first time - and it gets personal (Knots And Crosses - Ian Rankin)

Member Name: mjc121

Product:	Knots And Crosses - Ian Rankin
Date:	16/04/09 (136 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: very well written

Disadvantages: subject matter may make it hard to read for some

I have recently read this book after an offer from my book club to get the entire set of Ian Rankin books for £7.99 each. As this was the first Rebus novel I started with this and I hope to read them through in order.

Rankin's writing style is light easy to read and he does draw you quickly into the story. His character description is mainly good but this has focused mainly on the main character and his description of some of the other supporting characters is perhaps slightly lacking. In this story he conjures up a dark and sinister world which any TV adaptation would find hard to do. Whilst the adaptations of his novels on TV are good, in my opinion, nothing can compare to the books. This book was one I found hard to put down which was good as I read it over the two recent long train journeys I had to do. In this novel Rankin plays on the fears of a parent's worst nightmares. I will definitely be reading more of these novels and buying any more which come out.

This book focuses mainly on the main character of John Rebus but it does occasionally shift focus onto the life of the gutter press reporter who thinks he has something on Rebus and his brother.

Whilst with some authors the main character takes a while to develop Rebus seams to be there right at the start of even this first novel. John Rebus is introduced as a chain smoking heavy drinker with a good detective mind. He is also given the history of being in the army and the SAS. This is something he never talks about and he had put a mental block on why he left the army in place. Before joining the police he had also suffered a mental breakdown. He is also divorced and he does not see as much of his daughter as he would like to. To make matters worse his ex-wife is now living with the son of one of Rebus' superiors.

He has a younger brother, Michael, who works as a stage hypnotist. Michael was their father's favourite, and John knew it. However, there is some dark secret which Michael is keeping from the rest of his family.


Basic Plot:

Two children have recently been murdered and their bodies have been found in different places in Edinburgh. The search of the known past cases involving children draws a blank. John Rebus has also received, by post, taunting letters with either a piece of sting tied into a knot or a small wooden cross made out of matches. John, at first, thinks this is the work of a crank and does not take them seriously. The police need to find the murderer and soon especially as a third child goes missing...

The clue is staring John in the face yet he doesn't see it until the case gets personal. With the help of his brother the truth behind why he left the army comes out. Could this be the clue which links everything together? Can John locate the murderer before the next child turns up dead...

Why is John being sent these letters? What is it about his army life which he hasn't told anyone? Why is a reporter of a local rag paper so interested in John and his younger brother?

Whilst this was a very good novel the subject matter will make it hard for some people to read.

Summary: an excellent first novel