Rating: 
Summary: What a Book- What a Series!!!
Review: I heard that Ian Rankin was a very good writer, but I never picked up any of his books to read. That was my mistake."Set in Darkness" is the second Rankin book that I have read, and I am now convinced that he is one of the best crime/detective/mystery writers out there. "Set in Darkness" was a true pleasure to read. The plot was intricate and well-conconstructed, the setting (Edinburgh) was enchanting, and the characters were clearly drawn and they were fascinating. The only drawback is the Scottish colloquillisms and slang terms that Rankin uses. They are a bit hard to follow at times, but this is a minor inconvenience. John Rebus, the main character, is as good as they come. Put Rankin on your "A" list of authors- you'll not be disappointed.
Rating: 
Summary: a page turner
Review: I've only read a few of Ian Rankin's Rebus mysteries, and this latest installment in the series is the best Inspector Rebus mystery novel that I've read so far. This is a satisying read on so many levels -- the plot is quite convoluted but not in a meandering way so that you loose all interest and start skimming chapters to get to the meaty bits. No, it's complex and intriguing and keeps your attention firmly hooked on what's taking place between the pages. Ian Rankin truly is a gifted story teller, and quite a lyrical writer. I found myself rereading several paragrahs over and over again so as to better apprecaite his prose. And he is truly a master at depicing Scotland in all its grit and glory, past and present, architecturally and politically. I felt as if I was walking the streets of Edinburgh myself, trying to unravel all the strands of this mystery. DCS Watson, Rebus's boss has sidelined him to the Policing of Parliament Liasion Committee (PPLC) in the vain hope of keeping Rebus out of trouble and out of his (Watson's) hair. However while on a tour of the Queensbury House that is to restored so as to serve as an administrative wing to the new Scottish parliament, the workers unearth the remains of a man in a sealed off fire place. Rebus of course jumps at the chance to do some real police work, even if it means investigating a 20 year old crime and having to put up with and work with DI Linford, the police commissioner's current blue-eyed boy. But even before that investigation can take off another body is found on the Queensbury construction site: that of a prospective MP, Roddy Grieve. In the meantime DC Siobhan Clarke, is doing some investigating of her own. There have been a series of assaults carried out by two men on women who frequent single's bars. To her frustration and chagrin, Clarke is having very little luck with this investigation. And on her way home one night, she walks onto a suicide scene. As the only senoir detective on that scene, Clarke is given the task of investigationg the suicide of Chris Mackie, a homeless man with apparently four hundred thousand pounds in his bank account. Why would a man with that much money be living on the streets? And why would he commit suicide? As the various police officers begin to dig into their different mysteries, the reader will of course suspect that all these disparate strands will somehow connect. But what could a 20 year old corpse, an up and coming politician and a rich street person have in common? Half the enjoyment of this novel was trying to figure out the connection -- if there even was one, that is. This mystery novel will probably make it onto nearly everyone's list of top ten mystery novels of the year. It's beautifully written and has a good attention grabbing plot, and is very atmospheric. A very good read!
Rating:
Summary: Absorbing and complex, but not his best
Review: Ian Rankin has been my favorite author ever since I discovered a remainder copy of "Strip Jack" at a bookstore four years ago; after reading that I found everything I could that he had written, and I have snapped up each new book. I hate to say I am a little disappointed with this one. The intricacies of the plot and spare, terse writing style are equal to Rankin's previous Inspector Rebus books, as are all the characterizations but for one: John Rebus himself. I couldn't help but feel that DI Rebus got relegated to being an almost secondary character alongside the other detectives, suspects, and criminals peopling the book, and worse yet, he didn't put up much of a fight about it. I've read every Rebus book and if there's one thing the guy doesn't do naturally, it's "subdued." His interrogation of a heart-attack victim near the close of "Set in Darkness" was, I felt, the first time I really recognized him in this book. Also good: the thread involving Rebus's dogged pursuit of an underworld boss who's probably the closest thing to a friend Rebus has. But if you haven't read a John Rebus mystery, I would recommend trying "Knots and Crosses" or "Tooth and Nail" first if you want to see Rebus at his flawed, fascinating and incredibly capable best.
Rating:
Summary: Absorbing and complex, but not his best
Review: Ian Rankin has been my favorite author ever since I discovered a remainder copy of "Strip Jack" at a bookstore four years ago; after reading that I found everything I could that he had written, and I have snapped up each new book. I hate to say I am a little disappointed with this one. The intricacies of the plot and spare, terse writing style are equal to Rankin's previous Inspector Rebus books, as are all the characterizations but for one: John Rebus himself. I couldn't help but feel that DI Rebus got relegated to being an almost secondary character alongside the other detectives, suspects, and criminals peopling the book, and worse yet, he didn't put up much of a fight about it. I've read every Rebus book and if there's one thing the guy doesn't do naturally, it's "subdued." His interrogation of a heart-attack victim near the close of "Set in Darkness" was, I felt, the first time I really recognized him in this book. Also good: the thread involving Rebus's dogged pursuit of an underworld boss who's probably the closest thing to a friend Rebus has. But if you haven't read a John Rebus mystery, I would recommend trying "Knots and Crosses" or "Tooth and Nail" first if you want to see Rebus at his flawed, fascinating and incredibly capable best.
