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Inspector Rebus #13
Resurrection Men
Inspector John Rebus has messed up badly this time, so badly that he's been sent to a kind of reform school for damaged cops. While there among the last-chancers known as "resurrection men," he joins a covert mission to gain evidence of a drug heist orchestrated by three of his classmates. But the group has been assigned an unsolved murder that may have resulted from Rebus's own mistake. Now Rebus can't determine if he's been set up for a fall or if his disgraced classmates are as ruthless as he suspects. When Detective Sergeant Siobhan Clarke discovers that her investigation of an art dealer's murder is tied to Rebus's inquiry, the two—protègè and mentor—join forces. Soon they find themselves in the midst of an even bigger scandal than they had imagined-a plot with conspirators in every corner of Scotland and deadly implications about their colleagues. With the brilliant eye for character and place that earned him the name "the Dickens of Edinburgh," Ian Rankin delivers a page-turning novel of intricate suspense.
528 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
791 people are currently reading
3454 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 621 reviews
March 2, 2023
I am up to date in this series apart from a couple of books I missed along the way. Resurrection Men is one that I missed and it was so enjoyable to read it now and jump back in time to an earlier Rebus.
John Rebus always behaves badly but the book begins with him being quite outrageous and finding himself condemned to retraining. There is a twist of course - all of Rankin's books in this series are built on twists. There are so many dirty cops at every level that my head was spinning, and so much backstabbing - some of it literally. At least Siobahn appeared to be her usual straight self.
There is a lot of humour, some very complex characterisation, and an excellent and very involved story line. The ending ties up all loose ends. I enjoyed it all. Five stars.
John Rebus always behaves badly but the book begins with him being quite outrageous and finding himself condemned to retraining. There is a twist of course - all of Rankin's books in this series are built on twists. There are so many dirty cops at every level that my head was spinning, and so much backstabbing - some of it literally. At least Siobahn appeared to be her usual straight self.
There is a lot of humour, some very complex characterisation, and an excellent and very involved story line. The ending ties up all loose ends. I enjoyed it all. Five stars.
January 6, 2018
Βαθμολογία: ★★★★
Έπειτα από μια αποχή σχεδόν ενός χρόνου, επέστρεψα για ακόμη μια γύρα στα λημέρια του παλιόφιλου Rebus, το αγαπημένο Εδιμβούργο. Μου έλειψε η γραφή του Rankin και ιδιαίτερα η αίσθηση του χιούμορ που έχει, η οποία αποτυπώνεται εξαιρετικά στους διαλόγους των χαρακτήρων του. Η ανάγνωση ήταν αργή, αλλά όχι βασανιστική. Είναι από τα μεγαλύτερα σε έκταση έργα του συγγραφέα και δε θα το χαρακτήριζα pageturner, αλλά το απόλαυσα πάρα πολύ.
Έπειτα από μια αποχή σχεδόν ενός χρόνου, επέστρεψα για ακόμη μια γύρα στα λημέρια του παλιόφιλου Rebus, το αγαπημένο Εδιμβούργο. Μου έλειψε η γραφή του Rankin και ιδιαίτερα η αίσθηση του χιούμορ που έχει, η οποία αποτυπώνεται εξαιρετικά στους διαλόγους των χαρακτήρων του. Η ανάγνωση ήταν αργή, αλλά όχι βασανιστική. Είναι από τα μεγαλύτερα σε έκταση έργα του συγγραφέα και δε θα το χαρακτήριζα pageturner, αλλά το απόλαυσα πάρα πολύ.
August 10, 2016
Μια ανάσταση και μια κάθαρση που τελικά εναντιώνονται στο γεγονός πως συμφωνούν στο ότι διαφωνούν με το σύστημα διαφθοράς της εξουσίας αλλα παρόλα αυτα ειναι στενά συνδεδεμένες και αλληλεξαρτώμενες απο αυτο!
Η ιστορία μας χαρίζει απλόχερα σχεδια δολοπλοκίας,ατομικού συμφέροντος,επαγγελματικής εξέλιξης -ανεξαρτήτως τιμήματος-ύπουλες συνεργασίες,δόλιες σιωπές,ανώτερες παρεμβάσεις απο εξέχοντα πρόσωπα υπεράνω υποψίας.
Πολύπλοκο σενάριο αστυνομικής υπόθεσης και ανεξιχνίαστες υποθέσεις που ίσως ειναι απλούστατα κατανοητές αν γνωρίζεις σχέσεις,επαφές,συναναστροφές και δοσοληψίες ατόμων που εμπλέκονται!
Κάποιοι "ξοφλημένοι" αστυνομικοί τιμωρούνται σε αυτοκάθαρση και αυτοπραγμάτωση έπειτα απο παραβατική συμπεριφορά προς ανώτερους και μη!
Εκεί καθόλου τυχαία καλούνται να " ξαναγνωριστούν" και να εξιχνιάσουν εγκλήματα που θεωρούνται άλυτα!
Ποσό επηρεάζει τη ζωη ενός συνειδητού ατόμου που δεν ειναι συστημικός και κομφορμιστης ενα απόλυτα παλινδρομικό και εξουσιαστικό εκμαυλισμενο σχέδιο στο οποίο εμπλέκεται και προσπαθεί να βρει λύση οχι για το ΚΑΛΟ της καριέρας του αλλα για την προσωπική του ΑΝΑΣΤΑΣΗ;
Ενδιαφέρον βιβλίο,πολύπλοκο,και με ιδιαίτερα καυστικό χιούμορ! Ωστόσο κάπως προβλέψιμο,η ανατροπή που περίμενα δεν ήρθε και οι καλοί παρέμειναν μπερδεμένοι με τους κακούς για λόγους ατιμασμενης ΤΙΜΗΣ!
Η ιστορία μας χαρίζει απλόχερα σχεδια δολοπλοκίας,ατομικού συμφέροντος,επαγγελματικής εξέλιξης -ανεξαρτήτως τιμήματος-ύπουλες συνεργασίες,δόλιες σιωπές,ανώτερες παρεμβάσεις απο εξέχοντα πρόσωπα υπεράνω υποψίας.
Πολύπλοκο σενάριο αστυνομικής υπόθεσης και ανεξιχνίαστες υποθέσεις που ίσως ειναι απλούστατα κατανοητές αν γνωρίζεις σχέσεις,επαφές,συναναστροφές και δοσοληψίες ατόμων που εμπλέκονται!
Κάποιοι "ξοφλημένοι" αστυνομικοί τιμωρούνται σε αυτοκάθαρση και αυτοπραγμάτωση έπειτα απο παραβατική συμπεριφορά προς ανώτερους και μη!
Εκεί καθόλου τυχαία καλούνται να " ξαναγνωριστούν" και να εξιχνιάσουν εγκλήματα που θεωρούνται άλυτα!
