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Inspector Rebus #24
A Heart Full of Headstones
The brand-new John Rebus thriller from the #1 international bestseller Ian Rankin.
John Rebus stands accused: on trial for a crime that could put him behind bars for the rest of his life. It’s not the first time the legendary detective has taken the law into his own hands, though it might be the last.
But what drove a good man to cross the line?
Detective Inspector Siobhan Clarke may well find out. Clarke is tasked with the city’s most explosive case in years, an infamous cop, at the center of decades of misconduct, has gone missing. Finding him will expose not only her superiors, but her mentor John Rebus. And Rebus himself may not have her own interests at heart, as the repayment of a past debt places him in the crosshairs of both crime lords and his police brethren.
One way or another, a reckoning is coming – and John Rebus may be hearing the call for last orders…
John Rebus stands accused: on trial for a crime that could put him behind bars for the rest of his life. It’s not the first time the legendary detective has taken the law into his own hands, though it might be the last.
But what drove a good man to cross the line?
Detective Inspector Siobhan Clarke may well find out. Clarke is tasked with the city’s most explosive case in years, an infamous cop, at the center of decades of misconduct, has gone missing. Finding him will expose not only her superiors, but her mentor John Rebus. And Rebus himself may not have her own interests at heart, as the repayment of a past debt places him in the crosshairs of both crime lords and his police brethren.
One way or another, a reckoning is coming – and John Rebus may be hearing the call for last orders…
352 pages, Hardcover
First published October 11, 2022
2455 people are currently reading
6619 people want to read
About the author
Ian Rankin
423 books6,526 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 1,012 reviews
January 15, 2023
In Ian Rankin's latest addition to his Scottish crime series featuring the Edinburgh based retired, in poor health, Detective John Rebus is wonderfully intricate and complex, with a barnstormer of a beginning in which Rebus is in court, shockingly in the dock, but we are given no hint as to what he is charged with. The story then goes back into the past, we only learn at the end why Rebus, who has never felt constrained by the rules and the law, is on trial, although the outcome is left to be followed up in the next book in the series. There are numerous threads featuring characters that fans of Rebus will be familiar with that include, DI Siobhan Clarke, former protege and long time close friend, Malcolm Fox, here working for the Assistant Chief Constable, looking to protect the reputation of Police Scotland.
Clarke finds herself on an inquiry involving a police officer facing charges of domestic abuse against his wife, the suspended officer, Haggard, is part of the notorious Tynecastle police station with its long history of brutality and corruption. Haggard is willing to do whatever it takes to avoid charges, including hanging out his colleagues to dry, he is willing to air the station's dirty linen, naming names, including a barely concealed allusion to Rebus himself. This alarms the hierarchy at Police Scotland and Haggard's former colleagues who are willing to do whatever it takes to try and protect themselves. As the book progresses, Clarke and Fox find themselves working on a murder investigation that Rebus takes a close interest in. Crime boss Big Ger Cafferty continues to make his presence felt, despite being in a wheelchair after being shot, as he asks Rebus to locate a former employee of his, ostensibly so that he can express his remorse.
I wonder how long Rankin can continue to write about Rebus, given his age and precarious health, although Rebus acquits himself well here, pushing boundaries, insisting on having an input in the MIT murder inquiry as he tries to steer it in the right direction, in a city with those intent on filling the vacuum in the drug trade. As some points of connections begin to emerge in the various threads, I could not help but root for a weary but determined Rebus who has lost none of his fire in his fight for justice. I look forward to reading what happens to him in the next book. I listened to this novel on audio, ably narrated by James MacPherson, at 11 hours and 43 minutes long, which I recommend.
Clarke finds herself on an inquiry involving a police officer facing charges of domestic abuse against his wife, the suspended officer, Haggard, is part of the notorious Tynecastle police station with its long history of brutality and corruption. Haggard is willing to do whatever it takes to avoid charges, including hanging out his colleagues to dry, he is willing to air the station's dirty linen, naming names, including a barely concealed allusion to Rebus himself. This alarms the hierarchy at Police Scotland and Haggard's former colleagues who are willing to do whatever it takes to try and protect themselves. As the book progresses, Clarke and Fox find themselves working on a murder investigation that Rebus takes a close interest in. Crime boss Big Ger Cafferty continues to make his presence felt, despite being in a wheelchair after being shot, as he asks Rebus to locate a former employee of his, ostensibly so that he can express his remorse.
I wonder how long Rankin can continue to write about Rebus, given his age and precarious health, although Rebus acquits himself well here, pushing boundaries, insisting on having an input in the MIT murder inquiry as he tries to steer it in the right direction, in a city with those intent on filling the vacuum in the drug trade. As some points of connections begin to emerge in the various threads, I could not help but root for a weary but determined Rebus who has lost none of his fire in his fight for justice. I look forward to reading what happens to him in the next book. I listened to this novel on audio, ably narrated by James MacPherson, at 11 hours and 43 minutes long, which I recommend.
November 12, 2022
Rebus #24
Well, it’s always going to be five star for my favourite detective of all time and yes, I have read all 24!
The novel starts with Rebus on trial but given his long association in various forms with Big Ger Cafferty maybe not a huge surprise! Siobhan meanwhile is working on a case that involves officers at Tynecastle police station long known to be rotten to the core but as yet unproven. However, as Malcolm Fox is also on the case and knowing his dogged nature then maybe certain officers should be hot under the collar.
As the plot unfolds there are several strands going on but as usual Ian Rankin handles this with aplomb. It’s a complex but highly entertaining novel, how could it be anything else if John Rebus is involved. As for Brillo the dog, Brillo by nature!
As fans of Rebus know he doesn’t always do things the right way but he does do them for the right reasons.
I’m looking forward to number 25 with fingers firmly crossed.
PS I like the UK cover better than the one shown here!
Well, it’s always going to be five star for my favourite detective of all time and yes, I have read all 24!
The novel starts with Rebus on trial but given his long association in various forms with Big Ger Cafferty maybe not a huge surprise! Siobhan meanwhile is working on a case that involves officers at Tynecastle police station long known to be rotten to the core but as yet unproven. However, as Malcolm Fox is also on the case and knowing his dogged nature then maybe certain officers should be hot under the collar.
As the plot unfolds there are several strands going on but as usual Ian Rankin handles this with aplomb. It’s a complex but highly entertaining novel, how could it be anything else if John Rebus is involved. As for Brillo the dog, Brillo by nature!
As fans of Rebus know he doesn’t always do things the right way but he does do them for the right reasons.
I’m looking forward to number 25 with fingers firmly crossed.
PS I like the UK cover better than the one shown here!
February 6, 2023
Four stars because after all it is Ian Rankin and it is Rebus. However it is a tired, exhausted Rebus, a man who struggles to climb stairs and refuses to get his obviously failing heart checked by a doctor. I find I am not very enthused by reading about my favourite characters becoming geriatrics.
However Rebus still has all his smarts and this shows as he takes on Cafferty, Malcolm Fox and the entire Tyneside police station. And wins. In a personal way that is. The book ends with him in a very difficult position indeed and I wonder how he is going to get out of this one!
