Tag: Malcolm Fox

DETAILS:
Series: John Rebus, #22
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Publication Date: December 31, 2018
Format: Hardcover
Length: 372 pg.
Read Date: May 24-27, 2022

What’s In a House of Lies About?

A decade and change ago, a private investigator went missing. John Rebus was part of the team that spent weeks looking for him—interviewing his client, his family, his boyfriend, the target of his current investigation, and everyone else they could think of. At least that’s what the paperwork said. There’s some question about that—and the family of Stuart Bloom has forced more than one investigation into the original search.

Now his body is discovered—in an area that had been well-searched originally. There’s reason to believe that the body had been somewhere else for years. Now the police—a team featuring DI Siobhan Clarke—have to decide where it was as well as who killed him. This involves taking a fresh look at the old case as well as a new investigation. The original detectives (those who are still alive, that is) and some of the uniformed officers are brought in for questioning—which means that Rebus is under the microscope once again. This suits him fine—it’s a chance for him to have a part in closing the case once and for all (at least in his mind)

Meanwhile, Malcolm Fox’s boss assigns him to take one final look at the original investigation—given the new discovery, can they find police misconduct at the root?

Also, Clarke’s being harassed by someone—only crank calls and vandalism, so far. She doesn’t want to do anything official about it, so she asks Rebus to look into things—if nothing else, it might keep him out of her hair while she looks for Bloom’s killer. Might.

There’s a lot to untangle in these pages, thankfully, Rankin’s three detectives are on the cases.

What did I think about In a House of Lies?

This post feels entirely too short. I’m struggling here. What do I say about Rankin or Rebus (or Clarke or Fox) that I haven’t already said? I’m willing to believe that I’ve asked this question when discussing at least 3 previous books. I’m sorely tempted to just post something like: “Ian Rankin wrote a book about John Rebus. You know what to do.”

I was particularly impressed at the way Rankin got the band (on both sides of the law) back together here—for the reader, it’s expected—probably even inevitable. But it comes across as organic and unforced. Between Rebus’ retirement, and the divergent paths that the others’ careers have taken, that’s no mean feat. Unlike, say, Renée Ballard, Siobhan Clarke isn’t soldiering on with those she can’t trust. Ballard has to get Bosch involved, Clarke chooses to ask for his help and/or lets him push his way in.

Solid mysteries, expertly plotted and executed, full of characters (new and old) that you believe and get invested in. In a House of Lies feels as fresh and as compelling as Knots and Crosses.

4 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions expressed are my own.

Rather Be the Devil by Ian Rankin: He’s Hardly the Retiring Type

By HCNewton

On September 3, 2020

In Fiction, Ian Rankin, John Rebus, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Rather Be the Devil

Ian Rankin
Series: John Rebus, #21

Hardcover, 310 pg.
Little, Brown and Company, 2017

Read: August 28-29, 2020

Clarke nodded towards the figure striding across the foyer. She waved, and Rebus noticed her. He offered a curt nod and signaled with his hand that there’d be a phone call later. Then he was out of the automatic doors and gone.

‘What was all that about’ Fox asked.

‘I think it means trouble for someone,’ Clarke answered. ‘Been a while since I saw him with that look in his eyes…’

What’s Rather Be the Devil About?

Darryl Christie is savagely beaten in front of his own house and Clarke jumps onto the case. He didn’t see his attacker/attackers, and there were no witnesses. Cafferty’s name has to be on the suspect list, and as luck would have it—John Rebus calls at that moment for a small favor. As much as Clarke would love to go up against Cafferty, everyone knows that Rebus would get better results. So she trades favors with him.

Malcolm Fox is soon assigned to the Christie case, too—and then something else happens that requires their attention. Clarke, Fox, and Rebus find themselves in the middle of a messy tangle of crimes that are decades old, in progress, brutal and old school, or high-tech and almost hard to fully grasp.