Ποσό επηρεάζει τη ζωη ενός συνειδητού ατόμου που δεν ειναι συστημικός και κομφορμιστης ενα απόλυτα παλινδρομικό και εξουσιαστικό εκμαυλισμενο σχέδιο στο οποίο εμπλέκεται και προσπαθεί να βρει λύση οχι για το ΚΑΛΟ της καριέρας του αλλα για την προσωπική του ΑΝΑΣΤΑΣΗ;
Ενδιαφέρον βιβλίο,πολύπλοκο,και με ιδιαίτερα καυστικό χιούμορ! Ωστόσο κάπως προβλέψιμο,η ανατροπή που περίμενα δεν ήρθε και οι καλοί παρέμειναν μπερδεμένοι με τους κακούς για λόγους ατιμασμενης ΤΙΜΗΣ!
August 14, 2012
Scottish Inspector John Rebus has always had a problem with authority, but he gets particularly exorcised one morning and hurls a cup of tea at his supervisor. For this, he is assigned to a stint at Tulliallan, a police academy where problem officers are sent for retraining and to see if their careers can be resurrected.
The approach is to take an old case and assign it to the "resurrection men" working under the close supervision of an instructor who will teach them the teamwork necessary to good police work. But Rebus smells a rat when the case chosen for the exercise "accidentally" turns out to be an old problematic case in which Rebus himself played a large role. He realizes that he must trod very carefully while he tries to figure out what is going on here.
Meanwhile back home, Rebus's protege, Detective Siobhan Clarke, is investigating the murder of an art dealer. There appear to be any number of suspects, but finding the killer and a motive is proving particularly difficult. Rebus and Clarke wind up sharing thoughts about their independent problems, both of which turn out to have much more working below the surface than initially appeared.
This is another good installment in Rankin's long-running series and once you get caught up in it, it's hard to put it down.
The approach is to take an old case and assign it to the "resurrection men" working under the close supervision of an instructor who will teach them the teamwork necessary to good police work. But Rebus smells a rat when the case chosen for the exercise "accidentally" turns out to be an old problematic case in which Rebus himself played a large role. He realizes that he must trod very carefully while he tries to figure out what is going on here.
Meanwhile back home, Rebus's protege, Detective Siobhan Clarke, is investigating the murder of an art dealer. There appear to be any number of suspects, but finding the killer and a motive is proving particularly difficult. Rebus and Clarke wind up sharing thoughts about their independent problems, both of which turn out to have much more working below the surface than initially appeared.
This is another good installment in Rankin's long-running series and once you get caught up in it, it's hard to put it down.
June 5, 2017
Another Rebus down. Rebus is punished and sent to school again for a refresher course. He meets a Wild Bunch of officers and they have to work together to solve a cold case.
At the same time, an art dealer is killed at his home after an exhibition. DS Siobhan Clarke is investigating this crime, and Rebus is giving her some back up while he is in schooling.
A fast past novel. Realistic and noir. Rankin is one of the best novelist who take you from wherever you are to the dark, rain stained cobblestone streets in Edinburgh, Glasgow or Dundee. He exposes the underbelly of the city and let us all gawk in and watch.
Corruption and insubordination are the two major themes in this novel.
At the same time, an art dealer is killed at his home after an exhibition. DS Siobhan Clarke is investigating this crime, and Rebus is giving her some back up while he is in schooling.
A fast past novel. Realistic and noir. Rankin is one of the best novelist who take you from wherever you are to the dark, rain stained cobblestone streets in Edinburgh, Glasgow or Dundee. He exposes the underbelly of the city and let us all gawk in and watch.
Corruption and insubordination are the two major themes in this novel.
Want to read
October 23, 2018I own both the Little Brown Hardcover and an Uncorrected Proof of this book.
July 25, 2025
‘Just because you are paranoid, it doesn’t mean they are not after you.’
Another superb Rebus from Ian Rankin. Rebus still relatively healthy. Like Harry Bosch he appears to throw a tantrum (cup of hot tea) at his boss. For this he is sent off for re-training and ‘resurrection.’ Along with a number of other detective retrobates. The case study they are given to work on is one which could incriminate Rebus.
DS Siobhan Clarke is working on another murder case which becomes linked. There is danger for both officers. Rankin paints a picture of Edinburgh a bit different to the one I have visited. And this book is another given to me by my mate on a recent visit. Memories of the Oxford Bar from my last visit remain. Additionally , Rankin mentions Burke and Hare the grave robbers in his introduction. He talks of the heavy metal ‘mort safe’ that could be placed over a recent grave until the occupant was no longer worthy of digging up. And we saw one on the last visit.
Like Bosch, Rebus is an introspective and taciturn man. Whilst Bosch likes his Jazz, Rebus is more eclectic- Steely Dan, Cocteau Twins, Neil Young, John Martyn, Van Morrison, Wishbone Ash, Joy Division…it’s my CD collection.
I have many more books in the series to read and will be sad when Rebus leaves this mortal coil. Which sadly like Inspector Morse he surely will.
Another superb Rebus from Ian Rankin. Rebus still relatively healthy. Like Harry Bosch he appears to throw a tantrum (cup of hot tea) at his boss. For this he is sent off for re-training and ‘resurrection.’ Along with a number of other detective retrobates. The case study they are given to work on is one which could incriminate Rebus.
DS Siobhan Clarke is working on another murder case which becomes linked. There is danger for both officers. Rankin paints a picture of Edinburgh a bit different to the one I have visited. And this book is another given to me by my mate on a recent visit. Memories of the Oxford Bar from my last visit remain. Additionally , Rankin mentions Burke and Hare the grave robbers in his introduction. He talks of the heavy metal ‘mort safe’ that could be placed over a recent grave until the occupant was no longer worthy of digging up. And we saw one on the last visit.
Like Bosch, Rebus is an introspective and taciturn man. Whilst Bosch likes his Jazz, Rebus is more eclectic- Steely Dan, Cocteau Twins, Neil Young, John Martyn, Van Morrison, Wishbone Ash, Joy Division…it’s my CD collection.
I have many more books in the series to read and will be sad when Rebus leaves this mortal coil. Which sadly like Inspector Morse he surely will.
March 10, 2021
Resurrection Men finds our hero, DI Rebus, in a type of timeout that has been created for well-experienced officers who have misbehaved. Rebus misbehave? Of course, that is his nature but this time it seems that he has gone too far by flinging a teacup, with some tea in it, at his boss during an all-hands meeting.
So, off he goes, along with four other miscreants for a five-week course on how to work together effectively as a team member and thus becoming the Resurrection Men. In so doing, the course leader has dredged up an old case on which Rebus and one other team member originally worked. Hmmmmm. It turns out that this is not standard practice for this course.
Rankin does his usual excellent job of creating a complex but believable plot populated by very interesting yet very plausible characters, most of whom are new but a couple have appeared before. The book is nicely paced and a good deal of fun to read. Typical of police procedurals, it contains the standard, step-by-step crime-solving process but it also has a couple of very nice twists - not dramatic, "Holy cow, I didn't see THAT coming" but rather enough to spice up the book.
It is not critical to have read other Rebus books because this stands quite nicely on its own. If you enjoy British/Scottish police procedurals, I can recommend that you try this one and if you haven't encountered Rebus, there are quite a few excellent books in the series.
So, off he goes, along with four other miscreants for a five-week course on how to work together effectively as a team member and thus becoming the Resurrection Men. In so doing, the course leader has dredged up an old case on which Rebus and one other team member originally worked. Hmmmmm. It turns out that this is not standard practice for this course.
