Set in Darkness [Paperback]

Ian Rankin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 22, 2005

Edinburgh is about to become the home of the first Scottish parliament in nigh on 300 years. As political passions run high, DI John Rebus is charged with liaison, thanks to the new parliament being resident in Queensbury House, bang in the middle of his patch. But Queensbury House has its own, dark past. Legend has it that a young man was roasted there on a spit by a madman. When the fireplace where the youth died is uncovered another more recent murder victim is found. Days later, in the gardens outside, there is a third body. This victim is Roddy Grieve, a prospective MSP, and Rebus is under pressure to find instant answers. As the case proceeds, the Inspector finds himself face to face with one of Edinburgh's most notorious criminals...

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Edinburgh police inspector John Rebus's obsession--rock & roll--seems odd for a man whose dark, depressed side is so central to his character, but Ian Rankin always manages to work it gracefully into his noirish novels featuring Rebus. In Set in Darkness, Rebus has a fling with Lorna Grieve, a faded rock muse who's the sister of Roddy Grieve, an up-and-coming politico who turns up dead on the grounds of the boarded-up hospital that's being torn down to make way for the new Scottish Parliament. Grieve's body is the second in the space of days found at Queensberry House; the first was a skeleton bricked up in the fireplace. That decades-old murder seems to be tied to the suicide of a mysterious homeless man whose hefty bank balance is revealed well before his true identity.

'So what's the story with Mr Supertramp anyway?'

'He had all this money he either couldn't spend or didn't want to. He took on a new identity. My theory is that he was hiding.'

'Maybe.' He was rifling through the scraps on the desk. She folded her arms, gave him a hard look which he failed to notice. He opened the bread bag and shook out the contents: disposable razor, a sliver of soap, toothbrush. 'An organized mind,' he said. 'Makes himself a wash bag. Doesn't like being dirty.'

'It's like he was acting the part,' she said.

There are always plenty of subplots in a Rankin mystery. This time he adds a stalker who happens to be one of Rebus's colleagues, a couple of toughs who hang out in singles clubs and finish their evenings with a rape or two, and the ongoing story of Rebus's tortured past--a bitter divorce, a daughter still recovering from a terrible accident, and a drinking problem. Set in Darkness hit the bestseller list in Great Britain and should enjoy the same success in its U.S. edition. Rankin's ability to keep finding new dimensions in Rebus, handle intricate plot details brilliantly, and evoke the gloom and darkness of his setting keep winning him new admirers, with just cause. --Jane Adams --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

In the 12th novel in the increasingly engaging Inspector Rebus series (Knots and Crosses; Dead Souls; etc.), Gold Dagger award-winner Rankin has woven a plot grittier and tighter than ever. When a body, long dead, is found on the site of the new Scottish Parliament and is soon followed by another, fresher kill, this time that of a leading candidate for the new governing body, Rebus is convinced of a connection between the two. Det. Siobhan Clarke witnesses a third death, the suicide of a surprisingly wealthy homeless man; the question of where his wealth came from seems related to the other deaths. Clarke, a determined young woman trying to make her way in the male world of police work, is a refreshing, complex addition to this series. Meanwhile, Big Ger Cafferty, arch foe of our hero, has been released from jail; he's terminally ill (or is he?) and apparently wants some quality time with Rebus in his final hours. By incorporating other strong characters, Rankin has saved the series from burrowing too far into the maudlin introspection associated with Rebus's drinking problem. Topical Scottish nationalism and the new Parliament, along with Rankin's consistently fascinating view of Edinburgh's seedy side, give the novel interest beyond its plot. And the plot is worthy of the series: raging and racing and teetering on the edge of falling apart, before Rankin slams the reader with a final masterful twist. (Nov.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 496 pages
• Publisher: Orion Paperbacks; New edition edition (September 22, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0752877224
• ISBN-13: 978-0752877228
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #960,936 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a page turner, November 16, 2000

By 

tregatt (Portland, Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Set in Darkness: An Inspector Rebus Novel (Inspector Rebus Mysteries) (Hardcover)

I've only read a few of Ian Rankin's Rebus mysteries, and this latest installment in the series is the best Inspector Rebus mystery novel that I've read so far. This is a satisying read on so many levels -- the plot is quite convoluted but not in a meandering way so that you loose all interest and start skimming chapters to get to the meaty bits. No, it's complex and intriguing and keeps your attention firmly hooked on what's taking place between the pages. Ian Rankin truly is a gifted story teller, and quite a lyrical writer. I found myself rereading several paragrahs over and over again so as to better apprecaite his prose. And he is truly a master at depicing Scotland in all its grit and glory, past and present, architecturally and politically. I felt as if I was walking the streets of Edinburgh myself, trying to unravel all the strands of this mystery.