Rebus

He’s dealing with COPD, carrying an inhaler, not smoking (and is handling that about as well as you can expect), and not drinking. Well…okay, not drinking that much. He’s trying to be the good retired man that he’s supposed to be. But sometimes walking the dog and trying to be healthy just isn’t enough…so when he starts telling Deborah Quant an interesting story about a murder that happened in the hotel above the restaurant they were dining in*, he can’t keep his curiosity in check and has to see if he can finally close the case. If only for his own amusement.

* because where can they go where he doesn’t know an interesting story about a murder committed on or near the premises? And, who but Quant would listen?

And then once this turns into an opportunity to lock horns with Cafferty again? And maybe help his friends/protégés take Christie down before he can become as strong as Cafferty was? Well, this certainly beats counting flowers on the wall.

I really love the fact that so much of this book depends on Rebus needing something to do to keep his mind occupied. As nice as it would be for him to find peace with his dog and Quant—and maybe enjoying time as a grandfather, that’s just not Rebus. This kind of thing is so much better for him.

Works out well for we readers, too.

Siobhan Clarke

I really think she got the short-end (again). She’s a better police detective than Rebus or Fox, and while it’s believable that the brass will overlook her to give Fox the promotion, it’s regrettable that Rankin does almost the same.

Rebus and Fox get up to all sorts antics, hiding a lot of it from her—at least until they’re done with them—so she won’t stop them. She doesn’t play things wholly by the book, but compared to Rebus (as always) and (increasingly) Fox, she’s a model officer.

Still, when she’s going toe-to-toe with Christie or his family, or his henchmen? She’s fantastic. I just got wish we got more of her. Maybe Rankin figures we know all we need to know about her, and we’re still trying to figure Malcolm out?

Malcolm Fox

After what happened to him in the last book, he’s given a nice promotion to the Major Crimes Division of Police Scotland. A promotion he takes, but knows he doesn’t deserve, while Clarke does. Clarke knows it, too (and is having a hard time not resenting him getting it). His superiors are hoping the situation with Christie will put them in a situation where they can take him down—and more importantly, a couple of his allies with him, so he’s sent back to Edinburgh to be their man on the ground. He does all he can to keep Clarke involved, which helps their relationship a degree.

It turns out that Christie has a tie to Fox’s sister, Jude, and is working that for all it’s worth. Between that and his willingness to involve Rebus far and above what he should be, Fox is coloring outside the lines that used to define him so clearly. Which is good for this case, but is that really going to serve him long-term?

Big Ger

If you can’t keep a good man down, how do you explain Morris Gerald Cafferty?

So, what did I think about Rather Be the Devil?

I loved the way the cold case resolved. I enjoyed just about everything about the Christie beating story (including what Fox was really there to take care of) and how that took care of itself. And generally, I just really liked being in this world again.

At this point, all I have are smallish gripes (as expressed above) and general expressions of satisfaction and enjoyment. I wish I had some deeper thoughts to offer, but I really don’t. I just like these books and am impressed with the ways that Rankin has found to keep Rebus active. Now if he can just keep him alive…

4 Stars

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase from any of them, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.

Bullet Points about Even Dogs in the Wild by Ian Rankin: Another winner from one of the best in the biz

By HCNewton

On July 8, 2019

In Fiction, Ian Rankin, John Rebus, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Even Dogs in the Wild

by Ian Rankin
Series: John Rebus, #20

Hardcover, 347 pg.
Little, Brown and Company, 2016

Read: June 10 – 12, 2019

This post is overdue, and I can’t seem to find time to do it right. So, I won’t. Here’s a quick and dirty way to get it taken care of. I wish I had it in me to do a better job, but I don’t. Here’s the blurb taken from Rankin’s site:

Retirement doesn’t suit John Rebus. He wasn’t made for hobbies, holidays or home improvements. Being a cop is in his blood.

So when DI Siobhan Clarke asks for his help on a case, Rebus doesn’t need long to consider his options.

Clarke’s been investigating the death of a senior lawyer whose body was found along with a threatening note. On the other side of Edinburgh, Big Ger Cafferty – Rebus’s long-time nemesis – has received an identical note and a bullet through his window.

Now it’s up to Clarke and Rebus to connect the dots and stop a killer.

