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 the Author :
Ian Rankin is a #1 international bestselling author. Winner of an Edgar Award and the recipient of a Gold Dagger for fiction and the Chandler-Fulbright Award, he lives in Edinburgh, Scotland, with his wife and their two sons. James MacPherson, an Earphones Award-winning narrator, is a Scottish actor best known for his role as Detective Michael Jardine in the STV drama Taggart, as well as his portrayal of Hugh Hamilton in BBC Radio 4's hit drama series Citizens.
Review :
"A pleasurably complex set of mysteries involving murders old and new drives Rankin's latest almost as much as the deepening relationship between two old (semi-) retirees, former cop John Rebus and former gangster Big Ger Cafferty."
-- "Boston Globe"
"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."
-- "New York Times Book Review"
"Excellent."
-- "Seattle Review of Books"
"In the last thirty pages or so, Rankin delivers so many shocking but satisfying twists I felt I might have whiplash."
-- "Tampa Bay Times"
"MacPherson's delivery of Rankin's signature wit tickles the funny bone, making listeners laugh despite a dark plot...With atmosphere, pacing, and authentic emotion, MacPherson makes this audiobook an engrossing listen."
-- "AudioFile"
"With his spare Scottish prose, some hilarious moments between Rebus and Fox as their disparate personalities clash, and a deft weaving of many separate plot lines, Rather Be the Devil is a practically perfect mystery. And its shocking denouement will leave the reader eager for the next in the series."
-- "Shelf Awareness"
