| Product: |
A Question of Blood - Ian Rankin |
| Date: |
08/01/08 (39 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: great storyline, fascinating twists
Disadvantages: is the 14th in the series, so you maybe would want to read the first 13
Another great book in the Rebus series, and I am not here to spoil it for anyone. However, I do still have a review to write and if I happen to jump ahead of the known plot then I apologise!
For those of you who have no knowledge of the John Rebus series by Ian Rankin, here is a brief history.
Ian Rankin thought up the idea of John Rebus whilst at university in 1985. Rebus himself was born in 1947 in Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. He had a troubled childhood with his mum dying young, and joined the army after leaving school. After years touring with the army in Northern Ireland, Rebus decided to try out for the SAS, but the mental side of the training ruined his soldiers mind and was offered a route out with the Lothian and Borders police.
This is where the series of books picks Rebus up, and during the early books he still ahs contact with his wife and daughter. However as the series plays on, Rebus becomes a loner who is interested in only one thing - his work. Rankin often introduces characters into the series who could become Rebus' genuine friends, only for them to be killed or disappear from his life in some way - adding to his collection of 'ghosts'.
A Question of Blood
This is the 14th in the Rebus series. In the prologue Rankin admits than Dunblane was in his mind during writing, however this bears no similarity to that atrocity and the shooting actually has little significance throughout the book, moreover, the results of the shooting are much more important.
The book basically has two storylines running through it.
The book begins with a shooting in Port Edgar Academy, a private school, which kills two teenagers and injures another. One of the dead is John Rebus' estranged cousin's son and the other is the son of a judge. The kid who survived was the son of troublesome MSP Jack Bell. The storyline is obviously central to the book, and throughout the book Rebus is trying to find out why the killer - who then turned the gun on himself - did it, as the murderer was also an SAS dropout, just like Rebus. There is a twist at the end of the book, and there is no way I could have guessed it or worked it out.
The second storyline is gripping. Rebus' sidekick Siobhan Clarke has recently been the victim of a stalker, and at the start of the book it is discovered he has been found burned alive in his flat. And guess what, DI John Rebus was seen walking out of the dead man's house earlier that night. The reason this storyline is so gripping is that you never find out until towards the end of the book, in the same instance you work out about the shooting, whether or not Rebus did actually tie up and murder Marty Fairstone. All the evidence points towards it and even Siobhan herself can't work out whether or not to believe Rebus.
There are, as always many sub plots throughout the book and Rankin explores things such as drugs trafficking, diamond trafficking, petty crime, youth culture and investigates personal emotions about losing close family members, both through death and drifting apart.
Characters
John Rebus - the main character. See above.
Lee Herdman - the man who at the beginning of the book has seemingly gone into the common room at Port Edgar and shot dead two teenagers and then turned the gun on himself.
Siobhan Clarke - John Rebus' sidekick, although she wouldn't like to be described as that! There has always been a big brother/little sister kind of relationship here, but towards the end of this book we may see something a little more than this.
Gill Templer - Rebus' boss, an ex lover who despite herself wanting to hate his guits realises what a good officer he is.
Ormiston and Claverhouse - two officers from special squad brought in to help out Lothian and Borders.
Whiteread and Simms - two army officers brought in to try and cover up whatever it was needed covering up about Herdman.
Bobby Hogan - the inspector in charge of the shooting investigation, he brings Rebus in not only for working the case but for moral support too.
Alan Renshaw - the father of one of the deceased boys, he is Rebus' cousin.
Jack Bell - local MSP, father of James.
James Bell - got shot in the shooting but didn't die.
Peacock Johnson - local 'replica' weapons dealer.
Wee Bob - Peacock's sidekick who helps Rebus later in the book.
Miss Teri - one of the local Goths who is heavily involved in the shooting.
Robert Niles - in the special prison, knew Lee Herdman.
Doug Brimson - also knew Lee Herdman, as well as James Bell.
There are obviously other characters, but I feel these are the main ones.
Peacock Johnson
Often, Rankin will auction a character in the book and the winner gets to put their name to it. The money then goes to a charity of Rankin's choosing. The winner in this book chose Peacock Johnson as name. After the book was published Rankin sent a copy to the winner by email but the email bounced. The address didn't exist. It turned out that Peacock never existed but was the brainchild of the winner of the auction. Stuart David, the bass guitarist from Belle and Sebastian, and Peacock was the star in his two novels! Funny how even fictional characters can have more sides to them than it first seems!
If you want to read the book I certainly would recommend it, however if you have the time you should read the rest of them first. That said, Rankin writes so well you can pick the story up whether you are reading the first book or the 14th!
I really do believe that Rankin has matured greatly as a writer, and the later books are certainly better written than the early ones. I am a great fan of his books, and am sad that there are only three more Rebus books for me to read, which I shall be reviewing when I have read them!A question of blood is available from all good book websites, including:
amazon.co.uk - £7.99
waterstones.com - £5.19
Thanks for reading
www.ianrankin.net
www.rebusonline.net
Summary: Another in the DI Rebus series
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