The Black Book

Written by Ian Rankin

Narrated by Michael Page

“In Rankin, you cannot go wrong.” —The Boston Globe

“A superior series.” —The New York Times Book Review

“Reading [Ian Rankin] is like watching somebody juggle a dozen bottles of single malt without spilling a drop.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Five years ago, a mysterious fire burned Edinburgh’s seedy Central Hotel to ashes. Long-forgotten and unsolved, the case reappears when a charred body—with a bullet in its head—is found among the ruins. Inspector John Rebus knows that his superiors would prefer he leave things alone. He knows that part of the answer lies somewhere in a cryptic black notebook. And he knows that to solve the case, he’ll have to peel back layer after layer of unspeakable secrets to arrive at the truth.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: Oct 8, 2013
• ISBN: 9781480523586

Ian Rankin

Ian Rankin is the worldwide #1 bestselling writer of the Inspector Rebus books, including Knots and Crosses, Let It Bleed, Black and Blue, Set in Darkness, Resurrection Men, A Question of Blood, The Falls and Exit Music. He is also the author of The Complaints and Doors Open. He has won an Edgar Award, a Gold Dagger for fiction, a Diamond Dagger for career excellence, and the Chandler-Fulbright Award. He has been elected a Hawthornden Fellow, and received the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his contributions to literature. He graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 1982. He lives in Edinburgh, Scotland, with his wife and their two sons.

Reviews for The Black Book

[nakmeister · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Nothing much of interest is going on Rebus’ patch at the start of the book, except that he gets kicked out by his lady friend, Patience. He’s let his flat out to students though, so he ends up kipping on the sofa in his own place. Before long, his friend and colleague, Detective Sergeant Holmes, gets attacked outside a late night café and is unconscious in hospital. He finds a Black Book, which was on Holmes’ person when he was attacked. It’s written in code, and seems to contain cryptic details on ‘extra-curricular cases’ he’s been working on. And Rebus has a horrible feeling that this Black Book was why he was attacked, and sets out to find out why.This is perhaps the best Rebus novel I’ve read to date. It’s difficult to describe what’s so good about it. The quality of writing is excellent, the setting is incredibly real and detailed, and Rebus’ character is so real I have a certain difficulty believing he doesn’t exist.

[romonko · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

If you have not read a John Rebus book, and if you like hard-hitting, fast-paced British mysteries, then you have a treat in store for you. I highly recommend Edinburgh's Dick Tracy (DI John Rebus). This is the fifth book in this series, and as always it's best to start at the beginning, but if you don't and start with this book that's OK too. Rebus has morphed by this book. He is a really strong character with the tenacity of a bloodhound when he's on the hunt. When a close colleague is mugged in an alley, Rebus is drawn into a case that began five years ago when a famous hotel burned to the ground. When the smoke cleared a body with a bullet hole in his head is found. The body has not been identified by the time Rebus gets on the case. With the help of his new DC Siobhan Clarke, they try to bring down a huge crime ring that has been terrorizing Edinburgh for ages. This is an intelligently written, hard-hitting, tightly written book that kept me turning pages.

[sullywriter_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A compelling tale of jealousy, life-altering tragedy, shame, and grief told in chapters alternating in prose and graphic narrative.

[flipsockgrrl_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

An anniversary edition of this novel with a new introduction by Rankin (this is what makes it a "Custom" book in the library catalolgues). This is the fifth John Rebus novel. The plot is more of a puzzle than a straightforward thriller, with gothic undertones. Rankin's confidence as a writer is clearly growing. For the first time Siobhan Clarke and Big Ger Cafferty emerge as fully-fledged characters each reflecting different aspects of Rebus's own personality. Several other characters from earlier novels reappear in this book, and some of the locations are real rather than fictional.

[stevealdous · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Rebus is a strong character and it is the interest the reader has in him rather than the routine story that keeps you turning the pages.