Rankin does his usual excellent job of creating a complex but believable plot populated by very interesting yet very plausible characters, most of whom are new but a couple have appeared before. The book is nicely paced and a good deal of fun to read. Typical of police procedurals, it contains the standard, step-by-step crime-solving process but it also has a couple of very nice twists - not dramatic, "Holy cow, I didn't see THAT coming" but rather enough to spice up the book.
It is not critical to have read other Rebus books because this stands quite nicely on its own. If you enjoy British/Scottish police procedurals, I can recommend that you try this one and if you haven't encountered Rebus, there are quite a few excellent books in the series.
November 1, 2021
3,5 / 5
Rico Lomax ve Dickie Diamond olayını önceki kitapların birinde okumuş muydum hiç hatırlamadığım için tüm kitabı sanki bir filmi yarısından itibaren seyretmeye başlamışım hissiyle okudum ki bu da kitaba konsantre olmamı çok zorlaştırdı. Gerçi sonunda hatırlamamamın çok da önemli olmadığı anlaşıldı ama kitap da bitti zaten 😏
Rico Lomax ve Dickie Diamond olayını önceki kitapların birinde okumuş muydum hiç hatırlamadığım için tüm kitabı sanki bir filmi yarısından itibaren seyretmeye başlamışım hissiyle okudum ki bu da kitaba konsantre olmamı çok zorlaştırdı. Gerçi sonunda hatırlamamamın çok da önemli olmadığı anlaşıldı ama kitap da bitti zaten 😏
April 27, 2020
Inspector Rebus, mystery No. 13: In which his superior, after having had enough of Rebus's poor team playing, interpersonal and procedural working skills, send Rebus on a course with other 'difficult officers' where their team building skills are fostered by investigating cold cases; Rebus gets suspicious when he sees that the cold case they're working on is one of his. In addition Rebus can't quite let go of the case that the newly promoted DS Clarke is working on. This story proceeds in a bit more of a linear fashion than others in this series, in a tale in which the two cases get more and more entangled in the lives of Rebus, Clarke and his long time nemesis crime lord Big Ger. Unfortunately this was one of the weaker books in the series. 5 out of 12.
November 14, 2015
Λυπάμαι ειλικρινά κάθε φορά που "αναγκάζομαι" να βάλω 1 ή 2 αστεράκια σε αστυνομικά βιβλία.Σημαίνει πως το αγαπημένο μου είδος αυτήν τη φορά με άφησε παγερά αδιάφορη ή απογοητευμένη.
Είχα ακούσει πολλά και για τον Rankin και για τον Rebus,και είχα σκοπό να πιάσω κάποια στιγμή ένα δικό του βιβλίο.Η αφορμή δόθηκε με το Μαραθώνιο Ανάγνωσης των εκδόσεων 'Μεταίχμιο'.Ίσως φταίει το συγκεκριμένο βιβλίο,και γενικότερα η σειρά με τον Rebus ν' αξίζει πολλά,αλλά εγώ αυτό διάβασα και δηλώνω πλήρως απογοητευμένη.Αναγκάστηκα λοιπόν να το τελειώσω,ανυπομονώντας να περάσουν οι σελίδες όχι από αδημονία,αλλά από βαρεμάρα.
Οι "Αναστημένοι" είναι η 13η χρονικά περιπέτεια του Rebus και ο αναγνώστης καλό θα είναι να έχει διαβάσει τα προηγούμενα,για να είναι εξοικειωμένος τόσο με κάποιους χαρακτήρες,όσο και με τα γεγονότα που έχουν οδηγήσει και τον επιθεωρητή και γενικότερα το στόρυ στο σημείο που τον βρίσκουμε εδώ.Αν δεν το έχουν κάνει,όπως εγώ,θα βρεθούν με αρκετά κενά.Το στόρυ μεμονωμένα είναι κάπως μπερδεμένο,η μία ιστορία εισχωρεί στην άλλη,ενώ και το ίδιο το τέλος είναι ουσιαστικά "στον αέρα"..Ομολογώ πως η κατάληξη με άφησε μπερδεμένη,να μην έχω καλοκαταλάβει τι έγινε τελικά!Και σίγουρα δεν υποστηρίζω πως είμαι καμιά διάνοια γενικά,αλλά στα αστυνομικά ειδικά μπορώ να περηφανεύομαι πως μου κόβει αρκετά για να καταλάβω την κατάληξη ενός βιβλίου! :P O Rebus "κάνει μια συνεργασία με το Διάβολο", όπως αναφέρεται χαρακτηριστικά,αλλά επειδή υποβόσκουν και πράγματα από προηγούμενα βιβλία στην μεταξύ τους σχέση,δεν καταλαβαίνουμε ούτε γιατί το κάνει,ούτε τι χάνει εκείνος.Κενό.
Για να μην μακρυγορώ περισσότερο,αν κάποιος θέλει να διαβάσει τις ιστορίες του επιθεωρητή Rebus,θα του πρότεινα να πάρει τα πράγματα -και τα βιβλία- από την αρχή,διαφορετικά να επιλέξει μια από τις τόσες χιλιάδες άλλες ιστορίες που υπάρχουν εκεί έξω.Προσωπικά,έχω να πω μόνο πως ένιωσα "αναστημένη" μόνο όταν έκλεισα το βιβλίο,έχοντας διαβάσει και την τελευταία σελίδα.Περισσότερο απ' αυτό,ένιωσα ΑΝΑΚΟΥΦΙΣΜΕΝΗ!
Είχα ακούσει πολλά και για τον Rankin και για τον Rebus,και είχα σκοπό να πιάσω κάποια στιγμή ένα δικό του βιβλίο.Η αφορμή δόθηκε με το Μαραθώνιο Ανάγνωσης των εκδόσεων 'Μεταίχμιο'.Ίσως φταίει το συγκεκριμένο βιβλίο,και γενικότερα η σειρά με τον Rebus ν' αξίζει πολλά,αλλά εγώ αυτό διάβασα και δηλώνω πλήρως απογοητευμένη.Αναγκάστηκα λοιπόν να το τελειώσω,ανυπομονώντας να περάσουν οι σελίδες όχι από αδημονία,αλλά από βαρεμάρα.
Οι "Αναστημένοι" είναι η 13η χρονικά περιπέτεια του Rebus και ο αναγνώστης καλό θα είναι να έχει διαβάσει τα προηγούμενα,για να είναι εξοικειωμένος τόσο με κάποιους χαρακτήρες,όσο και με τα γεγονότα που έχουν οδηγήσει και τον επιθεωρητή και γενικότερα το στόρυ στο σημείο που τον βρίσκουμε εδώ.Αν δεν το έχουν κάνει,όπως εγώ,θα βρεθούν με αρκετά κενά.Το στόρυ μεμονωμένα είναι κάπως μπερδεμένο,η μία ιστορία εισχωρεί στην άλλη,ενώ και το ίδιο το τέλος είναι ουσιαστικά "στον αέρα"..Ομολογώ πως η κατάληξη με άφησε μπερδεμένη,να μην έχω καλοκαταλάβει τι έγινε τελικά!Και σίγουρα δεν υποστηρίζω πως είμαι καμιά διάνοια γενικά,αλλά στα αστυνομικά ειδικά μπορώ να περηφανεύομαι πως μου κόβει αρκετά για να καταλάβω την κατάληξη ενός βιβλίου! :P O Rebus "κάνει μια συνεργασία με το Διάβολο", όπως αναφέρεται χαρακτηριστικά,αλλά επειδή υποβόσκουν και πράγματα από προηγούμενα βιβλία στην μεταξύ τους σχέση,δεν καταλαβαίνουμε ούτε γιατί το κάνει,ούτε τι χάνει εκείνος.Κενό.
