Even Dogs In The Wild by Ian Rankin book review

What's Even Dogs In The Wild about?

He may technically be retired, but that doesn't stop John Rebus getting involved in a murder case when his old pal DI Siobhan Clarke comes asking for help. It seems someone's taken a potshot at Edinburgh gangster - and John's old adversary - Big Ger Cafferty, and the aging crime lord won't talk to anyone but Rebus.

goodtoknow says...

Siobhan doesn't have too much time to object - she's got another high-profile case to contend with after an ex lord advocate is found with his head bashed in. When an anonymous note is found at the crime scene saying 'I'M GOING TO KILL YOU FOR WHAT YOU DID', the press is soon clamouring for blood too. She usually seeks solace from colleague Malcolm Fox but he's got troubles of his own – his dad's dying on a hospital bed and he's been asked to join a group of Glasgow cops who've come to town to keep an eye on some West coast criminals paying an unwelcome visit to the capital. They don't want Fox interfering and they have no qualms about letting him know. As the three detectives try to stay in control and figure out what’s going on, more violence threatens to erupt in Auld Reekie between the ambitious gangster intent on filling Big Ger's shoes and the 'wegie' gang who've come to town to shake things up. Unlike many of his other Rebus books, Rankin doesn't spend as much time sketching out the dark corners of the city in this latest instalment. But perhaps that’s because his fans are already so familiar with the Edinburgh underbelly Rebus inhabits. Instead, the focus here is on a clever plotline, which interweaves the three cases into one deeper mystery before unraveling them all to discover the horrible secret that lies at their roots. And who's there with the shovel? Well Rebus of course.

Rating: 7/10 Publisher: Orion Publish Date: 5th November 2015