by Ian Rankin
Part of Inspector Rebus, book 3.5
First published 2004
Detective Inspector John Rebus moves through Edinburgh's streets, investigating crimes that reveal the city's hidden face. Beyond the picturesque tearooms and tourist attractions lies a modern metropolis where blackmailers operate, peeping Toms lurk, and killers strike in multiple forms. Rebus encounters crimes born from passion, accidents that turn deadly, and jealousy that has festered for years. The city's criminal minds slip easily into shadows, using Edinburgh's geography to their advantage. Each case draws Rebus deeper into the back alleys and smoky pubs that tourists never see. The twelve investigations showcase a detective who understands his city's dark corners and the people who inhabit them. Rebus must navigate not just the physical landscape of Edinburgh but the psychological terrain of human nature at its worst. These cases test his ability to see through deception and uncover truth in a place where appearances deceive and danger hides behind familiar facades.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: dark, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: detective, police-procedural
Setting: Edinburgh
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
320 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Minotaur Books