protagonist change and get comfortable in his skin. I think the problem I had which kept me from giving a higher rating (I love the Rebus books) was the story itself. There was way too much going on around the overdose death of a local addict. Rebus has a feeling about it that says it is murder. Then the wild ride begins through dog fighting, gambling, sex clubs, rent boys and a few more things of which I lost track. There were more characters in this short book than are found in War and Peace. Certainly not my favorite of the Rebus adventures.
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May 2, 2024
Holiday-makers need not know
Inside Edinburgh’s darkest recesses lies
Dirt even those with the greatest power can’t scrub away
Especially not with justice
And here comes Rebus
Not in the mood for posh dinners or private clubs
Don’t think I disagree at all
Solving murders is tricky business
Each brain cell needed to work overtime and
Excuses can be made for cantankerousness
Knowing he’ll nail them in the end
[First read: 2nd April, 2012. 4 stars.
Second read: 3rd March, 2024. 4 stars.
Inside Edinburgh’s darkest recesses lies
Dirt even those with the greatest power can’t scrub away
Especially not with justice
And here comes Rebus
Not in the mood for posh dinners or private clubs
Don’t think I disagree at all
Solving murders is tricky business
Each brain cell needed to work overtime and
Excuses can be made for cantankerousness
Knowing he’ll nail them in the end
[First read: 2nd April, 2012. 4 stars.
Second read: 3rd March, 2024. 4 stars.
March 3, 2016
This book is entertaining enough, but not really dazzling. It held my interest for much of the journey, but I was vaguely confused by some of the plot lines. In particular the murder of Ronnie McGrath, junkie, being connected to another murder left me struggling to join the dots. That one or more of the rich gentlemen of Edinburgh’s business classes would meet a sticky end was inevitable, almost too predictable for my liking. Class relations are one of Rankin’s on-going themes. Rebus himself seems to bridge both sides of the class divide: he is obviously well-educated and well-read, with a love of fine music, yet he doggedly hangs onto elements from his modest social background. Rebus’s profligate drinking, and woeful attempts to limit his smoking habit are amusing at first, but become tedious. He has massive disdain for authority, which is somehow echoed in his great disrespect for his own person and home.
I envisage Rebus as a pit bull - he’s not pretty, he’s not sociable, but he’s very tenacious and won’t let go of his quarry. And he’s not afraid to bite when provoked. The benefit of reading the early instalments of the Rebus series is to get a good understanding of what makes this curmudgeonly detective tick. As we say in Australia, Rebus has a chip on his shoulder as big as Ayers Rock. The series has had a long life, and Rankin's depictions of the dark side of Edinburgh society make a valuable contribution to the literature. I also think of Rebus as fairly similar to Harry Bosch, Michael Connelly's famous LA detective - they share a lot of personal and professional traits. The sad, lonely, brilliant-yet-flawed sleuth, whose uncompromising pursuit of the truth leads them into all sorts of trouble.
I envisage Rebus as a pit bull - he’s not pretty, he’s not sociable, but he’s very tenacious and won’t let go of his quarry. And he’s not afraid to bite when provoked. The benefit of reading the early instalments of the Rebus series is to get a good understanding of what makes this curmudgeonly detective tick. As we say in Australia, Rebus has a chip on his shoulder as big as Ayers Rock. The series has had a long life, and Rankin's depictions of the dark side of Edinburgh society make a valuable contribution to the literature. I also think of Rebus as fairly similar to Harry Bosch, Michael Connelly's famous LA detective - they share a lot of personal and professional traits. The sad, lonely, brilliant-yet-flawed sleuth, whose uncompromising pursuit of the truth leads them into all sorts of trouble.
April 26, 2018
As a lover of British crime thrillers, I try to read all the big names. I would like to be able to say I have read most of the big ones, yet the reality is that I have read nowhere near as many as I would like to be able to claim. I’ve been trying to amend that, and my journey into Ian Rankin is an example of me trying to better myself when it comes to one of my favourite genres.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been meaning to pick up an Inspector Rebus book. It is such a well-known name – from the television series all the way through to references being made in other crime fiction (points towards Stuart MacBride) – with the books catching my attention on many occasions. Despite how often a Rebus book would grab my attention in book stores, I held off on buying for one important reason – I’ve been trying to read crime series in order. It’s fine to jump in here and there, but so much better if you follow the development of the characters throughout. Thus, I waited until I was able to get my hands on the first Rebus book. It turns out getting my hands on the first Rebus book came about through me getting my hands on the first nine plus an unrelated Ian Rankin book through a boxset – needless to say, I was set and more than willing to dive in.
