A GOOD HANGING [Paperback]

IAN RANKIN (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: ORION (2003)
• ASIN: B000S96C5U
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Rebus anthology, January 24, 2002

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Good Hanging: Short Stories (Hardcover)

A GOOD HANGING consists of twelve police procedural investigations starring John Rebus and co-starring his hometown Edinburgh. The anthology is different from most short story collections, as there is no introduction explaining the topic or its greatness. Instead Ian Rankin uses the investigative stories to provide the audience a close up look at Rebus and some of his cohorts enabling the greatness to shine. Fans of the series will fully enjoy the collection and anyone interested in a first look at one of the best detectives around today ought to take the fall because they will conclude that this anthology and subsequently the Rebus novels are among the top police procedural series in bookstores.

Harriet Klausner

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Some very good short stories, July 22, 2002

By 

RachelWalker "RachelW" (England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Good Hanging (Inspector John Rebus Series) (Mass Market Paperback)

This is quite a good short story collection from Ian Rankin. Indeed, it is good not just by his standards, but by most authors.

There are some really very good stories here..."A Good Hanging" "The Gentlemen's Club" and "Concrete Evidence". All of which are very enjoyable. the final story "Monstrous Trumpet" would be included in the above category, but for it's rather unbelieveable solution. The inclusion of the French visiting policeman, though, was a stroke of genius. His presence is incredibly enjoyable.

All of the stories are clever, and all enjoyable. there are several nice twists here and there, and Rebus, of course, to provide for extra entertainment.

"Sunday" is perhaps the most inventive story, certainly the one most "Rebus orientated". "Auld Lang Syne" is a very dull story until the final two or three pages, where it picks up some life. Of "Not Provan" , the same can be said.

"Playback" is a nice lite story to ease you into the collection.

All in all, there are some very good short stories contained herein. I would prefer a novel, but these will do. (Edinburgh is not quite so much a presence. Nor is the character development awfully good.)

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent airplane material, December 29, 2006

By 

Leonharda Walter (St. Paul, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Good Hanging (Mass Market Paperback)

I enjoyed this book, as I have all of Ian Rankin's John Rebus writings to date. These are short stories that are quick and absorbing reading. Nothing is particularly heavy, but all are very clever. I wanted to move to the next after I finished each. That's my definition of a good airplane book. And, Rankin is such a talented writer.