Rating:
Summary: Rankin Does It Again
Review: Ian Rankin just gets better and better. His (anti-)hero John Rebus, an Edinburgh cop, never fails to fascinate. Like the other books in this series, the mystery is edgy, tight and suspenseful, the secondary characters compelling, and Edinburgh--almost a character in itself--looms in the background, grim, shabby and poignantly dignified. What makes Rankin so good is the moral dilemmas he throws Inspector Rebus into and the choices he forces his character to make. Rebus is cynical, world weary, irreverent, alcholic--a loner who has failed at his personal and professional lives in all the recognized ways. And yet we like him immensely and sympathize completely, even when we don't agree with the choices he makes. Somehow, Rankin keeps producing great reads, each better than the last, and "Set in Darkness" is no exception. I just hope Rankin never tires of Inspector John Rebus, because I won't.
Rating:
Summary: A good read for a cloudy cold day
Review: Ian Rankin writes a good book which will keep you interested without giving away too much. He also keeps one interested in the characters and how they react with one another. I would recommend this as one of the better mystery novels that I have read.
Rating:
Summary: Superbly stupendous
Review: In Queensbury House in Edinburgh, the Highlanders are pulling out their tartan colors, as the first Scottish parliament in about three centuries is to convene. To the chagrin of law enforcement officials everywhere, especially the more ambitious, the locale is right in the middle of Detective John Rebus' zone making him the liaison. However, all is not well. As the restoration project continues on Queensbury House, the remains of a body are found as a fireplace is reopened. Not long afterward, an apparent suicide occurs near the site of the first person. Finally, a third corpse of a politician lies murdered in the outside gardens. On the surface the three dead people seem to not have a connecting thread except the locale. However, Rebus concludes tremendous profits can be made if you are on the right side of the new Scottish political power, but who would murder to fix the odds in their favor. The John Rebus Scottish police procedurals are some of the best detective novels of the past decade. The latest tale, SET IN DARKNESS, brings to life insight into the Scottish parliament and a flavor for modern day Edinburgh. The murder mystery is intelligent and entertaining, and the characters, especially Rebus, retain that feeling of genuineness while dealing with power-struggles, and intrigue. The roles of several reoccurring secondary players fade into the backdrop this time around. Rebus retains his freshness inside an exciting police procedural. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: Physcially and psychologically Dark...
Review: Rankin's books about Inspector Rebus and his colleagues on the police force in Scotland are very bleak mysteries, with more than a shred of reality about them. Those who move from American mysteries where the protagonists are able to solve the crime and deal with a variety of other problems at the same time, may find Rankin's books hard to swallow. To me, they seem more like what truly happens in life...at the end of this book, Rebus is presented with the fact that his nemesis (who he had put away for a while) had just gotten away with not just one, but several murders...and there is not one thing that Rebus can do about it! No wonder Rebus is so bleak: his own personal life consists of alcohol and music and concern about his daughter who was hit by a car, he not only has to fight those up at the top who disagree with his manners of handling cases but he also has to deal with snakes on his force who have problems with the word 'No' from his female partner, and he runs into the darkest forms of human life on his beat and he cannot put them away (or deal with them as he would like and still remain within the law). Rebus fights to come to terms with his own mortality and his own moral compasses in this book. Rankin's writing is excellent, and as per usual, the education they get over in Britain and Scotland (now a more separate entity) leaves our own educational system in the gutter. I find myself having to look some things up, and saving others for later because Rankin is writing over my head. Of course, I do not recognize the music he instills as a passion into Rebus, except for the very old stuff. If there are any complaints about Rankins's books, it is that there are threads of plots all over the place...and weaving them into a whole is often difficult. Some of them make sense, such as Rebus' partner dealing with an overly ambitious coworker who she goes out with for a few times, and then decides not to see anymore outside of the 'office' because he doesn't interest her and his own moral compass is skewed. This guy stalks her, and unfortunately for him, doesn't do it well enough to keep her partner, Rebus, in the dark. When Rebus catches this idiot in the act, it colors their own perception of each other and they find it hard to work together to solve the homocides they are working on. But the little thread of dual rapists is too much and adds little to the story, besides an inconvenience to be worked out. Life is not tidy, but neither is it as dark for most of us as Rebus finds it in this book. Sounds to me like Scotland gets as little light as we get in Pittsburgh, PA in the winter. Rankin even brings up Seasonal Diffective Disorder (SAD) which is a problem here because of sunlight. His work may be psyhologically dark, but I still want to go to Scotland to see the places he talks about historically. Karen Sadler
Rating:
Summary: The problem with Ian Rankin
Review: The problem with Ian Rankin is that he makes all the other mystery writers I read (and I read plenty) look second rate. I believe he is the best writer active in this genre today, surpassing even Robert Barnard, Reginald Hill and Ruth Rendell. Inspector Rebus is brilliant and flawed. The story is as close to perfect as a mystery gets. The dialog is unforced and natural. The description is mood-setting without being distracting. If you haven't read any Rankin, do yourself a favor by going back and reading them all.
Rating: 
Summary: Solid Police Procedural
Review: This is a well written police procedural/hard boiled detective novel. Part of a popular series set in Edinburgh and featuring the distinctly hard boiled Detective Inspector Rebus. As with many novels in this genre, Rebus is flawed human being redeemed by his obsessive interest in pursuing the truth and establishing justice, features often unappreciated by his superiors. While hardly at the level of Raymond Chandler, these books are solid examples of the genre, written well with good plotting and creditable characters. Good entertainment reading.
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