DCS Watson, Rebus's boss has sidelined him to the Policing of Parliament Liasion Committee (PPLC) in the vain hope of keeping Rebus out of trouble and out of his (Watson's) hair. However while on a tour of the Queensbury House that is to restored so as to serve as an administrative wing to the new Scottish parliament, the workers unearth the remains of a man in a sealed off fire place. Rebus of course jumps at the chance to do some real police work, even if it means investigating a 20 year old crime and having to put up with and work with DI Linford, the police commissioner's current blue-eyed boy. But even before that investigation can take off another body is found on the Queensbury construction site: that of a prospective MP, Roddy Grieve.

In the meantime DC Siobhan Clarke, is doing some investigating of her own. There have been a series of assaults carried out by two men on women who frequent single's bars. To her frustration and chagrin, Clarke is having very little luck with this investigation. And on her way home one night, she walks onto a suicide scene. As the only senoir detective on that scene, Clarke is given the task of investigationg the suicide of Chris Mackie, a homeless man with apparently four hundred thousand pounds in his bank account. Why would a man with that much money be living on the streets? And why would he commit suicide?

As the various police officers begin to dig into their different mysteries, the reader will of course suspect that all these disparate strands will somehow connect. But what could a 20 year old corpse, an up and coming politician and a rich street person have in common? Half the enjoyment of this novel was trying to figure out the connection -- if there even was one, that is.

This mystery novel will probably make it onto nearly everyone's list of top ten mystery novels of the year. It's beautifully written and has a good attention grabbing plot, and is very atmospheric. A very good read!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Absorbing and complex, but not his best, March 14, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Set in Darkness: An Inspector Rebus Novel (Inspector Rebus Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Ian Rankin has been my favorite author ever since I discovered a remainder copy of "Strip Jack" at a bookstore four years ago; after reading that I found everything I could that he had written, and I have snapped up each new book. I hate to say I am a little disappointed with this one. The intricacies of the plot and spare, terse writing style are equal to Rankin's previous Inspector Rebus books, as are all the characterizations but for one: John Rebus himself. I couldn't help but feel that DI Rebus got relegated to being an almost secondary character alongside the other detectives, suspects, and criminals peopling the book, and worse yet, he didn't put up much of a fight about it. I've read every Rebus book and if there's one thing the guy doesn't do naturally, it's "subdued." His interrogation of a heart-attack victim near the close of "Set in Darkness" was, I felt, the first time I really recognized him in this book. Also good: the thread involving Rebus's dogged pursuit of an underworld boss who's probably the closest thing to a friend Rebus has. But if you haven't read a John Rebus mystery, I would recommend trying "Knots and Crosses" or "Tooth and Nail" first if you want to see Rebus at his flawed, fascinating and incredibly capable best.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of those books you can't wait to get back to..., December 9, 2003

By 

M. C. Crammer (Decatur, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Set in Darkness: An Inspector Rebus Novel (St. Martin's Minotaur Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

This is my second book by Ian Rankin but it won't be my last. I really loved this mystery -- it was full of atmosphere, characters with depth and vitality, well plotted, and a page turner -- what more can you ask for?

The plot involves two murder investigations -- one from the past, based on a 20 year old skeleton of unknown identity found in the course of renovating a very old building to become the new Scottish Parliament; the second involves a politician found murdered nearby in the construction area. Additionally, there is a suicide of a homeless man shortly after the skeleton is discovered. Who is this man, was it suicide, and why? The homeless man turns out to have some very surprising qualities. Inspector Rebus (who is considered the bane of his department) comes to believe that all three deaths are somehow related. The Grieve family (the family of the murdered politician) may be at the center of all three deaths -- or maybe not. Maybe they really ARE unconnected, as the powers that be are assuming. TO make matters more difficult, Rebus is being forced to work with an ambitious young man who is the "fair haired boy" of the powers-that-be, but who doesn't have Rebus's respect -- so he must content with the politics of the situation as well, which is not Rebus's long suit.

This series is set in Edinburgh, Scotland, but not in the touristy Edinburgh but in the tough underbelly, where there are pubs that it is wisest not to go into and where there are gangs and thugs. The location is so well described that it is easy to imagine being there.

All in all, I have no hesitation in giving this mystery 5 stars. The only question is which Rankin book I read next.