by Ian Rankin
First published 2005
Inspector John Rebus descends into the basement of a renovated bar on Edinburgh's Fleshmarket Alley, where workers have made a grisly discovery. Beneath the cement floor lie the bones of a woman and child, buried in a street already known for its dark reputation. The find disturbs Rebus more than most crime scenes. Each clue he uncovers spawns more questions instead of answers. The bones might belong to a mother and her child, but their identity remains a mystery. Someone may have deliberately placed them there, but the motive stays hidden. As Rebus digs deeper into the case, the investigation pulls him into the collision between respectability and corruption that defines this notorious Edinburgh street. The bones represent more than just another case for the veteran detective. They become a puzzle that challenges everything he thinks he understands about justice and truth.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: dark, emotional, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: investigation, puzzle
Setting: Edinburgh, Fleshmarket Alley
757 pages · Hardcover · Thorndike Press