Let It Bleed

The John Rebus mysteries are the perfect antidote for those who refuse to see Scotland as anything more than rolling brogues, luxuriously green hills, and men in quaint tartan skirts. The world of Edinburgh is altogether different, as menacing and unforgiving as the toughest streets of any American city. Inspector Rebus himself is a singular figure in the mystery genre, a man with little more than hard edges and obsessions, who is very hard to like. About the cases he pursues, he is single-minded to a fault, damn the consequences for anyone. Here the deaths of three men at the lowest echelons of Scottish life lead him to financial misdoings at the very highest. Samuel Gillies does a marvelous job of delivering an American audience to this exotic location without ever sentimentalizing it. M.O. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine

April 15, 2002
Lucky is the writer who develops a loyal following; these fans can hardly wait for the next book to appear on the shelves. Rankin has written six novels about Scottish detective John Rebus, and what gives the series a special edge is the skillful weaving of Edinburgh into the action so that it becomes an integral part of the plot. Rankin also presents us with a "tarnished hero"; Rebus is a troubled, sometimes violent cop who thinks nothing of ignoring the rules in order to track down a killer. In this particular book, listeners come to know more of Rebus's personal life and why his mood is as gloomy and dour as the Scottish weather. Reader Samuel Gillies lends an authentic accent to his recitation, succeeding in transporting the listener to far-off Scotland and a fly-on-the-wall view of some horrendous crimes. A top choice for all medium and large public libraries. Joseph L. Carlson, Lompoc P.L., CA

Copyright 2002 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.