by Ian Rankin
Part of Inspector Rebus, book 16
First published 2007
Detective Inspector John Rebus catches a murder case that seems straightforward. The victim was a convicted rapist, fresh out of prison. Nobody mourns his death. But when Rebus and Detective Sergeant Siobhan Clarke dig deeper, they find signs of a serial killer at work. The investigation takes a complicated turn when Rebus starts examining what appears to be a politician's suicide. His superiors order him to drop the case immediately. The G8 summit is happening in Scotland, and they want Rebus nowhere near anything sensitive. Rebus has built his career on ignoring orders from above. Meanwhile, Clarke has her own reasons for tracking down a riot officer, reasons that make this case personal. Both detectives find themselves working against their own department. The cases pull them into dangerous territory where following the evidence means defying everyone who signs their paychecks.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, investigative-journalism
Setting: Scotland, G8 Summit
Period: Contemporary
464 pages · Hardcover · Little, Brown and Company
Content warnings: violence