Για να μην μακρυγορώ περισσότερο,αν κάποιος θέλει να διαβάσει τις ιστορίες του επιθεωρητή Rebus,θα του πρότεινα να πάρει τα πράγματα -και τα βιβλία- από την αρχή,διαφορετικά να επιλέξει μια από τις τόσες χιλιάδες άλλες ιστορίες που υπάρχουν εκεί έξω.Προσωπικά,έχω να πω μόνο πως ένιωσα "αναστημένη" μόνο όταν έκλεισα το βιβλίο,έχοντας διαβάσει και την τελευταία σελίδα.Περισσότερο απ' αυτό,ένιωσα ΑΝΑΚΟΥΦΙΣΜΕΝΗ!
January 8, 2023
My first Rebus of the year. Great to read on these cold wintry evenings. Rebus once again is in trouble when he apparently deliberately throws a cup of tea at his boss Gil Templar. For his sins he is sent for retraining with several other equally naughty cops. In reality he is undercover trying to get the dirty on three corrupt policemen Gray, Jazz and Ward.
SPOILERS AHEAD
There is also a murder inquiry into the murder of an art dealer caller Marber. She-Vawn or Siobhan his partner in crime is investigating this murder. Lots of coincidences and another murder. Big Ger and Weasel are in the mix as well.
A good read and I was wondering how Rebus was going to escape being led to his death by Gray, Jazz and Ward. A nice new acronym learnt for Friday with POETS or piss off early tomorrow’s Saturday.
SPOILERS AHEAD
There is also a murder inquiry into the murder of an art dealer caller Marber. She-Vawn or Siobhan his partner in crime is investigating this murder. Lots of coincidences and another murder. Big Ger and Weasel are in the mix as well.
A good read and I was wondering how Rebus was going to escape being led to his death by Gray, Jazz and Ward. A nice new acronym learnt for Friday with POETS or piss off early tomorrow’s Saturday.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 13, 2015
One of my fave authors and I love Rebus but his character is becoming tedious. It's nice to see a realistic flawed hero but after all Rebus's experience he is starting to appear not jut disillusioned(you can only play that card so long) but stupid. He is always getting into situations where he is beat up or almost killed and like the heroine tied to the railroad tracks,the hero rescues him just in time. Also,be nice to see a few more wins. Although ,no matter university education he appears to have raw intelligence that you can't be taught at university. But as a seasoned,experienced cop,he is all emotion and reaction and gets into situations where is at risk his career and life. I have read so many of this series that I would like to think with the years Rebus and the the author
Has let Rebus mature or have his Eureka moment. It would be nice to see some more dimension to this character.
Has let Rebus mature or have his Eureka moment. It would be nice to see some more dimension to this character.
July 24, 2018
Ο επιθεωρητής Ρέμπους βρίσκεται στη σχολή αξιωματικών για μετεκπαίδευση σαν τιμωρία για το τελευταίο του ξέσπασμα κατά τη διάρκεια μιας έρευνας. Όμως αυτό φαίνεται να είναι μια πρόφαση για να βρεθεί εκεί. Ποιός είναι ο πραγματικός σκοπός που ο Ρέμπους βρίσκεται στο Τουλάλαν; Και τι σχέση έχει η υπόθεση που ανατίθεται σε αυτόν και τους υπόλοιπους απείθαρχους αστυνομικούς με την υπόθεση που εξετάζει η Σίβον Κλάρκ; Ο Ρέμπους φαίνεται να γνωρίζει περισσότερα απ' όσα λέει για αυτή την υπόθεση απ' όσα παραδέχεται στους συναδέλφους του και τα πράγματα αρχίζουν να περιπλέκονται.
Οι αναστημένοι είναι το λιγότερο αγαπημένο μου βιβλίο με τον επιθεωρητή Ρέμπους, ως τώρα. Μου έλειψαν οι περιγραφές του Εδιμβούργου και η υπόθεση, αν και δε μου ήταν εντελώς αδιάφορη, δε με έκανε να χάσω τον ύπνο μου για να διαβάσω παρακάτω. Είδα όμως μια πλευρά του Ρέμπους την οποία δε γνώριζα και μου φάνηκε αρκετά ενδιαφέρουσα.
Οι αναστημένοι είναι το λιγότερο αγαπημένο μου βιβλίο με τον επιθεωρητή Ρέμπους, ως τώρα. Μου έλειψαν οι περιγραφές του Εδιμβούργου και η υπόθεση, αν και δε μου ήταν εντελώς αδιάφορη, δε με έκανε να χάσω τον ύπνο μου για να διαβάσω παρακάτω. Είδα όμως μια πλευρά του Ρέμπους την οποία δε γνώριζα και μου φάνηκε αρκετά ενδιαφέρουσα.
March 10, 2016
Πιστεύω πως αυτό το μυθιστόρημα θα το απολάμβανα περισσότερο αν οι περιστάσεις ήταν διαφορετικές. Πιο συγκεκριμένα, αν είχαν διαβάσει τα υπόλοιπα βιβλία με πρωταγωνιστή τον επιθεωρητή Ρέμπους θα κατανοούσα ευκολότερα τα γεγονότα. Επίσης, με δυσκόλεψε αρκετά η συνεχής χρήση του διαλόγου, καθώς εξαιτίας του η πλοκή κινούταν πιο γρήγορα και μη γνωρίζοντας κάποια γεγονότα από το παρελθόν του πρωταγωνιστή, δεν με βοήθησε στο να αντιληφθώ το τι γινόταν. Θεωρώ ότι ο Ρέμπους και η Σιβόν είναι ολοκληρωμένοι χαρακτήρες και εμφανίζουν αρκετό ενδιαφέρον. Νομίζω ότι θα διάβαζα και άλλα βιβλία του Ίαν Ράνκιν, βεβαία θα προτιμούσα να τα διαβάσω με την σειρά. Και μια θερμή παράκληση στους επιμελητές: μην βάζετε τις υποσημειώσεις στο τέλος, κουράζουν αρκετάτον αναγνώστη.
February 16, 2020
This wasn’t the best place to jump into the series.
I liked the idea of the (possibly too many) plots better than the reading of them. And I felt like I was missing out on a connection to the character and his world that would have been built in the earlier novels.
I’ll try at least one more in the series. It seems like one I should enjoy quite a bit more than I did this one.