I feel that the Rankin owes us one more Rebus novel since this one leaves us so blatantly hanging off that proverbial cliff. I will not be surprised if the next is the last.
However Rebus still has all his smarts and this shows as he takes on Cafferty, Malcolm Fox and the entire Tyneside police station. And wins. In a personal way that is. The book ends with him in a very difficult position indeed and I wonder how he is going to get out of this one!
I feel that the Rankin owes us one more Rebus novel since this one leaves us so blatantly hanging off that proverbial cliff. I will not be surprised if the next is the last.
April 29, 2025
John Rebus has always been a spiky guy, forever putting his search for the truth ahead of both manners and procedure. In addition, his relationship with local crime boss ‘Big Ger’ Cafferty has long been an ambiguous one. So it’s no real surprise when this episode opens with John in the dock. We don’t yet know what he’s been charged with but it’s clear that something shady in his past has finally caught up with him.
We’re soon into the backstory, detailing events leading up to this day. This involves, amongst other things, a wife beating cop, a city police station gone bad and a search for a man rumoured to have been murdered long ago by Cafferty. Thankfully, Rebus is in the thick of the action, having been persuaded by Cafferty to look for his rumoured victim who he’s heard is alive and well and back in Edinburgh; it seems he’s keen to apologise for his historic threats and to make reparations. Yeah, sure!
Rebus shares top billing this time with Siobhan Clarke, the eager Detective Inspector who has been his long time friend. Clarke is investigating the murder of an ex-policeman who had been threatening to blow the gaff on the goings on at the notorious Tynecastle Station. There are plenty of cops who’d rather this didn’t happen, so there are suspects aplenty. Even Rebus himself seems to be somewhat tainted by historic association with the one time leader of the motley station crew.
Malcolm Fox (he who once had his own series) also makes an appearance, which in my eyes is a little less welcome. The slimy ex-Complaints officer has risen up the ranks and now seems to have the ear of the Assistant Chief Constable. He’s riding shotgun on the Tynecastle situation, the top brass being keen that the nefarious acts of the past don’t see the light of day. In fairness, he’s grown into a pantomime villain of a figure who offsets Clarke and Rebus well here.
The story is a web of interlinked elements that are complex enough to tease the brain and yet in Rankin’s hands it’s all so well told that it seems to fit seamlessly together. The highlights of these books are always when Rebus is centre stage and this time it’s particularly his brilliantly choreographed back and forth with Cafferty. It’s the best book for a while in this series and with a surprise ending it seems well set-up for a follow-up story, which is likely to include a couple of new and interesting characters.
We’re soon into the backstory, detailing events leading up to this day. This involves, amongst other things, a wife beating cop, a city police station gone bad and a search for a man rumoured to have been murdered long ago by Cafferty. Thankfully, Rebus is in the thick of the action, having been persuaded by Cafferty to look for his rumoured victim who he’s heard is alive and well and back in Edinburgh; it seems he’s keen to apologise for his historic threats and to make reparations. Yeah, sure!
Rebus shares top billing this time with Siobhan Clarke, the eager Detective Inspector who has been his long time friend. Clarke is investigating the murder of an ex-policeman who had been threatening to blow the gaff on the goings on at the notorious Tynecastle Station. There are plenty of cops who’d rather this didn’t happen, so there are suspects aplenty. Even Rebus himself seems to be somewhat tainted by historic association with the one time leader of the motley station crew.
Malcolm Fox (he who once had his own series) also makes an appearance, which in my eyes is a little less welcome. The slimy ex-Complaints officer has risen up the ranks and now seems to have the ear of the Assistant Chief Constable. He’s riding shotgun on the Tynecastle situation, the top brass being keen that the nefarious acts of the past don’t see the light of day. In fairness, he’s grown into a pantomime villain of a figure who offsets Clarke and Rebus well here.
The story is a web of interlinked elements that are complex enough to tease the brain and yet in Rankin’s hands it’s all so well told that it seems to fit seamlessly together. The highlights of these books are always when Rebus is centre stage and this time it’s particularly his brilliantly choreographed back and forth with Cafferty. It’s the best book for a while in this series and with a surprise ending it seems well set-up for a follow-up story, which is likely to include a couple of new and interesting characters.
October 23, 2022
I've been a fan of Ian Rankin's John Rebus stories for a long time. Back in 2007 Rankin concluded the long running series with the excellent novel Exit Music. A few years later he brought Rebus back (now older & retired) in a new series of novels.
A Heartful of Headstones sees the return of not only John Rebus, but also Siobhan Clarke, Big Ger Cafferty & many other old characters from previous stories. I love the title of the novel (from the song Single Father by Jackie Leven) & there are some great moments in the story, but sadly not enough of them to make it a worthwhile read. Although I was disappointed with the story I still enjoyed returning to the world of Rebus. Ian Rankin obviously feels attached to his creation, but whether this is purely for the financial benefit of the book sales only he really knows.
A Heartful of Headstones sees the return of not only John Rebus, but also Siobhan Clarke, Big Ger Cafferty & many other old characters from previous stories. I love the title of the novel (from the song Single Father by Jackie Leven) & there are some great moments in the story, but sadly not enough of them to make it a worthwhile read. Although I was disappointed with the story I still enjoyed returning to the world of Rebus. Ian Rankin obviously feels attached to his creation, but whether this is purely for the financial benefit of the book sales only he really knows.
October 12, 2024
This was one that I couldn’t stop reading. As soon as my eyes were rested, I’d start another chapter. Yet it wasn’t a fast thriller. With its large cast of characters, I probably would have been lost except that I had been reading the Rebus novels for more than two decades, so many of the recurring players and their past interactions were well fixed in my memory.
It begins with Rebus standing trial for a crime that could put him in jail for a long time, although we aren’t told what that crime is. But as the story progresses, he muses on his past misdeeds, when he sometimes bent the law in order to put the bad guy in prison, and he contemplates that he might have been too chummy with “Big Ger” Cafferty. The story begins with Rebus, now retired, being asked to do a “job” for Cafferty—find an missing former employee who Cafferty swears he didn’t have killed. This allows Rebus to drift through crime scenes not connected to his own quest, and revisit some of his old connections at the disreputable Tynecastle police station.
Simultaneously, Siobhan Clarke is working on a case that may blow the Tynecastle station corruption wide open. And Malcolm Fox is on her heels, worried about how this could affect the reputation of Police Scotland. Plus there appears to be a new small gangster group that is picking up some of Cafferty’s old business, and is somehow involved with the search Rebus is conducting for Cafferty’s unaccounted for former employee. Several plots, with Rebus and his dog Brillo wandering in and out of them, until they coalesce.
By the end, we know what crime Rebus is accused of committing, but we don’t know the outcome of the trial, and there are still some miscreants who have not been charged. So this is part one of a two-part story—a fact that has some readers unhappy. Not me. I can’t wait for the next instalment. Will Rebus escape once again, or will he finally end his career? He is physically unwell—if not jail, is his death in the future?
