by Ian Rankin
Part of Inspector Rebus, book 24.5
First published 2023
John Rebus settles into what should be an elegant evening when his hostess unveils her murder mystery parlour game. The retired detective finds himself surrounded by genteel guests playing at investigation, but his professional instincts tell him something feels wrong. While the other players stumble through planted clues and false leads, Rebus recognizes patterns they miss. The wine flows and the game continues, yet he suspects the evening's entertainment masks deeper deceptions. Each guest harbors secrets that extend far beyond the scripted mystery. As Rebus navigates between the artificial puzzle and real hidden truths, he must decide whether to play by the hostess's rules or follow his own investigative methods. The boundary between game and reality blurs when shocking revelations emerge. Rebus discovers that his years of police work have prepared him for more than solving fictional crimes.
Genres: fiction, mystery, crime, thriller
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: game-within-a-game, unreliable-narrator
112 pages · Kindle Edition · Orion