Rather Be the Devil (A Rebus Novel, 21)

Rankin, Ian

ISBN 10: 1478914025 ISBN 13: 9781478914020

Publisher: Little, Brown & Company, 2017

Synopsis

An Instant New York Times Bestseller

Rebus investigates a cold case that just turned red hot.

As he settles into an uneasy retirement, Rebus has given up his favorite vices. There's just one habit he can't shake: he can't let go of an unsolved case. It's the only pastime he has left and up until now, it's the only one that wasn't threatening to kill him. But when Rebus starts reexamining the facts behind the long-ago murder of a glamorous woman at a luxurious hotel - on the same night a famous rock star and his entourage where also staying there - the past comes roaring back to life with a vengeance.

And as soon as Rebus starts asking questions about the long forgotten crime, a fresh body materializes. His inquiries reunite him with his old pals-Siobhan Clarke and Malcolm Fox-as they attempt to uncover the financial chicanery behind the savage beating of an upstart gangster, a crime that suggests the notorious old school crime boss Big Ger Cafferty has taken to retirement as poorly as Rebus himself.

As he connects the mysteries of the past to the those of the present, Rebus learns - the hard way - that he's not the only one with an insatiable curiosity about what happened in that hotel room forty years ago, and that someone will stop at nothing to ensure that the crime remains ancient history.

A twisted tale of power, corruption, and bitter rivalries in the dark heart of Edinburgh, Rather Be the Devil showcases Rankin and Rebus at their unstoppable best.

About this title

About the Author

Ian Rankin is an internationally #1 bestselling novelist and the recipient of an Edgar Award, a Gold Dagger for fiction, and the Chandler-Fulbright Award. He lives in Edinburgh, Scotland, with his wife and their two sons.

Review

Praise for RATHER BE THE DEVIL:
"Rankin is an expert at manipulating multiple plots...Along with his plotting prowess, Rankin has cultivated a fluid style that accommodates mordant cop talk, coarse gangster lingo and the occasional honest expression of compassion."
―Marilyn Stasio, New York Times Book Review

"Rather Be the Devil will not disappoint - in the last 30 pages or so, Rankin delivers so many shocking but
satisfying twists I felt I might have whiplash."―Tampa Bay Times


"Excellent."
―The Seattle Review of Books


"[A] finely crafted new entry...[Rankin] is as tireless in delivering the goods as his creation is in solving tough cases."
―Kirkus

"With its trademark blend of sharp wit and even sharper police work, this entry is yet another example of why Rankin remains in the top echelon of Scottish crime writers."
―Publishers Weekly

"One of the best things in crime fiction for years, but Rankin kicks it up several notches here."

―Booklist (Starred Review)


"This may be the author's 21st series outing, but the thrill is still fresh."
―Library Journal


Praise for EVEN DOGS IN THE WILD:

A "twisty, darkly topical, and immaculately executed tale of Edinburgh's underbelly."―The Guardian

About this edition

• Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 1478914025
• ISBN 13: 9781478914020
• Binding: Audio CD