In a House of Lies is the 22nd instalment in the Inspector Rebus series written by Ian Rankin. In a House of Lies entered the hardback chart at No. 1 on the first week of its release.[1]
 First edition | |
| Author | Ian Rankin |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Series | Inspector Rebus |
Release number | 22 |
| Genre | Detective fiction |
| Set in | Scotland |
| Publisher | Orion Books |
| Publication place | Scotland |
Published in English | October 2018 |
| Media type | Hardback |
| Pages | 372 |
| ISBN | 9781409176886 |
| Preceded by | Rather Be the Devil |
| Followed by | A Song for the Dark Times |
| Website | Author's webpage |
Plot
editSome boys discover a car with a long-dead body in the boot, in a woodland which has been the subject of a real-estate dispute. Rebus, now retired, worked the 2006 missing-persons case, which was, as everyone involved agrees now, badly handled; Rebus himself had tried to protect from publicity the missing man's lover, son of a detective inspector in the old Strathclyde Police, and had also been hoping to tie in 'Big Ger' Cafferty. The murder inquiry now is handled by a team from Police Scotland, but Detective Inspector Siobhan Clarke and Detective Inspector Malcolm Fox are included. Clarke has recently been investigated by a corrupt pair of Anti-Corruption Unit cops for leaking information to a reporter, and she is being harassed by a mysterious person over a recent case which in fact she handled well. Rebus, at her request, re-investigates that case; he tangles with the ACU team, and hopes again to see Cafferty connected to the body-in-the-boot murder.[2][3]
Rebus is suffering from COPD and has given up cigarettes and almost stopped drinking alcohol.[4][5] The book gives some attention to modern media and its potential for both public and private bullying.
Background
editIan Rankin has stated that inspiration for the novel in part came from the murder of Daniel Morgan,[6] who was a private detective in South London in the late 1980s.[7] He died of axe wounds to his head in a pub car park in Sydenham, South London in 1987.[8] He was investigating alleged police corruption at the time.[9]
Critical reception
editReception to the book was largely positive; Barry Forshaw, writing in The Guardian said "How has Rankin kept the series fresh for 22 novels? Deft characterisation. Readers must keep up with a lengthy dramatis personae, but there’s nothing wrong with making us work a little."[10] Likewise, Mark Sanderson, writing in the Evening Standard called the book "A brilliantly twisted case for Rebus" and that "..no one in Britain writes better crime novels today."[11] Paul Connolly (The Metro) gave the novel four stars out of five and said that the novel had:
a plot so complex it will elude anything other than total concentration, Rankin crafts one of the great Rebus novels, a vibrant slab of a book as gripping as it is intoxicating.[12]
Julian Cole, writing in the Northern Echo, gave the book four stars out of five, and called it "...[a] good rattling read, let down only by too many unnecessary dialogue modifiers."[13]
References
edit- ^ Beckerman, Hannah (3 November 2018). "Ian Rankin: 'I couldn't get on with War and Peace'". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
- ^ McCann, Michael J. "A book review by Michael J. McCann: In a House of Lies (A Rebus Novel)". www.nyjournalofbooks.com. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
- ^ Cogdill, Oline H. "Ian Rankin and John Rebus return in 'House of Lies'". inquirer.com. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
- ^ Davies, Paul (25 October 2019). "BOOK REVIEW: 'In a House of Lies'". The Washington Times. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
- ^ Massie, Alan (6 October 2018). "Book review: In A House Of Lies, by Ian Rankin". The Scotsman. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
- ^ Roy, David (15 November 2018). "Ian Rankin on In A House of Lies, Rebus: Long Shadows & his favourite Irish writers". The Irish News. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
- ^ Gibb, Frances (6 July 2018). "Met facing payout for framing trio for axe murder of Daniel Morgan". The Times. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
- ^ Dodd, Vikram (28 May 2018). "Daniel Morgan murder: new delays hit inquiry into 31-year-old case". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
- ^ Hamilton, Fiona (2 November 2017). "Behind the story of the Daniel Morgan murder case". The Times. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
- ^ Forshaw, Barry (5 October 2018). "The best recent thrillers – review roundup". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
- ^ Sanderson, Mark (4 October 2018). "In a House of Lies by Ian Rankin - review". Evening Standard. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
- ^ Connolly, Paul (21 October 2018). "Book Reviews: In A House Of Lies, Bright Young Dead, Milkman". Metro Newspaper UK. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
- ^ Cole, Julian (15 October 2018). "Book releases including In A House Of Lies by Ian Rankin". The Northern Echo. Retrieved 20 December 2019.