I liked the idea of the (possibly too many) plots better than the reading of them. And I felt like I was missing out on a connection to the character and his world that would have been built in the earlier novels.
I’ll try at least one more in the series. It seems like one I should enjoy quite a bit more than I did this one.
November 23, 2016
Πρόκειται για ένα βιβλίο που σε κρατάει σε αγωνία και εάν με αυτό το βιβλίο γνωρίζει ο αναγνώστης τον Ρέμπους τότε σίγουρα θα θέλει να συνεχίσει στην υπόλοιπη ιστορία του.
March 6, 2018
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
Thanks to sickness, a little bit of travel, and general increased busy-ness in my non-blog life, I almost missed my monthly check-in with John Rebus. Thankfully, for my Bookish-OCD, I made it just in time. Even better? This was one of the best in the series.
Rebus' drinking and displeasure at Gill Templar's handling of a murder investigation results in him being sent back to school. Literally. There's a "retraining" course at the Police College for long-serving officers with discipline problems -- sort of a last chance before the end of the road. These detectives are pretty similar, they've (mostly) been at this for years and aren't going to change, no matter what happens in the course. Most of them know each other by reputation, Rebus is well-known, apparently -- and he knows another classmate by reputation, he's "the Glasgow Rebus." After some counseling sessions, and some class lectures, the detectives are given a cold case to work to help learn something about teamwork. A couple of the detectives were associated with the original investigation in Glasgow, and even Rebus brushed up against it in Edinburgh. It's not so clear how much teamwork is being learned, it's clear that there are people who know things about the case that aren't in the files -- and they're not sharing.
There is something about the case that could involve Big Ger, so guess who gets volunteered to talk to him? Rebus is not the only one talking to Cafferty, Siobhan Clarke (now a DS) has a couple of conversations with him. Watching Cafferty try to treat the two of the similarly, with different results, was quite entertaining -- Clarke reacts to him differently than Rebus, but she doesn't take the same angle with him that I think most would. I look forward to seeing the two of them lock horns in the future.
Speaking of Siobhan -- never call her Shiv, by the way -- once again, she threatened to take over the book for the first half or so. Rebus' drinking with the other problem police and their cold case just didn't grab my attention at first. But Siobhan's dealing with the investigation -- without her mentor to bounce ideas off of -- and the various and sundry male detectives around her. Some of which work with her just fine, others . . . not so much -- at the end of the day, DS Clarke is the one who puts the case together, and in a pretty compelling way. Did I enjoy things a little bit more when Rebus came along to interact with a bit? Yeah, but it wasn't necessary. I also like the way that Rebus and Templar were the ones (along with Siobhan herself) noticing her doing things like Rebus this time, not just other police. He's clearly left his stamp on her -- for good or ill, the trick is watching her approach things the way he would, but remaining her own person. Which she has so far -- and, I bet, will continue to do so.
But this is a Rebus novel, at the end of the day, and he does get the better material -- as I mentioned, he interacts with Siobhan some because he and the others come to Edinburgh to follow a pretty shaky lead (mostly, it's an excuse to get away from the college and drink somewhere else). Around this point, that storyline became more intriguing -- and it did end up being the better part of the novel.
No one will ever say that the Rebus novels are a fun romp, but there was something about Rankin's writing in Resurrection Men that seemed darker than usual -- not a darkness because of violence or anything, just in the telling. Everything seemed worse, everything seemed sinister -- it's hard to put my finger on it exactly, but there was something grim going on. Yeah, I laughed a couple of times, smiled more often than that, but overall, the noir in this book was blacker. We see areas of Rebus' psyche we haven't seen much of before -- ditto for Clarke -- we also get some good Rebus/Cafferty backstory.
The structure of this novel is the real star -- it was just perfect -- we get a couple of mysteries to watch our detectives solve, plus a couple of other things go on. It even seems like Rankin doles out the information in an unusual way, only telling us what we need to know when we need to know it -- there are times when we're more in the dark than Rebus because he's hiding the information from his fellow Last-Chancers and us (what does that say about Rankin's readers?), but it works -- this isn't a case of a mystery writer cheating, it's a deliberate attempt to build suspense. Complex without being complicated, brilliantly plotted but not in a way that feels totally organic. At a certain point, the way that all the storylines end up seem inevitable (even when you're still not sure who the various killers are going to be), yet you're surprised when the inevitable happens. But along the way, each step in the stories, each reveal, each development catches you off guard. Just fantastic structure to the book.
I thought it was strange that Rankin started this one off (I'm guessing for the American edition only) with a little description of the Scottish Police's organization and rankings, which was nice (but most readers can figure it out on their own). Also included was a list of the cast of characters -- organized by storyline. That was helpful, too. Unnecessary, but very nice. I'm not sure why these were used, but I'll take them.
This one checked almost every one of my boxes -- at least once, and never didn't hold my interest. Rankin clearly knows what he's doing and you should read this one -- and the twelve before it.
---
Another ghost in need of justice. Rebus had confessed to her once, after too many late-night drinks in the Oxford Bar, that he saw ghosts. Or didn’t see them so much as sense them. All the cases, the innocent -- and not so innocent -- victims . . . all those lives turned into CID files . . . They were always more than that to him. He’d seemed to see it as a failing, but Siobhan hadn’t agreed.
We wouldn’t be human if they didn’t get to us, she’d told him. His look had stilled her with its cynicism, as if he were saying that “human” was the one thing they weren’t supposed to be.
Thanks to sickness, a little bit of travel, and general increased busy-ness in my non-blog life, I almost missed my monthly check-in with John Rebus. Thankfully, for my Bookish-OCD, I made it just in time. Even better? This was one of the best in the series.
Rebus' drinking and displeasure at Gill Templar's handling of a murder investigation results in him being sent back to school. Literally. There's a "retraining" course at the Police College for long-serving officers with discipline problems -- sort of a last chance before the end of the road. These detectives are pretty similar, they've (mostly) been at this for years and aren't going to change, no matter what happens in the course. Most of them know each other by reputation, Rebus is well-known, apparently -- and he knows another classmate by reputation, he's "the Glasgow Rebus." After some counseling sessions, and some class lectures, the detectives are given a cold case to work to help learn something about teamwork. A couple of the detectives were associated with the original investigation in Glasgow, and even Rebus brushed up against it in Edinburgh. It's not so clear how much teamwork is being learned, it's clear that there are people who know things about the case that aren't in the files -- and they're not sharing.
There is something about the case that could involve Big Ger, so guess who gets volunteered to talk to him? Rebus is not the only one talking to Cafferty, Siobhan Clarke (now a DS) has a couple of conversations with him. Watching Cafferty try to treat the two of the similarly, with different results, was quite entertaining -- Clarke reacts to him differently than Rebus, but she doesn't take the same angle with him that I think most would. I look forward to seeing the two of them lock horns in the future.