With so much behind my desire to read the books, and having heard so many great things, I went in with quite high expectations. Unfortunately, I wasn’t crazy about the first book, Knots and Crosses. It was an okay read, but it did not blow my mind in the way I had been hoping it would. Nevertheless, it did leave me interested in finding out more. Thus, as I own a fair few of the books, I decided to dive straight into the second book. I may not have loved Knots and Crosses but there was enough to leave me with the belief Hide and Seek would be more enjoyable.
Although I did enjoy Hide and Seek more than I enjoyed Knots and Crosses, it was still only a three-star read. Admittedly, a stronger three-star rating, but not enough for me to consider giving a four-star rating. The first book had moments where I considered dropping my rating down to two stars, yet this second book remained a consistent three stars throughout.
The reason I enjoyed this one more than the first and the reason why it did not work itself to a higher rating can be pointed towards the same thing – the character of Rebus. I enjoyed this one more as we already knew him as a character, his history was in place, and we knew what to expect from him. I’m not crazy about the series, however, because I don’t particularly like Rebus as a character. There is nothing about him that screams out at me, nothing that leaves me truly invested in his story. He is okay as a means of telling a decent story, but if I’m going to really enjoy a crime series I need to love a character.
I am hopeful that the books will continue to improve, though. Even if it is only by degrees, there is such potential for this series. With how many fans there are, I cannot help but hope I become a fan in the end.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been meaning to pick up an Inspector Rebus book. It is such a well-known name – from the television series all the way through to references being made in other crime fiction (points towards Stuart MacBride) – with the books catching my attention on many occasions. Despite how often a Rebus book would grab my attention in book stores, I held off on buying for one important reason – I’ve been trying to read crime series in order. It’s fine to jump in here and there, but so much better if you follow the development of the characters throughout. Thus, I waited until I was able to get my hands on the first Rebus book. It turns out getting my hands on the first Rebus book came about through me getting my hands on the first nine plus an unrelated Ian Rankin book through a boxset – needless to say, I was set and more than willing to dive in.
With so much behind my desire to read the books, and having heard so many great things, I went in with quite high expectations. Unfortunately, I wasn’t crazy about the first book, Knots and Crosses. It was an okay read, but it did not blow my mind in the way I had been hoping it would. Nevertheless, it did leave me interested in finding out more. Thus, as I own a fair few of the books, I decided to dive straight into the second book. I may not have loved Knots and Crosses but there was enough to leave me with the belief Hide and Seek would be more enjoyable.
Although I did enjoy Hide and Seek more than I enjoyed Knots and Crosses, it was still only a three-star read. Admittedly, a stronger three-star rating, but not enough for me to consider giving a four-star rating. The first book had moments where I considered dropping my rating down to two stars, yet this second book remained a consistent three stars throughout.
The reason I enjoyed this one more than the first and the reason why it did not work itself to a higher rating can be pointed towards the same thing – the character of Rebus. I enjoyed this one more as we already knew him as a character, his history was in place, and we knew what to expect from him. I’m not crazy about the series, however, because I don’t particularly like Rebus as a character. There is nothing about him that screams out at me, nothing that leaves me truly invested in his story. He is okay as a means of telling a decent story, but if I’m going to really enjoy a crime series I need to love a character.
I am hopeful that the books will continue to improve, though. Even if it is only by degrees, there is such potential for this series. With how many fans there are, I cannot help but hope I become a fan in the end.
October 22, 2020
The first rule of Fight Club is:
You do not talk about Fight Club.
A heroin addict is found dead in a flop house. On the wall next to the body is a satanic symbol. Was this a simple case of overdose, a satanic ritual killing, or a sinister coverup?
Book 2 of 23 was an okay haggis and potatoes police procedural. The authors obsession with the wealthy and the scent of homosexuality was all over this book.
What does that smell like? Lavender Old Spice body wash?
Only 224 pages a readable book but nothing to exciting. The scent is getting stronger.
You do not talk about Fight Club.
A heroin addict is found dead in a flop house. On the wall next to the body is a satanic symbol. Was this a simple case of overdose, a satanic ritual killing, or a sinister coverup?
Book 2 of 23 was an okay haggis and potatoes police procedural. The authors obsession with the wealthy and the scent of homosexuality was all over this book.
What does that smell like? Lavender Old Spice body wash?
Only 224 pages a readable book but nothing to exciting. The scent is getting stronger.
