Book Review: Resurrection Men

Reviewed By: Ruth Jordan - RAM

Resurrection Men     Amazon UK PB Amazon UK HC
Ian Rankin
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Police Procedural
Series: John Rebus # 14
Orion; 2001 (U.K. only)

RESURRECTION MEN is the newest in Scotsman’s Ian Rankin’s John Rebus series. For those unfamiliar with this series and who give a toss about this reviewer’s opinion this is, bar none, my favorite series in Mystery. Treat yourself.

I’ve shared many moment’s with Rebus over the years from panic over his daughter in the first book KNOTS & CROSSES to the realization in RESURRECTION MEN that bad decisions do indeed tend to come back and bite you in the ass.

On the surface RESURRECTION MEN is a book about a policeman who becomes frustrated with a murder case’s progress and after an act of insubordination is sent to Copper Classes to be retrained and become part of a team. A tall order. Rebus is old school police. He still grabs on to leads and works them to the ground. He trusts his gut before other members of his squad, and yes he drinks at lunch. Those familiar with the series will know that even a seemingly simple plot like this will not be simple in author Rankin’s head. The murder left behind in Edinburgh, a new inquiry into an old case in Glasgow , Rebus’s Squad, Rebus’s Classmates in “Career Assessment” and the nemesis Big Ger will all play a part. The talent that is Rankin is we’re not sure who’s doing what and where it will all lead. Meanwhile the suspense is built and we become as wary of everything going on and everyone involved as Rebus himself. “Trust No One” became my motto before I’d read the first hundred pages.

Watching the evolution of Rankin’s Rebus has been a pleasure and this book is no exception. I’m also to the point where I not only like Rebus’s right hand D.S. Siobhan Clarke but am waiting to see what happens to her next. For she may become all that Rebus could have been if only he were initiated into matters of crime 20 years after he was. Well done!!

In this homogenized world where we give between 1 and 5 stars I’m giving this one 7. Because like Rebus I see nothing wrong with going my own way once in awhile.

Ruth Jordan - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Ruth Jordan - RAM