In a House of Lies
 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 |
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]
Plot
[edit]Some 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
[edit]Ian 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
[edit]Reception 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.