My review for the previous book in the series:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Song For Dark Times (Rebus #23)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It begins with Rebus standing trial for a crime that could put him in jail for a long time, although we aren’t told what that crime is. But as the story progresses, he muses on his past misdeeds, when he sometimes bent the law in order to put the bad guy in prison, and he contemplates that he might have been too chummy with “Big Ger” Cafferty. The story begins with Rebus, now retired, being asked to do a “job” for Cafferty—find an missing former employee who Cafferty swears he didn’t have killed. This allows Rebus to drift through crime scenes not connected to his own quest, and revisit some of his old connections at the disreputable Tynecastle police station.
Simultaneously, Siobhan Clarke is working on a case that may blow the Tynecastle station corruption wide open. And Malcolm Fox is on her heels, worried about how this could affect the reputation of Police Scotland. Plus there appears to be a new small gangster group that is picking up some of Cafferty’s old business, and is somehow involved with the search Rebus is conducting for Cafferty’s unaccounted for former employee. Several plots, with Rebus and his dog Brillo wandering in and out of them, until they coalesce.
By the end, we know what crime Rebus is accused of committing, but we don’t know the outcome of the trial, and there are still some miscreants who have not been charged. So this is part one of a two-part story—a fact that has some readers unhappy. Not me. I can’t wait for the next instalment. Will Rebus escape once again, or will he finally end his career? He is physically unwell—if not jail, is his death in the future?
My review for the previous book in the series:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Song For Dark Times (Rebus #23)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
May 6, 2023
Rebus frequents the grittier side of Edinburgh that tourists rarely see. Assault, drugs, corruption...and that's just the local police force!
Fairly complex plot expertly woven with a large number of characters and the usual humour throughout. We question our own mortality when we hear Rebus talking about jigsaws and a full bladder, and clearly his health is failing. Enjoyable ending.
Fairly complex plot expertly woven with a large number of characters and the usual humour throughout. We question our own mortality when we hear Rebus talking about jigsaws and a full bladder, and clearly his health is failing. Enjoyable ending.
October 28, 2022
It pains me to say this, but I think it's time for Rankin to retire Rebus. Truthfully, I was bored - and I had been waiting for the newest Rebus with baited breath. This novel is full of ancillary characters, and stories that seem tangential, for the bulk of the book. It's as if Rankin was trying to tie up every story line that had ever occurred in a Rebus book. Plus I didn't believe Rebus' stated motivation for the act that puts him in the dock. Maybe there will be a #25 in the series that will unpack that, but I hope it's better constructed than #24.
Read
July 28, 20253.5 stars
In this 24th book in the 'Inspector Rebus' series, the detective is retired, but still sticks his nose into police cases. The book can be read as a standalone, but knowledge of the characters is advantageous.
*****
Retired Scottish detective John Rebus is nearly seventy, suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and a bit overweight. When Rebus was on the police force, he had a reputation for skirting the edge of ethics and legality, all in the service of justice (in Rebus's mind).
Rebus's former trainee, Detective Inspector Siobhan Clarke, is now a very capable investigator herself, with a soft spot for Rebus. Rebus takes advantage of their continuing friendship to observe crime scenes, obtain records, get information about investigations, etc.
In this book, Rebus becomes interested in Clarke's latest case, which revolves around a cop from Edinburgh's Tynecastle Station. Officer Francis Haggard, who's been at Tynecastle for his entire career, is accused of domestic abuse for beating his wife Cheryl, and there's plenty of proof that Haggard is guilty.
When Haggard is questioned by DI Clarke, however, he claims he becomes violent because he has PTSD from the situation at Tynecastle Station.
Haggard asserts that police officers at Tynecastle are brutal; take bribes; protect mobsters; beat (and sometimes kill) suspects; harass incoming police officers; and so on.
Haggard threatens to name names if he's prosecuted, and this would GREATLY embarrass Police Scotland. In fact, this would also blow back on Rebus, who sometimes worked with the Tynecastle police.
Haggard's accusations against his comrades bring in Detective Inspector Malcolm Fox, who investigates police corruption.
In the past, Fox tried to expose Rebus who - truth be told - DID bend the law on occasion, especially with respect to mob boss Big Ger Cafferty.
Rebus (sort of) protected Big Ger on occasion, on the theory that the mobster's incarceration would leave a vacuum at the top of Edinburgh's criminal empire. The void, in turn, would result in gang wars and violence that could endanger the general public. (Yeah, I don't buy it either. 😒)
Thus, Clarke, Rebus, and Fox all have an interest in Haggard's accusations. Of course Haggard's colleagues at Tynesdale are ESPECIALLY worried because he can expose their long-term corruption and illegal enterprises. This situation results in a murder, which Clarke and her police squad investigate.
In the meantime, Rebus is once again embroiled with Big Ger Cafferty. Cafferty is not the man he used to be. A bullet left Big Ger a paraplegic in a wheelchair, and most of the mobster's money-making schemes have been taken over by other people. Now Big Ger spends all day at the window, surveying his former kingdom with a telescope.
Big Ger asks Rebus to locate a man named Jack Oram, who used to work for Big Ger. Oram was accused of skimming money from the mobster, and has been missing for a few years. Now Big Ger claims he wants to apologize to Oram, who still has a wife and son in Edinburgh. Rebus is skeptical about Big Ger's motives, but he takes the money to do the job.
All this gets very complicated since it involves a large number of people, including:
Officer Haggard's abused wife Cheryl, who's taken out a restraining order against her husband....which he promptly violates;
Cheryl's sister Stephanie, who's harboring Cheryl in her house, and who's in the midst of a contentious divorce herself;
Alan Fleck - a former Police Sergeant at Tynesdale Station who now runs a luxury car dealership;
Beth Fleck - Alan's wife, who was Big Ger's girlfriend many years ago;
Gaby Fleck - the Flecks' daughter. a DJ who runs a nightclub previously owned by Big Ger;
Tommy Oram - the son of missing Jack Oram; Tommy works as a repairman;
The MacKenzies - a family that owns and rents out properties; they employ Tommy Oram to do maintenance on their apartments; and more.
There are suspicions that some of these entrepreneurs are involved with things like shipping stolen cars overseas; laundering money; selling drugs; and other criminal activities.
All the threads of the story come together in the end, where we find Rebus in a courtroom. It will be interesting to see what happens to our intrepid investigator next.
I'm a fan of the Rebus series, and I enjoyed the book, though I'm sorry to see Rebus's health and well-being declining. Still, our hero has a fine dog named Brillo, and is close to his daughter and granddaughter, and it's nice to see him spend time with them.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com
October 24, 2022
This is #24 in the Inspector John Rebus series; it is the second one I have read, having only recently discovered Ian Rankin’s Tartan noir works. Scotland is just coming out of Covid lockdown and the retired, ill Rebus is in jail on charges of murder. How did he get here and is this end of him? The actions leading up to this arrest expose the underbelly of the Edinburgh crime scene as well as police corruption.
Well written and fast moving, the plot is a bit complex and there are a lot of characters. It took a while for me to get them straight in my mind. I think it would have helped in understanding some of them had I read more than just one prior novel in the series.
Fans of Rankin’s John Rebus will enjoy this latest installment. For those just being introduced to it, you might want to go back and read some of the prior novels.
Thanks to @netgalley and @Littlebrown for the arc
Well written and fast moving, the plot is a bit complex and there are a lot of characters. It took a while for me to get them straight in my mind. I think it would have helped in understanding some of them had I read more than just one prior novel in the series.