Speaking of Siobhan -- never call her Shiv, by the way -- once again, she threatened to take over the book for the first half or so. Rebus' drinking with the other problem police and their cold case just didn't grab my attention at first. But Siobhan's dealing with the investigation -- without her mentor to bounce ideas off of -- and the various and sundry male detectives around her. Some of which work with her just fine, others . . . not so much -- at the end of the day, DS Clarke is the one who puts the case together, and in a pretty compelling way. Did I enjoy things a little bit more when Rebus came along to interact with a bit? Yeah, but it wasn't necessary. I also like the way that Rebus and Templar were the ones (along with Siobhan herself) noticing her doing things like Rebus this time, not just other police. He's clearly left his stamp on her -- for good or ill, the trick is watching her approach things the way he would, but remaining her own person. Which she has so far -- and, I bet, will continue to do so.
But this is a Rebus novel, at the end of the day, and he does get the better material -- as I mentioned, he interacts with Siobhan some because he and the others come to Edinburgh to follow a pretty shaky lead (mostly, it's an excuse to get away from the college and drink somewhere else). Around this point, that storyline became more intriguing -- and it did end up being the better part of the novel.
No one will ever say that the Rebus novels are a fun romp, but there was something about Rankin's writing in Resurrection Men that seemed darker than usual -- not a darkness because of violence or anything, just in the telling. Everything seemed worse, everything seemed sinister -- it's hard to put my finger on it exactly, but there was something grim going on. Yeah, I laughed a couple of times, smiled more often than that, but overall, the noir in this book was blacker. We see areas of Rebus' psyche we haven't seen much of before -- ditto for Clarke -- we also get some good Rebus/Cafferty backstory.
The structure of this novel is the real star -- it was just perfect -- we get a couple of mysteries to watch our detectives solve, plus a couple of other things go on. It even seems like Rankin doles out the information in an unusual way, only telling us what we need to know when we need to know it -- there are times when we're more in the dark than Rebus because he's hiding the information from his fellow Last-Chancers and us (what does that say about Rankin's readers?), but it works -- this isn't a case of a mystery writer cheating, it's a deliberate attempt to build suspense. Complex without being complicated, brilliantly plotted but not in a way that feels totally organic. At a certain point, the way that all the storylines end up seem inevitable (even when you're still not sure who the various killers are going to be), yet you're surprised when the inevitable happens. But along the way, each step in the stories, each reveal, each development catches you off guard. Just fantastic structure to the book.
I thought it was strange that Rankin started this one off (I'm guessing for the American edition only) with a little description of the Scottish Police's organization and rankings, which was nice (but most readers can figure it out on their own). Also included was a list of the cast of characters -- organized by storyline. That was helpful, too. Unnecessary, but very nice. I'm not sure why these were used, but I'll take them.
This one checked almost every one of my boxes -- at least once, and never didn't hold my interest. Rankin clearly knows what he's doing and you should read this one -- and the twelve before it.
May 26, 2025
Another exceptional DI John Rebus novel.
Siobhan is really coming into her own with this book. Other than John, both Siobhan and Morris Gerald Cafferty are consistently my favorite characters. There are also several repeating characters that I do not like but it makes for great contrast.
Siobhan is really coming into her own with this book. Other than John, both Siobhan and Morris Gerald Cafferty are consistently my favorite characters. There are also several repeating characters that I do not like but it makes for great contrast.
Read
April 5, 2013Sadly disappointing....somehow, this book never lived up to its brilliant premise: Rebus, a walking nightmare of an employee, throws a mug of tea at his female boss and ex-lover and gets sent to a combination boot camp for recruits/rehab center for cops on their last chance. But really he's there undercover, trying to secretly investigate a ring of dirty cops....without revealing his own secrets about a cold case they've been assigned by surprise. Or is his boss trying to get rid of Rebus once and for all? Is he setting up innocent men or being set up himself? (It can't be a coincidence that a book whose plot depends so much on modern art is all about being framed....) One cop is known as "the Glasgow Rebus" which is what inspires our antihero to get set up in the first place. Does he want to smash the mirror and bring his double to justice, or join him in finally going all the way over the line? Like I said, brilliant.
But the story somehow just dies, unlike Rebus's beloved Saab, less than halfway through and I had to struggle to finish it, like chewing a bite of meat that in your mouth suddenly turns out to be all gristle. There's one sparking moment when Rebus and his double/nemesis Cafferty face each other in a tiny interview room, but the will-he nill-he ambiguity that should suffuse the pages is just....absent. Often these books read like novelizations of screenplays to me (yes I realize it's the other way round): good actors could bring the implicit tensions to life with eloquent voices and faces, but flat prose can't do it.
I did like Siobhan very much, and her prickliness caused by the way she constantly has to keep charming and soothing the men in her workplace in order to get them to just do their jobs and work with her, but also turn them down when they keep trying to bag her, and the cautious empathy she and her female boss have for each other. A subtheme of this book is women working with men, working for men, being seen as men's possessions, and there's one terrifying moment when the sexualized violence threatens Siobhan herself. But a few moments aren't enough to redeem the whole book.
But the story somehow just dies, unlike Rebus's beloved Saab, less than halfway through and I had to struggle to finish it, like chewing a bite of meat that in your mouth suddenly turns out to be all gristle. There's one sparking moment when Rebus and his double/nemesis Cafferty face each other in a tiny interview room, but the will-he nill-he ambiguity that should suffuse the pages is just....absent. Often these books read like novelizations of screenplays to me (yes I realize it's the other way round): good actors could bring the implicit tensions to life with eloquent voices and faces, but flat prose can't do it.
I did like Siobhan very much, and her prickliness caused by the way she constantly has to keep charming and soothing the men in her workplace in order to get them to just do their jobs and work with her, but also turn them down when they keep trying to bag her, and the cautious empathy she and her female boss have for each other. A subtheme of this book is women working with men, working for men, being seen as men's possessions, and there's one terrifying moment when the sexualized violence threatens Siobhan herself. But a few moments aren't enough to redeem the whole book.
August 8, 2014
Wow. #13 already in this wonderful series. Although a latecomer to Ian Rankin's and John Rebus' world, I always make sure every 2-3 books I go back to this terrific series in order to get my Rebus and Edinburgh fix. Resurrection Men is another intricately crafted mystery and, as with many of Rankin's books, manages to effectively tie in 2 or more seemingly unrelated crimes where solving either of them is entirely dependent on understanding the other. Forced into remedial training with some potentially "dirty" cops Rebus, in his classic, "No holds barred" way, manages to entangle himself in all kinds of subterfuge. Tasked with solving a "cold case" with these individuals, he is left to question whether he too has been set up for a covert investigation of his role in the past crime by his superior. Concurrently, Siobhan is doggedly working on her own, current case, (the murder of an art dealer) and carries with her those suspicions that all is not as it seems that eventually lead her to find those associations with Rebus' work. It's when the two begin working together again that the true motive, means and murderers become apparent. As with all books in this series, it is the characters of Rebus, Siobhan and the many supporting players that transform the story into something far more than just another crime novel. Introspective and troubled, Rebus continues to belie authority and struggle with his personal relationships. Siobhan, more of a newbie to police work than her partner, also now finds herself more and more similar in behaviour, perspective and approach as her superior, mentor and friend and realizing that this job, in order to do it well, requires you put your heart and soul into it everyday, as it inevitably takes over your life.
December 27, 2017
Resurrection Men by Ian Rankin.
