Lang May Yir Lum Reek (Fleshmarket Close - Ian Rankin)

Name: kenjohn

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Product:	Fleshmarket Close - Ian Rankin
Date:	05/10/05 (618 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: An excellent read. Thrilling and totally engrossing.

Disadvantages: Not a thing!

~ ~ Illegal immigrants, dead illegal immigrants, Ulster Loyalist drug traders, Edinburgh gangsters, lap dancers, mysterious buried skeletons, rapists, porn merchants, and a missing Scottish teenager. These are just some of the ingredients, characters, plots and sub-plots that go to make up the latest novel, “Fleshmarket Close”, from the master Scottish crime writer Ian Rankin.

~ ~ Rankin has long been one of my favourite crime writers, and his fictional Scottish copper, Detective Inspector Rebus, one of my favourite fictional crime characters. Fleshmarket Close is the latest in a long line of successful Inspector Rebus novels, the first (Knots and Crosses) being published way back in 1988 before Rankin had even decided to become a full time writer.
What prompted me to put fingers to keyboard and write a review of this novel was listening to an excellent interview with Rankin on Irish radio (Radio Telefeis Eireann) recently in which he talked at length about his writing and life in general. He revealed titbits of information about his personal life and his writing career that I hadn’t been fully aware of before, the most fascinating of which was the fact that he struggled for about seven or eight years before finally making the breakthrough from a run of the mill novelist into the elite ranks of the bestsellers. It was only after his eighth Rebus novel, “Black and Blue”, won the prestigious Golden Dagger Award for the best crime fiction novel of the year in the mid-1990’s that Rankin hit the big time, and his novels began to move of the bookshelves like the proverbial hot potatoes. Since that time his career has gone from strength to strength, his books consistently topping the bestseller lists and culminating in his recently receiving an O.B.E. (Order of the British Empire) for his services and contribution to literature.

~ ~ As is the norm in Rankin’s novels, the plot in this most recent “Rebus” novel is somewhat secondary to his brilliant characterisation. I’ve read every Rebus novel Rankin has written over the past two decades (most more than once), and over the space of fifteen books Detective Inspector John Rebus has become almost an old friend. Rankin has a way of really getting his characters across so that the reader very quickly gets a feel for them and empathises with their lives, situations, and problems.
The plot, or rather should I say the three main plots, are simple enough in their conception. An illegal immigrant has been found murdered on a sink estate in Edinburgh called “Knoxland”, that anyone with any knowledge of Edinburgh (it’s my home city) will have no difficulty whatsoever recognising as Wester Hailes. Meanwhile a teenage girl whose sister was brutally raped and subsequently committed suicide has gone missing from home. And lastly, two skeletons (one a child) have been unearthed in Fleshmarket Close, an alley just off the Royal Mile.
Of course, none of Rankin’s plots are THAT simple, and all are interlaced with various sub-plots just to keep the pot boiling and hold the reader’s interest. As usual, Rankin very neatly manages to tie together all the loose ends by the end of the book.

~ ~ It’s amazing how Rebus caught the book reading public’s imagination in the way he did. In reality, there’s nothing particularly new about the characterisation of Rebus. The model of the hard nosed detective with a strong disregard for authority, usually with problems in his personal relationships, and often a drinking problem, has been used by other crime writers almost as a template for success over the years. Think of Raymond Chandler and his character “Micky Spillane”, Colin Dexter and “Inspector Morse”, and James Patterson and “Alex Cross” to name just a few. But Rankin certainly has the touch when it comes to bringing his characters to life, and Rebus ranks right up there with the great fictional detectives down through the years. To use the Scot’s vernacular, as Rankin himself does so well, “long may yir lum reek”. (May his chimney go on burning for a long time, or may he have a long and prosperous life, for all you Sassenachs out there!)

~ ~ On a sad note, this book could well be one of the last few of the Rebus series. It’s been mooted in literary circles for quite some time that Rankin is seriously considering killing off or retiring the irreverent Scottish inspector and moving onto pastures new in his writing. We get some clues in Fleshmarket Close that this may well be the case. Rebus has been moved from his resident police station, (St. Leonards) and is now almost an afterthought at Gayfield Square, just off Leith Walk in Edinburgh. Thoughts about retirement are voiced by Rebus throughout the book, and it’s obvious that his superiors would like to see him go. But I would predict at least another two books in the Rebus series before Rankin eventually decides to call it a day on Rebus. (If, in fact, he ever does!)
On the positive front (for Rebus fans) is the news that Rankin revealed in his interview on Irish radio that two more of the Rebus novels (Fleshmarket Close and The Falls) are to be turned into TV dramatisations, with the superb Scottish actor Ken Stott taking over the lead role of Rebus from John Hannah, who in my opinion never quite had the maturity to play the part successfully. So that’s something to look forward to immensely!
Talking about the new upcoming TV series, Rankin also revealed in his radio interview that he didn’t watch the original four dramatisations starring John Hannah, and that he has no intention of watching the new series starring Ken Stott. Seemingly he has his own picture of Rebus firmly set in his mind, and doesn’t want it corrupted by any outside influences.

~ ~ If you’ve never read any of Rankin’s Rebus novels, and if you’re a fan of crime fiction, then do yourself a huge favour and start to do so soon. I wouldn’t advise you to start with Fleshmarket Close, but to go back right to the beginning of the series of Rebus books. (Knots and Crosses) That way you’ll get months (if not years!) of reading pleasure from this outstanding Scottish fiction author.
I bought my copy of Fleshmarket Close in hardback at my local bookshop about a year ago not long after it was published at a cost of €16.20. It’s currently on offer in hardback at Amazon for £12.59, but has also recently been released in paperback. I’m not exactly sure of the price, but I think it’s selling at about the €10 mark.
Highly, highly recommended by the mad cabbie.

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ISBN number: 0752851128
Publisher: Orion. (2004)
Published in the USA under the title “Fleshmarket Alley”

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© KenJ October 2005

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Summary: Rankin at his best. A must buy for "Rebus" fans