Fans of Rankin’s John Rebus will enjoy this latest installment. For those just being introduced to it, you might want to go back and read some of the prior novels.
Thanks to @netgalley and @Littlebrown for the arc
January 31, 2023
The long-running Rebus detective series books may be somewhat sporadic in recent years, yet this latest release is most welcomed nonetheless. A Heart Full of Headstones by Ian Rankin was published in October 2022 and is set in Edinburgh, during the Covid pandemic. The opening scene has former detective John Rebus in Court, but this time he is in the dock facing a lengthy prison term. The narrative then moves back in time to his former friend and police partner, Detective Inspector Siobhan Clarke’s interview with a serving police officer on domestic abuse charges. Rebus is undertaking his own search for a missing man believed dead, for his old criminal associate ‘Big Ger’ Cafferty. An intricate police procedural, with corrupt police, a drug empire and Rebus’s own checkered history under question. With typical Ian Rankin flair, this high-quality British crime fiction is reviewed as a standalone novel and is a delight to behold, with a four and a half stars read rating. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own and freely given.
August 12, 2022
The novel opens with Rebus in court, surprisingly as the defendant. Rebus’s old nemesis, underworld figure Cafferty, wants to hire him to find a man who is supposedly dead. Cafferty claims he wants to personally apologize to this man, who stole money from him years ago. Meanwhile Siobhan is working on a case which involves a cop, domestic violence, and murder. This is a real page turner—in the last chapter we learn the shocking reason why Rebus was in court. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.
July 12, 2023
”I’ve met a lot of people in a lot of pubs.“
Aye, that you have John.
Big Ger Cafferty (Rebus’ longtime nemesis) surveys the vista of Edinburgh through a telescope from the prized position of his penthouse unit. Keeping his eyes firmly peeled on the City he once ruled with drugs and fists.
But Big Ger is no longer the force to be reckoned with that he once was. Now confined to a wheelchair, he spends his time looking at the Edinburgh he’s no longer a part of, and mulling over past crimes and triumphs, and perhaps, just perhaps wondering if it had all been worth it.
John Rebus, long retired from the force, is enjoying a quiet pint at his local, with faithful dog Brillo asleep at his feet. I love that this is the third book this little buddy has appeared in. The world has just reopened after the Covid pandemic, and Rebus is avoiding going to the doctor about his deteriorating health, prefering to pretend it’s just heartburn. A ping on his mobile is an invitation of sorts, from Big Ger, to drop by his flat after taking Brillo home. Rebus can't refuse even if he wanted to, as the two have been part of each other’s lives for longer than they care to remember. Curiosity has definitely gotten hold of Rebus.
Yes, both men hear mortality knocking on the door. They are older, much older than they ever imagined they’d be. While their minds are sharp, their bodies aren’t playing ball. They have different reactions to the past, and whether or not they feel the need to make amends for it.
It turns out that a favour is asked, and this is the beginning of a complex, yet easy to read story, about how time changes your perspective, friendships are tested, and the underbelly of a city is exposed.
Crooked cops, past misdeeds, payback, workplace bullying and domestic violence. Just another day at the office for Siobhan Clarke and Malcolm Fox to investigate the corruption running rife at a local cop shop with a bad reputation. And of course, the name of John Rebus is mentioned in proceedings more than once.
This is definitely a great book for long time fans, as the repeat characters show the paths they’ve chosen. And where their loyalties lie.
Set across eight days, with the opening and closing scenes showing John Rebus in the dock, this is a complex plot, with a lot going on. But it all comes together brilliantly, as only Rankin can do with his ability to incorporate current events into his books, and with his trademark dark humour.
I can't help but think that once you get to a certain age most of us will have one or two headstones in our heart. And some will have more than others.
5 ☆ stars for a thorough, engrossing writing that always has me scratching my head at how Rankin can weave a magic carpet out of so many loose threads.
Book 24. Will there be a Book 25? I really don’t know. This book didn’t finish at all how I thought it would, even though I did catch my breath - literally - at a particularly pivotal moment (no spoilers!). I thought that was it, but it seems there is still enough bluster and doggedness in John Rebus for the series to continue. I’d like to think so anyway. Fingers crossed. I’ve been anxious when reading the last few books, wondering how they would end, as this series has been such an important part of my reading life. Huge. I even had a friend take a foto of the infamous Oxford Bar when they were in Edinburgh. Wherever Ian Rankin, and John Rebus end up taking me, I’m now ok with that. Cheers to them both. And a scratch and belly rub for Brillo.
Aye, that you have John.
Big Ger Cafferty (Rebus’ longtime nemesis) surveys the vista of Edinburgh through a telescope from the prized position of his penthouse unit. Keeping his eyes firmly peeled on the City he once ruled with drugs and fists.
But Big Ger is no longer the force to be reckoned with that he once was. Now confined to a wheelchair, he spends his time looking at the Edinburgh he’s no longer a part of, and mulling over past crimes and triumphs, and perhaps, just perhaps wondering if it had all been worth it.
John Rebus, long retired from the force, is enjoying a quiet pint at his local, with faithful dog Brillo asleep at his feet. I love that this is the third book this little buddy has appeared in. The world has just reopened after the Covid pandemic, and Rebus is avoiding going to the doctor about his deteriorating health, prefering to pretend it’s just heartburn. A ping on his mobile is an invitation of sorts, from Big Ger, to drop by his flat after taking Brillo home. Rebus can't refuse even if he wanted to, as the two have been part of each other’s lives for longer than they care to remember. Curiosity has definitely gotten hold of Rebus.
”’How about you?’ He enquired. ‘Did you have a good pandemic?’
‘ I appear to have survived.’
‘Sums up the pair of us, wouldn’t you say? On the other hand, you probably feel it as much as I do.’
‘Feel what?
‘Mortality, chapping at the door.’ To reinforce the point. Cafferty rapped the knuckles of his left hand against the arm of his wheelchair.
‘ Well, this is cheery,’ Rebus leaned back, getting as comfortable as the sofa would allow..“
Yes, both men hear mortality knocking on the door. They are older, much older than they ever imagined they’d be. While their minds are sharp, their bodies aren’t playing ball. They have different reactions to the past, and whether or not they feel the need to make amends for it.
” ‘The streets have changed,’ Cafferty was saying. ‘I’ve not got the eyes and ears I once had.’
‘Neither have I.’
‘But you still know your way around, and you’ve got time on your hands.’
‘I’m a bit long in the tooth to play Humphey Bogart.’ Rebus got to his feet and retraced his steps to the window. He heard the whirr of the wheelchair’s motor as Cafferty followed him.”
It turns out that a favour is asked, and this is the beginning of a complex, yet easy to read story, about how time changes your perspective, friendships are tested, and the underbelly of a city is exposed.
Crooked cops, past misdeeds, payback, workplace bullying and domestic violence. Just another day at the office for Siobhan Clarke and Malcolm Fox to investigate the corruption running rife at a local cop shop with a bad reputation. And of course, the name of John Rebus is mentioned in proceedings more than once.
This is definitely a great book for long time fans, as the repeat characters show the paths they’ve chosen. And where their loyalties lie.
