The 5th book in the series brings another unputdownable murder mystery. (The Black Book - Ian Rankin)

Member Name: Gemma_C

Product:	The Black Book - Ian Rankin
Date:	17/08/09 (76 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Another great story involving a hotel fire and an unidentified body.

Disadvantages: Can't think of any.

-- The Inspector Rebus series --

The Black Book is the 5th book in the Inspector Rebus series written by Ian Rankin and it lives up to the quality we expect from the books in this series.
I have been slowly making my way through the Inspector Rebus series in order, and I am thoroughly enjoying each book.

Ian Rankin's first Rebus novel, Knots & Crosses, was first published in 1987 and the Rebus books are now translated into several languages and have grew in popularity in the states. The series in set in Edinburgh, where Rankin lives, and he always manages to bring the city to life in his books, this one being no exception, and showing the reader the darker sides to the city that the tourists never see.


-- The Plot --

In The Black Book a close friend and colleague of Rebus has been brutally attacked which is when Rebus discovers his colleague's notebook, which then see's him trying to piece together the puzzle and solves a long forgotten case starting from a hotel fire and an unidentified body.

At first Rebus feels he will never get to the bottom of it, however when his brother is then also attacked, he becomes more determined than ever to get to the bottom of it before everyone around him gets hurt. He ends up in all corners of Edinburgh city, meeting well known criminals and getting involved in things which could very well threaten his life.


-- My Opinion --

Yet again I am not disappointed by another book in this series. I am always drawn inmto the story quickly with Rankin's books and enjoy reading about Edinburgh, a place I love visiting myself quite often. I always connect well with Inspector Rebus and his colleagues from the police department which we grow to know and love through the course of the series. I like how these character's always return in each book, and you really feel as if you are getting to know them with each new book in the series.

This book see's Rebus being reunited with his brother, Michael, and we read as they re-build their relationship from what it once was. Meanwhile we also see Rebus struggle with his love life, which he has to put to one side whilst trying to solve this case.

The case itself which inolves the usual murder and mystery has me hooked. These books always manage to be above the 'usual and average' crime thriller and each book is obviously carefully planned out by Rankin. I can never guess what's going to happen in these books and it always comes together in the end, with unexpected results. Indeed when I've finished a book, I'm always keen to start reading the next book in the series!

There is always something happening in the book to keep you interested, and never a dull moment. It is mostly written from Rebus' point of view however there is the occasional moment where we pop into the mind of someone else, and Rankin manages to pull this off wonderfully.

You don't necessarily need to read these books in order, but I highly recommend doing so as you can follow the characters from the start, and grow to know and love Inspector Rebus as so many people have done.

Summary: Another great book in the series from Rankin, a must for fans of the crime fiction genre.