The
introduction to Resurrection Men has Ian Rankin explaining
how the current title and plot came to him. Rankin’s
research for The Falls offered a history lesson in
grave robbing and gave him the title of his next book - Resurrection
Man. Rankin tells us the plot came thanks to a book review
by the city’s chief constable. He admired Rebus’s
detective skills but noted, with Rebus’ bad habits and
life style, he would have ended up back at Tulliallan, a Scottish
Police College. Tulliallan is based at Tulliallan Castle,
which isn’t a castle but a mock baronial home with modern
buildings attached. It’s located between Glasgow and
Edinburgh - more or less. James Macpherson narrates the audio
version and he does an outstanding job as always. He definitely
has Rebus down pat.
It’s
a flying mug of tea that sends Rebus to Tulliallan. During
a meeting, he blows up at Chief Superintendent Gill and shows
her want he thinks. Andrea in career analysis thinks it’s
professional jealousy. Rebus may have issues with Gill and
her current promotion, but not his partner Siobhan Clarke,
who is now a Detective Sergeant. In this mystery, Siobhan
realizes she must keep her secrets if she wants to be where
DCI Templer is. Right now, this promotion is testing her patience,
and it’s her temporary partner DC Davie Hynds who is
testing it. He’s certainly green and unknowingly disrespectful
at times. They’re investigating the murder of an art
dealer named Edward Marber. Her partner quickly discovers
who the good cop is and who the bad cop is, but he does hold
his own when interviewing the painter.
DI Rebus
ends up at Tulliallan with a group labeled “The Wild
Bunch” – DI Gray from Glasgow, DS Sutherland from
Livingston, DI Barclay from Falkirk, DI McCullough (Jazz)
from Dundee and DC Ward from Dumfries. Rebus’ team is
made up of men like himself – misfits, troublemakers,
older men who prefer to work solo. This should be interesting.
They end up in a case management class with DCI Tennant (retired),
who gives them a dormant file (a resurrection file). It’s
the Eric Lomax case, a six-year old case that Rebus knows
well. The victim was bludgeoned to death on a busy Friday
night and no one seemed to notice or care. Tennant advises
the men they will operate as a team and will be taped while
working the case. Paperwork, files and trips lead the men
to some interesting discoveries about the case and themselves.
Rebus is typically paranoid and maybe that’s a good
thing. He meets up with Siobhan and they discover their cases
are connected. They work hard and fast to solve the cases
and at some points have to fight for their lives. Those scenes
alone make for an intense listen.
Reviews
of other titles in this series
Resurrection
Men #13 [book]
[audio]
Question of Blood #14 [book]
[audio]
Naming of the Dead #16 [audio]
[book]
Exit Music #17 [audio]
Saints of the Shadow Bible #19 [audio]
Standing in Another Man's Grave #20 [audio]
The Beat Goes On [audio]
(short stories)
Impossible Dead [book]
(Malcom Fox #2)
Rather Be the Devil #21 [audio]
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