Set across eight days, with the opening and closing scenes showing John Rebus in the dock, this is a complex plot, with a lot going on. But it all comes together brilliantly, as only Rankin can do with his ability to incorporate current events into his books, and with his trademark dark humour.
I can't help but think that once you get to a certain age most of us will have one or two headstones in our heart. And some will have more than others.
5 ☆ stars for a thorough, engrossing writing that always has me scratching my head at how Rankin can weave a magic carpet out of so many loose threads.
Book 24. Will there be a Book 25? I really don’t know. This book didn’t finish at all how I thought it would, even though I did catch my breath - literally - at a particularly pivotal moment (no spoilers!). I thought that was it, but it seems there is still enough bluster and doggedness in John Rebus for the series to continue. I’d like to think so anyway. Fingers crossed. I’ve been anxious when reading the last few books, wondering how they would end, as this series has been such an important part of my reading life. Huge. I even had a friend take a foto of the infamous Oxford Bar when they were in Edinburgh. Wherever Ian Rankin, and John Rebus end up taking me, I’m now ok with that. Cheers to them both. And a scratch and belly rub for Brillo.
”Rebus could still hear singing coming from the Meadows, and a dog barking, and a distant siren. Somewhere, someone needed help. Somewhere, bad things were happening. He’d spent his whole life in that world, a city perpetually dark, feeling increasingly weighed down, his heart full of headstones.
There would be frost on the paths in the morning. He would have to be careful when he took Brillo for his first walk of the day.”
October 14, 2022
A Heart Full of Headstones by Ian Rankin opens with John Rebus in the docks facing serious charges, It all started when Rebus was asked by his old nemesis Ger Cafferty to find a man who once stole from him, Rebus doubts the altruistic reasons Ger gives for wanting to find the man but his usual curiosity is piqued as well as his desire to know what Cafferty’s really up to. Besides it’s a good excuse to visit his old mates in the police including DI Siobhan Clarke who is dealing with her own difficult case involving a murder which may be tied to police corruption and, during which, Rebus’ name has popped up more than once..
This is the 24th Rebus novel by Ian Rankin and, like previous books in the series, it is well-written, well-plotted and smart with plenty of twists and turns. And, of course, like his previous books, there’s plenty of references to music including the title. The Rebus series has been one of my favourites over the years and A Heart Full of Headstones definitely doesn’t disappoint.
Thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown & Company for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
This is the 24th Rebus novel by Ian Rankin and, like previous books in the series, it is well-written, well-plotted and smart with plenty of twists and turns. And, of course, like his previous books, there’s plenty of references to music including the title. The Rebus series has been one of my favourites over the years and A Heart Full of Headstones definitely doesn’t disappoint.
Thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown & Company for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
January 31, 2023
I am a great fan of the John Rebus series but this latest entry is disappointing. Rebus, a curmudgeonly, rather unlikable retired Scottish police DI, just can't keep his nose out of his former job. He is known as an officer who often used questionable tactics and it appears that his history is coming back to haunt him.
The book begins with Rebus on trial although we are not sure why.....and then the plot travels back in time to give us the answer. And it really gets complicated at this point. Too many characters, many of whom really aren't particularly important to the story. People spend all their time talking and texting on their phones which gets old very quickly. (I realize that we all spend time on our phones but this was a bit much.) Characters from former books show up and if you haven't read several of the books in this series, you will be confused.
The trial, which begins the book, is left up in the air, which either means that the series ends here or will continue. Rankin is a very talented writer but this book fell far short of his usual work. Even if you are a fan, you will be left wondering exactly what is happening.
The book begins with Rebus on trial although we are not sure why.....and then the plot travels back in time to give us the answer. And it really gets complicated at this point. Too many characters, many of whom really aren't particularly important to the story. People spend all their time talking and texting on their phones which gets old very quickly. (I realize that we all spend time on our phones but this was a bit much.) Characters from former books show up and if you haven't read several of the books in this series, you will be confused.
The trial, which begins the book, is left up in the air, which either means that the series ends here or will continue. Rankin is a very talented writer but this book fell far short of his usual work. Even if you are a fan, you will be left wondering exactly what is happening.
October 2, 2022
Many thanks to both Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of A Heart Full of Headstones.
John Rebus is accused of a crime that could put him behind bars for the rest of his life. It's not the first time the legendary detective has taken the law into his own hands, though it might be the last...
I'm a wee bit embarrassed to admit that #24 is the first Inspector Rebus book I've read. I can now understand why this series is much loved by so many! I probably would have better understood the backstories had I read the previous 23 books, as the number of characters to keep track of sometimes boggled my mind. Having said that, however, I still enjoyed reading A Heart Full of Headstones, and I LOVED John Rebus! What's not to love? He's nosy. He's a lover of music. He has a gruff demeanor, but also has a kind heart and a wry sense of humor. Nor can I forget to mention his totally loveable dog named Brillo.
I have a feeling Rebus is well ready for whatever comes next in his life!
John Rebus is accused of a crime that could put him behind bars for the rest of his life. It's not the first time the legendary detective has taken the law into his own hands, though it might be the last...
I'm a wee bit embarrassed to admit that #24 is the first Inspector Rebus book I've read. I can now understand why this series is much loved by so many! I probably would have better understood the backstories had I read the previous 23 books, as the number of characters to keep track of sometimes boggled my mind. Having said that, however, I still enjoyed reading A Heart Full of Headstones, and I LOVED John Rebus! What's not to love? He's nosy. He's a lover of music. He has a gruff demeanor, but also has a kind heart and a wry sense of humor. Nor can I forget to mention his totally loveable dog named Brillo.
I have a feeling Rebus is well ready for whatever comes next in his life!
March 21, 2025
Un libro che non ti esce dalle mani: lento, inutilmente convoluto, con dialoghi spesso non necessari. Il tutto inframmezzato da lunghe pause, quasi fossero necessarie per rallentare un attimo un ritmo frenetico, che invece è del tutto assente. Anche l’ossatura della parte investigativa è davvero debole e per niente intrigante. E oltretutto il libro ha 450 pagine, interminabili. Serve altro per dire che gli assegnerò 2 stelle? Prima di farlo mi sono chiesto però come sia mai stato possibile che un personaggio come John Rebus, il protagonista, abbia avuto così tanto successo da fare che questo sia il 24esimo libro della saga? Poi mi sono accorto che la risposta è lì, nei 24 libri già usciti: evidentemente Rankin è stufo pure lui, e non sa più cosa inventarsi. E si vede.
December 30, 2023
5/5 ⭐ γιατί Ρέμπους 🖤
(Και αυτή είναι μια εντελώς ψύχραιμη και αντικειμενική κριτική! 😁)
(Και αυτή είναι μια εντελώς ψύχραιμη και αντικειμενική κριτική! 😁)
February 3, 2023
'Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive' Not in the book but words penned by Scottish historian Sir Walter Scott in 1808. It is the mark of a great writer, and another Scot, Ian Rankin, two centuries later, weaving the pandemic into the story and its characters.
