by Ian Rankin
Part of Inspector Rebus, book 4
First published 1998
Detective Inspector John Rebus watches a respected Member of Parliament's world collapse in spectacular fashion. Gregor Jack finds himself trapped in a police raid at an Edinburgh brothel, his political career suddenly in ruins. The scandal deepens when Jack's wife Elizabeth vanishes without explanation. Rebus suspects someone orchestrated Jack's downfall, but before he can prove anything, Elizabeth's battered corpse turns up. Now Rebus faces a murderer who seems to anticipate his every move. The detective must untangle a web of political corruption and personal betrayal while the killer stays one step ahead. Rebus discovers that in Edinburgh's corridors of power, reputation can be destroyed with surgical precision and murder becomes the ultimate silencing tool. The case forces him to navigate treacherous political waters where allies become enemies and the truth carries a deadly price.
Genres: mystery, crime, detective, political-thriller
Vibes: dark, emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, one-step-ahead, treacherous-waters
Setting: Edinburgh, Scotland
Period: 20th-century
269 pages · Mass Market Paperback · St. Martin's Paperbacks
Content warnings: murder, violence