December 12, 2009
another review which suffers from the inability to make half a star. It's a 3.5, actually, rounding up to a 4 even though I don't think it's that good.
#2 in the series featuring Inspector John Rebus. In this installment, John Rebus is called in to investigate the death of a drug addict in a dilapidated flat in one of the worst parts of Edinburgh. He notices a lot of strange things right away, and shares his findings his fellow officers who do not seem to care. It's just another OD. The victim's girlfriend, however, says that the last thing he said was "Hide..." and that "they" murdered him. Rebus' investigation takes him into both the seamy side of Edinburgh as well as its social heights.
The mystery is solid, and the message the reader is left with is no surprise, but I'm still not sure that Rankin (at this juncture -- I haven't read any others but the first in the series) has a handle on exactly who he wants Rebus to become characterwise. His personal life is a bit of a mystery and he dislikes interacting with other policemen unless he feels an absolute need, And although this book is listed as a police procedural, I'm not sure that's entirely accurate. I also have to note that the ending was a bit rushed and a little unsatisfying.
Overall the book was good -- I love the way Rankin writes, and Rebus is so enigmatic that I have to keep reading the series to see what happens with his character. Definitely recommended for readers of UK crime fiction.
#2 in the series featuring Inspector John Rebus. In this installment, John Rebus is called in to investigate the death of a drug addict in a dilapidated flat in one of the worst parts of Edinburgh. He notices a lot of strange things right away, and shares his findings his fellow officers who do not seem to care. It's just another OD. The victim's girlfriend, however, says that the last thing he said was "Hide..." and that "they" murdered him. Rebus' investigation takes him into both the seamy side of Edinburgh as well as its social heights.
The mystery is solid, and the message the reader is left with is no surprise, but I'm still not sure that Rankin (at this juncture -- I haven't read any others but the first in the series) has a handle on exactly who he wants Rebus to become characterwise. His personal life is a bit of a mystery and he dislikes interacting with other policemen unless he feels an absolute need, And although this book is listed as a police procedural, I'm not sure that's entirely accurate. I also have to note that the ending was a bit rushed and a little unsatisfying.
Overall the book was good -- I love the way Rankin writes, and Rebus is so enigmatic that I have to keep reading the series to see what happens with his character. Definitely recommended for readers of UK crime fiction.
May 5, 2021
A junkie dies from an overdose in a squalid squat. So what - this is normal? Not for Rebus. He establishes that the junkie has been murdered by someone who substitutes rat poison for his normal fix.
Rebus follows the clues to a dodgy photographer and a Gentlemans club frequented by the great and the good of Edinburgh. Rent boys feature - seemingly a common way for addicts to earn their next dose.
Will Rebus be allowed to bring the case to its conclusion, or will the Big Boys close ranks?
Enjoyable read
Rebus follows the clues to a dodgy photographer and a Gentlemans club frequented by the great and the good of Edinburgh. Rent boys feature - seemingly a common way for addicts to earn their next dose.
Will Rebus be allowed to bring the case to its conclusion, or will the Big Boys close ranks?
Enjoyable read
April 17, 2016
This second novel in the Inspector Rebus series was intended as a companion to the first and again the literary references are evident throughout and the play of the famous novel Jekyll and Hyde works well as things unravel. Rankin wrote this after several years living in London and Hide and Seek has a distinctly bitter edge and sees John Rebus disenchanted with the materialism which is becoming synonymous with a newly prosperous Edinburgh as new money moves North. This second novel is much more cynical in tone from the off and Rebus and many of the rank and file police officers have an ingrained scepticism of authority and those who control big business.
When Rebus is called to what at first appears to be a simple drug overdose in a run down squat he reads more into it and whilst many would be prepared to brush things under the carpet, Rebus is not that kind of man. The occult symbols on the wall attract his attention and although this is not his patch he retains an interest. When Superintendent Watson appoints Rebus to a newly formed task force of police and prominent local businessmen funding a crack down on the drug situation in Edinburgh he keeps digging into the overdose at the squat. In this second novel Rebus acquires a sidekick in DC Brian Holmes and these two characters serve each other well and I welcomed back the addition of Gill Templer after meeting her in the first novel as she brings out a softer side to Rebus. Rankin creates a wonderful sense of the great and good in a picturesque Edinburgh which is home to a much darker side. Rebus is a man perhaps more at home with this underbelly and less comfortable with the small talk of dinner parties - I loved his weary cynicism.
I am now hooked on this series and a fully fledged fan intending to read the rest of the series in the order they were published.