A Heart Full of Headstones opens with retired DI John Rebus in court, seated in the dock. As Edinburgh grapples with COVID, the jury is in a hotel, viewing proceedings via video link; everyone in court is masked, save the Judge and an ailing Rebus, whose mask is in a pocket with his inhaler. While the clerk of court reads out the charges, Rebus’ mind drifts to the events that led him there.
The lockdown had seen a spike in domestic violence incidents and one perpetrator was a police officer serving at the Tynecastle Police Station, his defence pleading PTSD caused by the toxic culture there. Tynecastle had long been on the watch list of “Complaints” and with the officer threatening to spill the beans, Gartcosh is taking a keen interest. Rebus never served there, but was aware of that culture and connected to it through his ‘association’ with crime figure, “Big Ger” Cafferty – confined to a wheelchair after an unsuccessful assassination attempt. An anonymous phone call to the police by a young woman alerts the police to a murder in an apartment block, silencing the whistle-blower. DI Siobhan Clarke, seconded to the Major Incident Team out of Leith, tracks her down.
‘I’m a DJ.’ If her chair had been of the swivel variety, she would have been rotating from side to side. She seemed to Clarke all barely contained energy and life force. A tattoo crept out from just below one cuff of her jacket. Clarke would take bets it didn’t feel lonely. ‘Ever go clubbing?’ the young woman asked.
Also on the team, DC Christine Essen, a couple of detectives from previous MIT investigations, a couple of fresh faces, plus DCI Malcolm Fox.
Fox worked at Gartcosh, Police Scotland’s nerve centre. (Clarke) wasn’t sure why his career had taken off while hers was stuck in the bus lane, though her one-time colleague John Rebus had taken to calling Fox ‘the Brown-Nosed Cowboy’, meaning he was a yes man, a willing and eager toady, and he looked good parked behind a desk in one of those suits.
Like all pandemics, there are those that succumb, those that struggle through, and those that seek to profit, in this case by “Furlough Fraud”. No shortage of slippery characters here: a well-connected land developer, a lettings agency once owned by “Big Ger” and tenuous links from there to a man “Big Ger” reputedly had eliminated. His new henchman, Andrew, was at one time employed by underworld figure Darryl Christie, currently serving a 25 year sentence. Aside from the edgy humour, the author drops in descriptions of the city itself.
Staff joked that the building was sited in the dead heart of Edinburgh, and they weren’t far wrong. Cowgate was central and yet easy to ignore, being a canyon over which both the South Bridge and George IV Bridge passed, the mortuary itself an anonymous modern slab flanked by clubs and pubs. No one staggering late at night from any of these establishments could know that so many corpses lay in chilled stillness close by.
Despite all the signs, the ending blew me away.
A Heart Full of Headstones opens with retired DI John Rebus in court, seated in the dock. As Edinburgh grapples with COVID, the jury is in a hotel, viewing proceedings via video link; everyone in court is masked, save the Judge and an ailing Rebus, whose mask is in a pocket with his inhaler. While the clerk of court reads out the charges, Rebus’ mind drifts to the events that led him there.
The lockdown had seen a spike in domestic violence incidents and one perpetrator was a police officer serving at the Tynecastle Police Station, his defence pleading PTSD caused by the toxic culture there. Tynecastle had long been on the watch list of “Complaints” and with the officer threatening to spill the beans, Gartcosh is taking a keen interest. Rebus never served there, but was aware of that culture and connected to it through his ‘association’ with crime figure, “Big Ger” Cafferty – confined to a wheelchair after an unsuccessful assassination attempt. An anonymous phone call to the police by a young woman alerts the police to a murder in an apartment block, silencing the whistle-blower. DI Siobhan Clarke, seconded to the Major Incident Team out of Leith, tracks her down.
‘I’m a DJ.’ If her chair had been of the swivel variety, she would have been rotating from side to side. She seemed to Clarke all barely contained energy and life force. A tattoo crept out from just below one cuff of her jacket. Clarke would take bets it didn’t feel lonely. ‘Ever go clubbing?’ the young woman asked.
Also on the team, DC Christine Essen, a couple of detectives from previous MIT investigations, a couple of fresh faces, plus DCI Malcolm Fox.
Fox worked at Gartcosh, Police Scotland’s nerve centre. (Clarke) wasn’t sure why his career had taken off while hers was stuck in the bus lane, though her one-time colleague John Rebus had taken to calling Fox ‘the Brown-Nosed Cowboy’, meaning he was a yes man, a willing and eager toady, and he looked good parked behind a desk in one of those suits.
Like all pandemics, there are those that succumb, those that struggle through, and those that seek to profit, in this case by “Furlough Fraud”. No shortage of slippery characters here: a well-connected land developer, a lettings agency once owned by “Big Ger” and tenuous links from there to a man “Big Ger” reputedly had eliminated. His new henchman, Andrew, was at one time employed by underworld figure Darryl Christie, currently serving a 25 year sentence. Aside from the edgy humour, the author drops in descriptions of the city itself.
Staff joked that the building was sited in the dead heart of Edinburgh, and they weren’t far wrong. Cowgate was central and yet easy to ignore, being a canyon over which both the South Bridge and George IV Bridge passed, the mortuary itself an anonymous modern slab flanked by clubs and pubs. No one staggering late at night from any of these establishments could know that so many corpses lay in chilled stillness close by.
Despite all the signs, the ending blew me away.
December 13, 2022
A Heart Full of Headstones (Ins. Rebus, #24) by Ian Rankin.
I began reading this addition to Rebus in hardback, but when I reached about halfway through I also began to listen to it on CD. My reasoning for this was because I didn't want to miss any new characters or important situations. You may think that strange. It is out of the ordinary for me, however Rebus is important to me. I took these precautions in order to get into and stay into the heart of the latest Rebus.
This book deals with past history in officers lives and officers at Tynecastle (prison). There are secrets buried or so they thought that if they be brought to light more than reputations are at stake. At the top of that list of transgressors is Rebus.
Fmr. Officer Haggard has been threatening to bring all those hidden sins out in the open if charges against him for domestic abuse are not dropped. Then he is found murdered in an apartment he could ill afford. How did Haggard afford that apartment and who rented it to him? More important is who killed him and why?
The characters in this story are many. some from past Rebus stories and some new, but all are worth getting to know and understand their place in relation to this theme. I am happy to say the ending is a cliff hanger. That tells me another Rebus is in the future.
I began reading this addition to Rebus in hardback, but when I reached about halfway through I also began to listen to it on CD. My reasoning for this was because I didn't want to miss any new characters or important situations. You may think that strange. It is out of the ordinary for me, however Rebus is important to me. I took these precautions in order to get into and stay into the heart of the latest Rebus.
This book deals with past history in officers lives and officers at Tynecastle (prison). There are secrets buried or so they thought that if they be brought to light more than reputations are at stake. At the top of that list of transgressors is Rebus.
Fmr. Officer Haggard has been threatening to bring all those hidden sins out in the open if charges against him for domestic abuse are not dropped. Then he is found murdered in an apartment he could ill afford. How did Haggard afford that apartment and who rented it to him? More important is who killed him and why?
The characters in this story are many. some from past Rebus stories and some new, but all are worth getting to know and understand their place in relation to this theme. I am happy to say the ending is a cliff hanger. That tells me another Rebus is in the future.
