Rating: 
Summary: One of the finest series in mystery fiction
Review: RESURRECTION MEN by Ian Rankin (Little, Brown, $19.95)
Ian Rankin's series about the Scottish detective, John Rebus, has been one of the most popular series written over the last decade. It has brought a legion of fans and great riches to Ian. He now calls J.K. Rowling and Alexander McCall Smith his neighbors. What has brought him to this high level is the consistent excellence of his very long, very complex and all absorbing books.
After an incident of insubordination, Rebus is sent to "school" with other problem detectives to rehabilitate them and resurrect their image. Hence, the term Resurrection Men referring to the group of detectives Rebus is grouped with. As an exercise, they are given an old and cold murder to solve. It concerns the bludgeoning death of a drug dealer. At the same time, Siobhan Clark, Rebus' old partner and friend, is working on a case of an art dealer's murder. In both cases the interpersonal relationships of the victims to those around them become the keys to the cases. Surprisingly, the two cases begin to overlap as do the two investigations.
This is the first Rankin book I have not read at publication. The reason I stopped reading the books is the fact that they are long and slow reads demanding so much time from the reader. More importantly, they are depressing works that are so similar to each other. I just can't get over the feeling that Ian Rankin is writing the same book again and again. He has his own formulaic style. This one is no exception. There are so many characters introduced that a list of characters at the front of the book proves to be a major necessity. This can become especially daunting to a first time reader of the Rebus series. It all takes some getting used to. In fact, the story doesn't really start clicking until well over one hundred pages. Once everything is in place, however, the book flows beautifully and quite seamlessly becomes all encompassing including superbly rendered characterizations and the striking immediacy of the locale. Pacing is still a problem for me in these books but their true excellence cannot be denied.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding!
Review: The idea of a world-weary police detective who's willing to bend a few rules is one of the most used (and overused) formulae in the world of mystery novels. In Ian Rankin's hands, however, this well trodden path becomes something marvelous. I've been a fan of the Rebus novels for years. Rankin shows us an Edinburgh that's dark and exotic, while simultaneously being "small town"-ish and provincial. A Rebus novel will leave you feeling that you've experienced a bit of the city (and region) that will never appear in a tourist guide.In this installment of the Rebus series, John's gotten himself in more than a bit of trouble. He's been sent off for a last ditch chance to rescue the remains of his career. Could our man sit in a classroom and behave himself? Could things be as straight forward as they appear? Of course not! Rankin weaves rich and varied plot lines that involve most of your favorite characters from the previous novels, splashing raw and genuine feeling emotion across the pages as abundantly as blood and gore flow at a Rebus crime scene. This isn't a "cozy". Resurrection Men is a great addition to the Rebus series. I highly recommend it. Rankin fans will not be disappointed. If you are looking at this as your first entry into the series, please consider reading the books in chronological order. Aspects of the plot lines do carry along from book to book.
Rating:
Summary: A gritty, gripping adventure
Review: This book was a hard boiled gem. It has grit and facinating characters that carry a wonderfully crafted storyline to the finish. If you haven't read this author, start now, you won't regret it.
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