When Rebus is called to what at first appears to be a simple drug overdose in a run down squat he reads more into it and whilst many would be prepared to brush things under the carpet, Rebus is not that kind of man. The occult symbols on the wall attract his attention and although this is not his patch he retains an interest. When Superintendent Watson appoints Rebus to a newly formed task force of police and prominent local businessmen funding a crack down on the drug situation in Edinburgh he keeps digging into the overdose at the squat. In this second novel Rebus acquires a sidekick in DC Brian Holmes and these two characters serve each other well and I welcomed back the addition of Gill Templer after meeting her in the first novel as she brings out a softer side to Rebus. Rankin creates a wonderful sense of the great and good in a picturesque Edinburgh which is home to a much darker side. Rebus is a man perhaps more at home with this underbelly and less comfortable with the small talk of dinner parties - I loved his weary cynicism.
I am now hooked on this series and a fully fledged fan intending to read the rest of the series in the order they were published.
January 18, 2024
The second installment of the Inspector John Rebus series pretty much kept my interest throughout. Rebus is one of those characters that just seems to stick to me. I've read seven other books in the series already all out of order never really intending to read the series in full. After reading four of the recent books, I am definitely hooked on the series and bought the two most recent ones, the only problem being setting them aside for now. Back to book two and you can see that Rebus character is not yet fully developed but again after reading books 19-22 already I am enjoying the transition to the Rebus of today. Early on in the book his suspicion that a drug overdose could be murder and his determination to resolve it one way or another leads him down a very interesting path to the end. Although I will say that the wrap up at the end was not especially satisfying.
January 29, 2021
Entretenido.
La verdad es que el libro se lee bastante bien: la trama es ágil y me ha parecido más trabajada que el primero de la serie Rebus.
Seguiremos leyendo...
La verdad es que el libro se lee bastante bien: la trama es ágil y me ha parecido más trabajada que el primero de la serie Rebus.
Seguiremos leyendo...
April 30, 2024
I originally read this some years ago, but after reading some of the later ones in the series. The Rebus character still isn't quite the Rebus we know and love, as the author himself discusses in a foreword to the reprint I was reading. I had to chuckle when Rebus (twice) ordered a gin and tonic - when later he is a committed whisky and beer drinker. As with book 1, he listens to jazz and even, in one scene while driving his car, Mozart. The White Album by the Beatles also makes an appearance although is a gift, from his daughter if I recall correctly, and played by another young woman who visits his flat in the course of the story, so not something he purchased or on voluntarily played. He also still clings to his Presbyterian church going although he hasn't found a church he likes. But the dry wit is well-developed and the cavalier way he has of ordering junior officers around and not keeping them or his bosses in the loop. Brian Holmes makes his first appearance as a long-suffering Detective Constable.
In this story, a young man is found overdosed on heroin in a squalid squat, but it's soon apparent that appearances are deceptive. A pentagram is painted on the wall and the heroin has been laced with rat poison. Rebus is newly promoted to Detective Inspector and because the new boss, 'Farmer' Watson, wants him to head up an anti-drugs initiative (for the spurious reason that Rebus' brother was convicted for drug dealing in book 1 and he should therefore know about the subject), Rebus is temporarily underemployed. With time on his hands, he starts digging into what he admits to himself is not really a 'case' although it eventually becomes one. As with a number of the later novels, the illegal doings of the privileged and powerful are involved.
I enjoyed this more than my re-read of book 1, and I would rate it as 3.5 stars since I gave 3 stars to that one. I can't round it up to 4 because I didn't enjoy it as fully as some of the later books. So it's a 3 stars from me with the proviso that it really has that extra half star.
In this story, a young man is found overdosed on heroin in a squalid squat, but it's soon apparent that appearances are deceptive. A pentagram is painted on the wall and the heroin has been laced with rat poison. Rebus is newly promoted to Detective Inspector and because the new boss, 'Farmer' Watson, wants him to head up an anti-drugs initiative (for the spurious reason that Rebus' brother was convicted for drug dealing in book 1 and he should therefore know about the subject), Rebus is temporarily underemployed. With time on his hands, he starts digging into what he admits to himself is not really a 'case' although it eventually becomes one. As with a number of the later novels, the illegal doings of the privileged and powerful are involved.
I enjoyed this more than my re-read of book 1, and I would rate it as 3.5 stars since I gave 3 stars to that one. I can't round it up to 4 because I didn't enjoy it as fully as some of the later books. So it's a 3 stars from me with the proviso that it really has that extra half star.
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