Meanwhile, DI Malcolm Fox joins forces with a covert team from Glasgow who are tailing a notorious crime family. There’s something they want, and they’ll stop at nothing to get it.

It’s a game of dog eat dog – in the city, as in the wild.

Even Dogs in the Wild brings back Ian Rankin’s greatest characters in a story exploring the darkest corners of our instincts and desires.

If I had the time to do this properly, here are the things I’d be talking about.

Rebus as consultant/PI — this is really the perfect role for him, he’s not that great at procedure anyway. Calling his own shots, following his instincts, going about things, he’s a better fit for this kind of thing than a certain retired LAPD Detective.
This proves to be the kind of case made for Rebus — the solution lays in the past, but the ramifications are in the present.
Cafferty isn’t the suspect here (he’s not innocent, he never is), but he’s the victim — and maybe a concerned citizen?
There’s little in Crime Fiction better than Rebus and Cafferty on the same page — that’s as true here as ever.
Clarke’s role seemed diminished in favor of Fox and Rebus (particularly the former), but maybe that’s just me — what she does, however, allows Rebus to do what he does best
The Clarke/Fox friendship is an interesting one — and different from the Clarke/Rebus friendship. I’ll enjoy watching this develop.
I’m already really enjoying the Fox/Rebus friendship/mentorship. That’s not something anyone would’ve seen coming the first time we met Fox, or the first time we saw the two of them cross paths. The fact that they’ve got a strange friendship/mentorship going on is just wonderful.
There’s more going on in Fox’s personal life than we’ve really ever seen with Rebus or Clarke on an extended basis.
Fox’s share of the story is really strong and displays the character we’ve come to know over the past few novels, but evolving to take on some of Rebus’ better traits, but none of his . . . well, worse.
For a period of time, through no fault of his own, Rebus takes guardianship over a small dog. This was just fantastic and one of my favorite things to happen to him in years.

Combine all of the above with Rankin’s consummate skill and you’ve got another winner — the twentieth Rebus book and the character, the writing, and the perspective is a strong and fresh as it ever was. A sure-fire win for old fans that would probably convert a newbie, too.

—–

4 Stars

Saints of the Shadow Bible by Ian Rankin: Rebus’ Past Comes Back to Haunt Him

By HCNewton

On April 25, 2019

In Fiction, Ian Rankin, John Rebus, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Saints of the Shadow Bible

by Ian Rankin
Series: John Rebus, #19

Hardcover, 389 pg.
Little, Brown and Company, 2013
Read: April 15 – 17, 2019

Rebus said quietly. “It made sense that we stuck up for one another back then–might not be so true now.”. . .

“. . . secrets and lies and all the other crap we’ve dealt out and been dealt. I didn’t see you owning up in there to singing your name to statements that weren’t yours. But we both know it happened a lot happened back then, and one crack in the dam might be all that’s needed . . .” Patterson paused, looking Rebus up and down. “So make sure you know whose side you’re on John.”

Rebus is officially un-retired, and very happy (at least by his standards). To be reinstated, he had to agree to be a Detective Constable again, instead of an Inspector. But he was willing (and usually still is) to take the rank cut so that he keep working. For anyone who’s read a Rebus book or two, this makes perfect sense. Buying books he doesn’t read, listening to his music collection, and police work — that’s all he has in his life. Well, okay, smoking and drinking, too. But those two can only occupy so much time.

Serving as a DC, he investigates a car that went off the road for no good reason on a straight stretch with DI Siobhan Clarke. It doesn’t take the two long at all to determine that what happened at the scene is as obvious as everyone else thinks (everyone but readers, because we all know that Rebus and Clarke together at a scene = more than meets the eye). They were called in because someone with influence exerted that influence at got detectives to investigate a seemingly routine auto accident that injured a young woman. Within days, there’s a more serious crime related to their investigation, and the two are plunged into a veritable minefield of money, politics, and family secrets.

Meanwhile, Malcom Fox is working his last Complaints case before being reorganized into detective work. He asks Clarke for help in approaching Rebus for some information related to the case. He’s looking into a murder case related to the group where Rebus served his first assignment as a rookie detective. Rebus is initially resistant to help Fox nab one of his old friends, but soon begins to think that Fox is onto something and works the case with him.