Have you ever read a book that you seriously not only couldn't stop reading but didn't want it to end? This was the Inspector Rebus that ranks among my favorites. This was not a 200 or 3oo page book. These Scottish mysteries are a good 438 page bools and often more. So I'm just saying this Ian Rankin is one gifted author to keep an audience (and I mean audience) enraptured in the life of the main character book after book is saying he's earned the rave reviews and the many awards. This series and this author answers the question why there are other successful Scottish authors such as James Oswald and Stuart MacBride.
An Edinburgh art dealer is brutally murdered and it was during this same time that Rebus is sent to the Scottish Police College. The other officers sent into exile with him are referring to themselves as the resurrection men. They are supposedly being re-educated in team work in order to redeem themselves and return to their original headquarters.
This was a time for Inspector rebus to rebuild his relationship with his significant other, Jean. This also proved to be just the opportunity for Detective Sergeant Siobhan Clarke and Rebus to put their heads together and uncover the truth lurking under everyone's noses.
Have you ever read a book that you seriously not only couldn't stop reading but didn't want it to end? This was the Inspector Rebus that ranks among my favorites. This was not a 200 or 3oo page book. These Scottish mysteries are a good 438 page bools and often more. So I'm just saying this Ian Rankin is one gifted author to keep an audience (and I mean audience) enraptured in the life of the main character book after book is saying he's earned the rave reviews and the many awards. This series and this author answers the question why there are other successful Scottish authors such as James Oswald and Stuart MacBride.
An Edinburgh art dealer is brutally murdered and it was during this same time that Rebus is sent to the Scottish Police College. The other officers sent into exile with him are referring to themselves as the resurrection men. They are supposedly being re-educated in team work in order to redeem themselves and return to their original headquarters.
This was a time for Inspector rebus to rebuild his relationship with his significant other, Jean. This also proved to be just the opportunity for Detective Sergeant Siobhan Clarke and Rebus to put their heads together and uncover the truth lurking under everyone's noses.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 1, 2014
When nearing the end of this book, I didn't realize that there would be a series of very short, action packed chapters. I'm beginning to find out that Ian Rankin tries to flavor his formula differently. The author likes to discuss about pubs, the weather, cigarettes, music (there's a mention of some movie but only once). If Rebus hadn't been a DI, he would have been amazed at all the action taking place in his life. Since he solves cases for a living, such events don't seem out of place. Goes with the territory. I've never seen an author quite like Rankin for making a mystery desultory, and its solving, mundane. The story of corrupt cops was a nice departure, the recurrent mob boss was present as usual. I just didn't get to know who wrote messages for DS Clarke. I also found the platonic romance of Jean and Rebus cute. Altogether a very satisfactory read.
December 30, 2013
Another solid outing for everyone's favourite slightly rumpled, dissolute & clever DI. Rebus is sent back to the academy for retraining. It's the last stop on the career ladder for officers who have attitude problems or don't play well with others. Normally, he'd fit right in but this time he's a plant. Several of his classmates are suspected of helping themselves to the spoils of a drug war but the higher-ups have never been able to find the evidence they need. Many have long suspected Rebus of being in the pocket of Big Ger Cafferty & the brass is hoping his reputation will allow him to get close to the bent cops.
Back in Edinburgh, new DS Siobhan Clarke has a murder case on her hands. A local art dealer has met his maker & due to his lifestyle, the threads of the investigation stretch out in all directions. She has to take a hard look at sauna houses, galleries, artists, taxi companies & Big Ger, himself. The pressure is on & having a new junior partner, the return of an old colleague & no Rebus aren't helping. And soon there are more bodies.
Rebus allows her to think he's actually been sent for "resurrection". As they compare notes, common names start to pop up in both investigations & it's clear they're each dealing with different parts of one big mess. As for playing well with others, well...in the end, they only trust each other & Rebus pays a high price.
If you're a fan of this series you don't need this review. You'll pick it up because it's Rebus. He has become one of the most popular & venerated fictional characters for a reason. Reading these books by Rankin is one of the few sure bets out there. He's just that good. The characters he creates always feel like they're flesh & blood & following the reoccurring ones make each book required reading. You get invested in these people & their lives are never static. Their relationships, positions & jobs are always evolving, mirroring real life. The dialogue is tight, witty & each character has a distinctive voice.
The plot is intricate & impossible to guess 'til it clicks into place in the final few pages. As usual, it's not only about the current cases but ghosts from previous ones reappear to complicate things. We know Rebus has always coloured outside the lines & some of his past actions threaten to come to light, actions that would not only skupper his undercover work but result in criminal charges. He has to wonder who they're trying to get the dirt on...him or the cops they sicced him on. If he didn't know better, he'd worry about being paranoid. It's a good thing, he jokes to a colleague, that not only does he know where all the bodies are buried but has the photos to prove it.
But that's Rebus. Not the most strictly ethical man you'll ever meet but one you'd want in our corner. Typically well plotted, paced & intriguing, this is compulsive reading & you'll resent having to put it down.
Back in Edinburgh, new DS Siobhan Clarke has a murder case on her hands. A local art dealer has met his maker & due to his lifestyle, the threads of the investigation stretch out in all directions. She has to take a hard look at sauna houses, galleries, artists, taxi companies & Big Ger, himself. The pressure is on & having a new junior partner, the return of an old colleague & no Rebus aren't helping. And soon there are more bodies.
Rebus allows her to think he's actually been sent for "resurrection". As they compare notes, common names start to pop up in both investigations & it's clear they're each dealing with different parts of one big mess. As for playing well with others, well...in the end, they only trust each other & Rebus pays a high price.
If you're a fan of this series you don't need this review. You'll pick it up because it's Rebus. He has become one of the most popular & venerated fictional characters for a reason. Reading these books by Rankin is one of the few sure bets out there. He's just that good. The characters he creates always feel like they're flesh & blood & following the reoccurring ones make each book required reading. You get invested in these people & their lives are never static. Their relationships, positions & jobs are always evolving, mirroring real life. The dialogue is tight, witty & each character has a distinctive voice.
The plot is intricate & impossible to guess 'til it clicks into place in the final few pages. As usual, it's not only about the current cases but ghosts from previous ones reappear to complicate things. We know Rebus has always coloured outside the lines & some of his past actions threaten to come to light, actions that would not only skupper his undercover work but result in criminal charges. He has to wonder who they're trying to get the dirt on...him or the cops they sicced him on. If he didn't know better, he'd worry about being paranoid. It's a good thing, he jokes to a colleague, that not only does he know where all the bodies are buried but has the photos to prove it.
But that's Rebus. Not the most strictly ethical man you'll ever meet but one you'd want in our corner. Typically well plotted, paced & intriguing, this is compulsive reading & you'll resent having to put it down.
December 20, 2022
Ian Rankin won the Edgar Award for Resurrection Men, the 13th book in the John Reber series. Rankin deserved the Edgar Award for this book. Resurrection Men is a very fine book that is tightly woven together so that the reader can only guess who did what in the various crimes in this book. It kept me intensely reading on and trying to figure out the case(s).