January 22, 2023
Enjoyed the latest in the series and didn't disappoint and was page turner
October 17, 2022
Dull and glacially slow. Disappointed.
October 31, 2023
Ο Τζον Ρέμπους, συνήθως παρευρισκόταν στο δικαστήριο ως μάρτυρας. Να όμως, που αυτή τη φορά, βρίσκεται στο εδώλιο του κατηγορουμένου γαιτί πήρε το νόμο στα χέρια του κι ένας άνθρωπος έχασε τη ζωή του. Και στο παρελθόν έχει ίσως παρεκλίνει του νόμου ο Ρέμπους, αλλά θα έφτανε στο σημείο να αφαιρέσει μια ζωή?
Είναι δύσκολο να αλλάξεις τις συνήθειες χρόνων και να φέρεσαι ως απλός πολίτης όταν το ένστικτο σου δεν σε αφήνει να ηρεμήσεις. Μια υπόθεση ενδοοικογενειακής βίας, απειλεί να φέρει στο φως διεφθαρμένους αστυνομικούς, που σίγουρα δεν θα είναι οι μόνοι τους οποίους θα πάρει η μπάλα.
Η Σιβόν Κλαρκ, βρίσκεται σε αυτή την υπόθεση την οποία ψάχνει κι ο Ρέμπους αλλά για άλλο λόγο και η οποία θα φέρει στην επιφάνεια πολύ περισσότερα.
Το κουβάρι είναι μπλέγμενο κι όσο ξετυλίγεται, βγαίνουν στη φόρα πολλά περισσότερα απ'ότι υποψιάζονται.
Βία, διαφθορά, ναρκωτικά και εκβιασμοί είναι μερικά απ'όσα υπόσχεται και παρέχει ο σερ Ian Rankin σε αυτή την τελευταία περιπέτεια του Ρέμπους - του επιθεωρητή που κανείς δεν μπορεί να καταλάβει πως δουλεύει το μυαλό του και πως παρόλες τις αντισυμβατικές μεθόδους του, πάντα βρίσκει τη λύση.
Γρήγορο και ανατρεπτικό, θα αρέσει στους λάτρεις του είδους.
3,5 αστέρια
Είναι δύσκολο να αλλάξεις τις συνήθειες χρόνων και να φέρεσαι ως απλός πολίτης όταν το ένστικτο σου δεν σε αφήνει να ηρεμήσεις. Μια υπόθεση ενδοοικογενειακής βίας, απειλεί να φέρει στο φως διεφθαρμένους αστυνομικούς, που σίγουρα δεν θα είναι οι μόνοι τους οποίους θα πάρει η μπάλα.
Η Σιβόν Κλαρκ, βρίσκεται σε αυτή την υπόθεση την οποία ψάχνει κι ο Ρέμπους αλλά για άλλο λόγο και η οποία θα φέρει στην επιφάνεια πολύ περισσότερα.
Το κουβάρι είναι μπλέγμενο κι όσο ξετυλίγεται, βγαίνουν στη φόρα πολλά περισσότερα απ'ότι υποψιάζονται.
Βία, διαφθορά, ναρκωτικά και εκβιασμοί είναι μερικά απ'όσα υπόσχεται και παρέχει ο σερ Ian Rankin σε αυτή την τελευταία περιπέτεια του Ρέμπους - του επιθεωρητή που κανείς δεν μπορεί να καταλάβει πως δουλεύει το μυαλό του και πως παρόλες τις αντισυμβατικές μεθόδους του, πάντα βρίσκει τη λύση.
Γρήγορο και ανατρεπτικό, θα αρέσει στους λάτρεις του είδους.
3,5 αστέρια
December 7, 2022
I have read most of the major Rebus books, having missed 2 or 3 along the way. Siobhan is doing a stellar job, working cases, and occasionally sharing info with Rebus who regularly interferes in his own helpful way. In this book the focus for her is a case of spousal abuse being perpetrated by a uniform. So...there is male/female division and conflict regarding the crimes. There are major coverup efforts by the police to keep from airing their dirty laundry.
Meanwhile, Cafferty calls in Rebus to look into a thing or two. You would think Rebus could be satisfied just walking his dog and visiting his daughter and granddaughter, but he cannot walk that walk. Some of his actions lead Rebus to a bad end. I won't tell you what he does. Read and find out.
Library Loan
Meanwhile, Cafferty calls in Rebus to look into a thing or two. You would think Rebus could be satisfied just walking his dog and visiting his daughter and granddaughter, but he cannot walk that walk. Some of his actions lead Rebus to a bad end. I won't tell you what he does. Read and find out.
Library Loan
October 13, 2022
I've been a huge Rebus fan for years, but this one felt contrived and tired. I was so disappointed. I did have an ARC so maybe the final version will redeem itself, but I'd rather have never read a John Rebus again than read this one.
November 10, 2022
3.5 stars. The murder was solved quite suddenly. And that ending 😱
November 15, 2022
I won’t be presumptuous and refer to the esteemed author as Sir Ian, but because he is British, and part of the more decent, civilized northern sector of that isle I will congratulate him on his noble hood.
I saw Rankin’s work referred to as “Tartan noir works”. I would claim “Tartan crime noir”. It could be added to Nordic crime noir and from Australia, “Outback/bush crime noir”! I see that the membership to Tartan crime noir includes Val McDermid among numerous others.
Rankin has used a common literary device where he starts the story near what is probably the end of the story. In the opening paragraphs John Rebus is in court on trial for an unknown offence. It whets the appetite of the reader to continue to read to discover why this antihero has finally being prosecuted. We know he bends the rules but, this time has he broken the rules? I am not sure if this hook is necessary in a Rebus’ novel.
A couple of my recent fiction reads have included the effect of COVID at the time. Rebus has a lanyard that excuses him from wearing a mask. I wonder how long it will be before a writer centres a crime around the conditions that COVID created?
The story travels back in time and Rebus has been summoned by (a favourite character of mine) Big Ger Cafferty, now in a wheelchair after being shot, to complete a task. From there follows several paths, Siobhan Clarke is investigating an officer who has been charged with domestic violence and who in turn threatens to spill the beans on corruption in Police Scotland. And corruption permeates the whole novel.
Rankin is a sublime storyteller and as you read you gain a detailed picture of so many of the characters. He is also a master of dialogue, especially when Rebus and Cafferty are growling at each other like two stray hounds sizing up each other in a garbage strewn Edinburgh back alley.
There is one scene where Rebus leaves Siobhan Clarke and as he walks away, she observes a weathered stooped, old man. She reflects on how once he was a figure of strength, feared by many. It was a sad poignant point in the story.
It is a complex character filled story; however, the reader can follow the participants and their roles the story never gets too complicated.
The opening pages are revisited in the dying pages of the book. The ending is a signal as to why Rankin had signed a two-book deal. Personally, I did not find it all that authentic.
There is subtly in the title and in some scenes where Rebus is listening to music. The reader might find it interesting to research the singer Jamie Leven the Scottish singer and his relationship with Rankin and Rankin’s use of Leven’s lyrics.