Watching the rapprochement between Rebus and Fox is great — at times it feels like things used to when Rebus was working with Clarke (in the latter stages, when they were more like equals). Fox and Clarke’s burgeoning friendship is a lot of fun to read, too. Basically, Fox’s addition to this world in general is something to be praised. I’m not 100% sold on Clarke’s rise, she almost seems more like Gill Templar than herself at times. Now, at one point, Clarke might have taken that as a partial compliment, but I don’t think so. She retains her sense of humor and instincts, but her commitment to the job might be more powerful than those instincts.

Over the last couple of books, one of the most interesting things is the rise of Darryl Christie in the Edinburgh crime world. He’s back in these pages. Not as Rebus’ target, but a presence — like Cafferty so often was. Time moves on and the young move up on both sides of the law. But as Rebus can’t let go, I can’t believe that Big Ger will roll over and let Christie take over the entire city without at least some resistance (something tells me that it’ll be very effective resistance).

I can’t think of another way to talk about Rankin’s skill. Here we are in the nineteenth Rebus book and things feel as fresh as ever — yet this is a world that the reader knows and feels comfort in. These characters and situations are old friends and Rankin’s Edinburgh is as real to me as Parker’s Boston, Connelly’s L.A. or Johnson’s Wyoming — I’ve never set foot in Scotland, but that city feels like a place I’ve frequented.

As you can’t help but expect, this is a completely satisfying mystery novel full of fantastic characters, tangled webs of lies and motives — and an excellent look at the ways policing used to be carried out and the changes it’s gone through. But more than that, it’s a little more time with one of the greats of Crime Fiction as he continues to try to stay active, an old dog learning a couple of new tricks (despite his best efforts) and not forgetting any of the old tricks.

—–

4 Stars

The Impossible Dead by Ian Rankin: Malcolm Fox Uncovers Corruption both Past and Present

By HCNewton

On January 9, 2019

In 2018 Library Love Challenge, Fiction, Ian Rankin, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

The Impossible Dead

by Ian Rankin
Series: Malcolm Fox, #2

Hardcover, 391 pg.
Reagan Arthur Books, 2018
Read: December 24 – 26, 2018

Detective Paul Carter has been found guilty of some pretty clear-cut criminal activity. Fox and his team have been brought into investigate a neighboring force, Carter’s own, to see who might have been involved with him — or at the least covered up for him. They weren’t involved with the original investigation, but that doesn’t keep anyone from hating them as they come in for the follow-up.

Not too surprisingly, they’re getting nowhere fast. So they go fishing — not talking to the detectives they’re looking into, but witnesses and others. One of them ends up dead not long after Fox talks to him. There’s enough hinky in the crime scene, what the witness had told Fox — and the fact the detectives in charge are the same ones that Fox and his team are looking into, that Fox determines he needs to look into things.

There’s a tie between this murder and an old cold case involving a firebrand politician tied to the more militant wing of Scottish Nationalism. Fox is convinced that the two crimes are linked and he sets about proving who killed one man as a way to finding the killer of the other. This two-pronged focus of the book keeps Fox, his partners, and the readers on their toes.

Despite all the differences between the two characters (which will become even more obvious, it seems in the next Rebus book), they ultimately operate best in the same way, as lone wolves. But when Rebus goes off on his own and causes trouble, it’s just par for the course. When Fox does it, it’s out character — he’s a team player (at least he wants to be), so there’s a lot of mechanics involved in getting him off on his own. In The Complaints it took a conspiracy to isolate Fox, here, it takes one detective Fox crossed to take advantage of his tenuous link to a crime.

But on his own, Fox will do more to uncover the facts not just of the murder he’s wanting to investigate, the investigation he’s supposed to be running, and a very cold case. Yes, he does work with his friends who are still on the inside, to confirm or deepen his knowledge (and he does feed information back to them), but he’s very much on his own.

There’s a good amount of family drama again for Fox — grounding Fox and giving a dimension to the character that is good to see (even if it doesn’t always bring out the best in him).

