Dead Souls

Dead Souls (1999) Ian Rankin

Inspector Rebus is not having an easy time of it. Pedophiles on trial and perhaps released back into the community. A serial killer shipped back to Edinburgh after he is released from prison in the United States, a missing person’s case to which he is inadvertently drawn, a continued rocky relationship Patience, and deal with his daughter’s injury and recovery. So of course he has turned back to the drink.

One of the things I loved about this story is that there was so much going on, you were never quite sure what tied into what. I also appreciate that Rebus makes huge mistakes, but that eventually he recognizes (at least some of) those mistakes and perhaps, maybe, attempts to atone for those errors as best he can. Which means not in a particularly good way, but, this is Rebus.

The serial killer, Cary Oakes, was particularly disturbing, especially the recognition that he was going to go free, and he was going to kill again, and there was nothing anyone could do about it–in fact, Rebus’ usual method of getting in someone’s face and making a lot of noise backfires here (as, one most admit, it often does).

Yet, you can’t help but like Rebus, despite all this. And you have to appreciate his ability to latch onto a problem and stick with it to the end.
Rating: 8/10

Published by Saint Martin’s Minotaur

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