I only joined the Rebus fan club about five years ago and this is my thirteenth visit to this Tartan crime noir story. I still enjoy them, and Rankin has handled Rebus’ aging very well. I still must go back and visit this gentleman in the earlier times that I missed.
Rebus’ future? In the 1990s I was a fan of two British television shows, The Bill and The Minder. However, I was not saddened when they were wound up as they had run their course and I thought it was best that they finish on a high rather than fading into insignificance. Hopefully that will happen with Rebus. But after reading A Heart full of Headstones he’s not there yet.
Can I make a comment about some of the reviews on Goodreads? Firstly, when you have a character like John Rebus who is a good money earner for Rankin and his publisher it is a difficult decision to kill him off in some way. Remember, authors are workers who need income. Reviewers, would you cut a source of income from your life? Secondly, to give a writer of Rankin’s ability one star is an insult, especially when it comes from a reviewer who has difficulty in writing three meaningful sentences in a paragraph.
I saw Rankin’s work referred to as “Tartan noir works”. I would claim “Tartan crime noir”. It could be added to Nordic crime noir and from Australia, “Outback/bush crime noir”! I see that the membership to Tartan crime noir includes Val McDermid among numerous others.
Rankin has used a common literary device where he starts the story near what is probably the end of the story. In the opening paragraphs John Rebus is in court on trial for an unknown offence. It whets the appetite of the reader to continue to read to discover why this antihero has finally being prosecuted. We know he bends the rules but, this time has he broken the rules? I am not sure if this hook is necessary in a Rebus’ novel.
A couple of my recent fiction reads have included the effect of COVID at the time. Rebus has a lanyard that excuses him from wearing a mask. I wonder how long it will be before a writer centres a crime around the conditions that COVID created?
The story travels back in time and Rebus has been summoned by (a favourite character of mine) Big Ger Cafferty, now in a wheelchair after being shot, to complete a task. From there follows several paths, Siobhan Clarke is investigating an officer who has been charged with domestic violence and who in turn threatens to spill the beans on corruption in Police Scotland. And corruption permeates the whole novel.
Rankin is a sublime storyteller and as you read you gain a detailed picture of so many of the characters. He is also a master of dialogue, especially when Rebus and Cafferty are growling at each other like two stray hounds sizing up each other in a garbage strewn Edinburgh back alley.
There is one scene where Rebus leaves Siobhan Clarke and as he walks away, she observes a weathered stooped, old man. She reflects on how once he was a figure of strength, feared by many. It was a sad poignant point in the story.
It is a complex character filled story; however, the reader can follow the participants and their roles the story never gets too complicated.
The opening pages are revisited in the dying pages of the book. The ending is a signal as to why Rankin had signed a two-book deal. Personally, I did not find it all that authentic.
There is subtly in the title and in some scenes where Rebus is listening to music. The reader might find it interesting to research the singer Jamie Leven the Scottish singer and his relationship with Rankin and Rankin’s use of Leven’s lyrics.
I only joined the Rebus fan club about five years ago and this is my thirteenth visit to this Tartan crime noir story. I still enjoy them, and Rankin has handled Rebus’ aging very well. I still must go back and visit this gentleman in the earlier times that I missed.
Rebus’ future? In the 1990s I was a fan of two British television shows, The Bill and The Minder. However, I was not saddened when they were wound up as they had run their course and I thought it was best that they finish on a high rather than fading into insignificance. Hopefully that will happen with Rebus. But after reading A Heart full of Headstones he’s not there yet.
Can I make a comment about some of the reviews on Goodreads? Firstly, when you have a character like John Rebus who is a good money earner for Rankin and his publisher it is a difficult decision to kill him off in some way. Remember, authors are workers who need income. Reviewers, would you cut a source of income from your life? Secondly, to give a writer of Rankin’s ability one star is an insult, especially when it comes from a reviewer who has difficulty in writing three meaningful sentences in a paragraph.
October 25, 2022
What started as a typical pretty good entry in the Rebus saga had an ending that put it with some of the best. Many try, but no one writes better Scottish (or really any) crime noir than Rankin, 4+ stars
November 14, 2022
In the 24th installment of Ian Rankin's John Rebus series, Rankin again delivers a reliably good novel in the series.
Rebus, now retired, has been summoned by crime lord Big Ger Cafferty in his request to find a man long disappeared and one many thought killed by Cafferty. Cafferty explains to Rebus he would like to make amends with the missing man and while Rebus agrees to do so, he is greatly suspicious of Cafferty's stated purpose.
At the same time, police detective and long-time ally Siobhan Clarke is tasked with a domestic violence case involving a police detective. The case soon becomes a sprawling investigation involving decades of police corruption and misconduct based out of a historically notorious police station that certainly will involve much larger implications and possibly even John Rebus.
Through the novel, Rankin brings in previously introduced characters and continues to prove he is not afraid to "age" his characters.
A Heart Full of Headstones will not disappoint John Rebus fans and many, like this reader, will be very interested in where Rankin takes the Rebus series after this latest novel.
Rebus, now retired, has been summoned by crime lord Big Ger Cafferty in his request to find a man long disappeared and one many thought killed by Cafferty. Cafferty explains to Rebus he would like to make amends with the missing man and while Rebus agrees to do so, he is greatly suspicious of Cafferty's stated purpose.
At the same time, police detective and long-time ally Siobhan Clarke is tasked with a domestic violence case involving a police detective. The case soon becomes a sprawling investigation involving decades of police corruption and misconduct based out of a historically notorious police station that certainly will involve much larger implications and possibly even John Rebus.
Through the novel, Rankin brings in previously introduced characters and continues to prove he is not afraid to "age" his characters.
A Heart Full of Headstones will not disappoint John Rebus fans and many, like this reader, will be very interested in where Rankin takes the Rebus series after this latest novel.
October 16, 2022
Policing habits of Rebus questioned
Slowly the tension builds. The court opening had me puzzled. But then we go back and review the situation over the past weeks until now. Rebus has been contacted by Morris Gerald Cafferty, known as Big Ger. Cafferty calls in a favor. That favor has Rebus walking into the past, a past that strings from his time when he worked at Tynecastle. We are introduced to some old players and new, including DI Siobhan Clarke. Deceptively simple...Rebus walks his dog Brillo, wanders onto crime scenes, scopes out who’s doing what, puts things together, and comes up with answers.
An investigation into the policing culture at Tynecastle throws up some dirty linen from the past.
As to why he’s in court? Well that would be telling.
A somewhat quirky, dark and fascinating read.
A Little, Brown and Company ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
Slowly the tension builds. The court opening had me puzzled. But then we go back and review the situation over the past weeks until now. Rebus has been contacted by Morris Gerald Cafferty, known as Big Ger. Cafferty calls in a favor. That favor has Rebus walking into the past, a past that strings from his time when he worked at Tynecastle. We are introduced to some old players and new, including DI Siobhan Clarke. Deceptively simple...Rebus walks his dog Brillo, wanders onto crime scenes, scopes out who’s doing what, puts things together, and comes up with answers.
An investigation into the policing culture at Tynecastle throws up some dirty linen from the past.
As to why he’s in court? Well that would be telling.
A somewhat quirky, dark and fascinating read.
A Little, Brown and Company ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
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