I very much enjoyed watching Fox work — and try to stay near the system, if he can’t stay in it. The solutions to the crimes are well done — by both Fox and Rankin. We even get a little bit of a cameo-like appearance of good ol’ Rebus. Nothing about this really blew me away, but I was gripped throughout, and entertained by the whole thing. Rankin’s good enough that he doesn’t have to dazzle you as a reader to be very aware that you’re in the hands of a master. Fox would be worth following on his own, and I’m glad we got to see him for a couple of books before he comes park of the greater universe surrounding Rebus.

—–

The Complaints by Ian Rankin: Introducing the anti-Rebus, Malcolm Fox

By HCNewton

On December 10, 2018

In 2018 Library Love Challenge, Fiction, Ian Rankin, John Rebus, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

The Complaints

by Ian Rankin

Series: Malcolm Fox, #1

Hardcover, 438 pg.
Little, Brown and Co., 2011

Read: November 20 – 22, 2018

I left the last Rankin book thinking, “If I didn’t know that there were more Rebus books coming, I’d be really depressed.” There are advantages to being this far behind a series. Thanks to a podcast interview I heard with Rankin around the time I started to plan my Rebus reading (I think it was this A Stab in the Dark episode), I knew that at some point, he pushed “Pause” on Rebus to introduce a new character — initially, I think, to replace Rebus. But it didn’t work out that way. Still, I wanted to read them in chronological order, so I could appreciate it when the new guy was merged into the Rebus books.

And that’s where we are now, with the introduction of The New Guy: Malcolm Fox, of the Complaints and Conduct division (aka “The Complaints”) — essentially, Internal Affairs (aka “The Rat Squad”). It’s almost like Rankin came up with a list of Rebus’ characteristics and put a “not-” in front of every one of them to create him. He doesn’t drink (because he’ll end up like Rebus does, or worse), he follows the rules (generally speaking), he gets along with and respects/trusts his superiors, he’s close with his family . . . et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. He’s a lot more likeable than Rebus, too — as a person and as a fictional character. He’s not as well-developed — this is his first book and Rebus had 17 at that point, so that makes sense. Although, typically, IAB/Complaints type characters are usually dramatic obstacles to the series protagonists and are therefore little-liked, so that was strange.

The novel starts with Fox riding high — he’s just closed a major investigation, and is doing clean up on that when he’s given a new assignment. He’ll be helping out another division — I suddenly forgot their name, but essentially, they’re the equivalent of the Special Victims Unit. So right away you know this is not going to be a fun book — a detective who polices the police investigating sex crimes. There’s just no way to paint a “fun-loving romp” face on that premise.

But before we can get too far down that road, a pretty big complication arises. (Minor Spoiler warning) The abusive boyfriend of Fox’s sister is found murdered. And guess who is the first suspect? That’s right. Better yet: guess who is one of the investigating officers? If you guessed the target of Fox’s new investigation, give yourself a pat on the back.

So Fox has to investigate a detective without him knowing about it, while being investigated by that same detective — and to keep it from looking like payback. Which is a pretty cool setup for a novel, you’ve got to admit. Better yet, it’s Rankin behind the wheel, so you know he can (and does) deliver on the setup.

The bulk of the novel is about Fox doing his best to find the killer — for his sister’s sake (primarily) — and keep himself out of the cross-hairs of the investigators. This will lead him to some very not-regulation investigative techniques, some of which might remind people of the Rankin creation that Fox isn’t. The mystery itself and the way it’s told is classic-Rankin. Lots of twists, a couple of good turns, very satisfying throughout.

Meanwhile, we get a pretty good character study/introduction to this new character through this — and through a friendship he develops with another detective during this. I really enjoyed the novel, and Rankin gave his new character a serious challenge to start with, a very cleverly constructed mystery to untangle. Fox is a worthy entry into the world of Rebus and Rankin.

I’ll leave with this — if after 2007’s Exit Music I’d have been nervous about what was to come next, I’d have been relieved after 2009’s The Complaints. Now, I’m just eager to see the two detectives on the same page.

—–

4 Stars