I have been on a kick reading Scottish, English, Irish, and Swedish crime books. I have really been having fun with it. I would recommend that any lover of crime fiction check out some of these books.
John Rebus is the kind of detective that one hates to love and loves to hate. John walks a fine line of right and wrong in order to solve his cases. Rankin has carefully developed Rebus’s character over the 13 books in the series. John has not been playing in the sandbox and pushed it a little too far so he has been sent up to Tullian. There are 5 other policemen in the class and they are called resurrection men. This class is designed to re-instill all of the good habits and methods regarding crime. Tullian is a place to train people and re-program them to the beginning of every one in the class. Tennant is his instructor and he pulls a cold case for the class to investigate. Tennant is the instructor of the course that the resurrection men will re-program back into with a cold case by the name of Lomax. The case is still not solved so the class is going try their luck. Tennant intends to make good policemen. But, the case gets complicated.
John’s friend at the squad is DS Clarke. She is working on the murder of a local artist. The two cases are somewhat intertwined, Characters end up being involved with both cases. DS Clarke is interested in bringing the murderer of the author to justice, John is interested in helping DS Clarke.
Then the boss orders John to leave the artist’s murder case be. He wants Rebus to basically go under cover to find out if four members of the Tullian team are involved in crime. The case dictates that Rebus interact with some of the seedier characters.
Ian does a fine job of neatly writing the errorless story and plot. And it is an enjoyable one. I kept wanting to see myself getting to the climax. I think that a large audience including, but not limited, police procedurals, mysteries, and thrillers. This is and easy 4-star read.
Sorry for the absence but I have had a busy 3 years. I think that I am back.
I have been on a kick reading Scottish, English, Irish, and Swedish crime books. I have really been having fun with it. I would recommend that any lover of crime fiction check out some of these books.
John Rebus is the kind of detective that one hates to love and loves to hate. John walks a fine line of right and wrong in order to solve his cases. Rankin has carefully developed Rebus’s character over the 13 books in the series. John has not been playing in the sandbox and pushed it a little too far so he has been sent up to Tullian. There are 5 other policemen in the class and they are called resurrection men. This class is designed to re-instill all of the good habits and methods regarding crime. Tullian is a place to train people and re-program them to the beginning of every one in the class. Tennant is his instructor and he pulls a cold case for the class to investigate. Tennant is the instructor of the course that the resurrection men will re-program back into with a cold case by the name of Lomax. The case is still not solved so the class is going try their luck. Tennant intends to make good policemen. But, the case gets complicated.
John’s friend at the squad is DS Clarke. She is working on the murder of a local artist. The two cases are somewhat intertwined, Characters end up being involved with both cases. DS Clarke is interested in bringing the murderer of the author to justice, John is interested in helping DS Clarke.
Then the boss orders John to leave the artist’s murder case be. He wants Rebus to basically go under cover to find out if four members of the Tullian team are involved in crime. The case dictates that Rebus interact with some of the seedier characters.
Ian does a fine job of neatly writing the errorless story and plot. And it is an enjoyable one. I kept wanting to see myself getting to the climax. I think that a large audience including, but not limited, police procedurals, mysteries, and thrillers. This is and easy 4-star read.
Sorry for the absence but I have had a busy 3 years. I think that I am back.
March 5, 2010
It is practically impossible to write a review of one of Ian Rankin’s Inspector Rebus novels without using the word ‘gritty’, so I may as well just get it over with. For anybody who has not met him before, Inspector Rebus is the classic bad boy of the Scottish police, a hard drinking maverick guaranteed to annoy his boss and get his man (or woman). The difference is that Ian Rankin does it so well and Resurrection Men is one of the best of the series.
Appropriately number thirteen of the series, Resurrection Men has Rebus pushing it one step too far and ending up in one of those dreadful attitude-adjusting courses. It lets him spend time with all the other bad dogs of the force going over an old case that rakes up awkward memories, and leaving us wondering exactly who the villains are – inside and outside the force.
Appropriately number thirteen of the series, Resurrection Men has Rebus pushing it one step too far and ending up in one of those dreadful attitude-adjusting courses. It lets him spend time with all the other bad dogs of the force going over an old case that rakes up awkward memories, and leaving us wondering exactly who the villains are – inside and outside the force.
This was how the jobs got done: with a tainted conscience, guilty deals, and complicity. With grubby motives and a spirit grown corrupt.It says something about the writing that I have read the book several times and still enjoy it, even though I obviously know the ending perfectly well. The dialogue is good, the tension sustained and nothing is too eye-rollingly absurd. If you like the genre, which is detective fiction without guns and babes to prop up thin plots and increase the word count, this is one of the best.
November 1, 2021
Another excellent Rebus story. This book finds DI Rebus sent back to refinishing school (in a way) after an incident at his local police station. He throws a mug of tea at boss, Gill Templar, and finds himself sent for retraining with a group of other reprobates from other districts. But there is more to this assignment than meets the eye and I'll let you read the book to see what. In the meantime, DS Siobhan Clark, Rebus' protégé, is deeply involved with a team trying to solve the murder of an art dealer. This brings her into contact with an old adversary of Rebus, Big Ger McCaffrey. I have enjoyed the Rebus stories so much over the past two or three stories. Ian Rankin has really hit his stride over the past couple of stories. I do like how the other characters, especially Siobhan have come into their own and are well-developed personalities. Rebus is still Rebus, although he now has a lady friend (I hope it lasts). This story moved along very nicely, had some very suspenseful moments and was entertaining from beginning to end. If you haven't tried the Rebus series, you really need to do so.
April 2, 2018
While in a reform school for cops, Inspector John Rebus joins a covert mission to gain evidence of a drug heist orchestrated by some of his classmates known as "Resurrection Men." The investigation threatens to uncover a secret Rebus has spent years trying to conceal, and before long Rebus finds himself in the thick of a scandal with men who have no problem spilling blood to get what they want.
You can't help but love John Rebus! He tries so hard to do the right thing but always seems to end up with egg on his face. This was another great Rebus read with unique characters and an excellent complex plot. These books are great to read one after another as you can't get enough of Rebus. Ian Rankin makes you feel like you are in Edinburgh along with all these characters. Siobhan has turned out to be a great sidekick for Rebus and she is starting to sound just like Rebus. I love it! I'm now looking forward to reading the next book in the series and I would highly recommend this book to those who like gritty police procedurals.
You can't help but love John Rebus! He tries so hard to do the right thing but always seems to end up with egg on his face. This was another great Rebus read with unique characters and an excellent complex plot. These books are great to read one after another as you can't get enough of Rebus. Ian Rankin makes you feel like you are in Edinburgh along with all these characters. Siobhan has turned out to be a great sidekick for Rebus and she is starting to sound just like Rebus. I love it! I'm now looking forward to reading the next book in the series and I would highly recommend this book to those who like gritty police procedurals.
June 21, 2017
Rebus is one of the series I have read out of order, and this trip to the library was part of doubling back and reading a couple I have missed over the years. An undercover plot against corrupt policemen proves a tough and dangerous assignment for Rebus
December 11, 2011
Excellent book, my first book read by this author and I really loved it, specially with the musical background BBC chose for it.
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