Even Dogs in the Wild

Detective John Rebus returns from retirement to assist DI Siobhan Clarke with a complex case involving the murder of a former prosecutor and threats against notorious Edinburgh gangster 'Big Ger' Cafferty. Multiple threatening notes suggest a connection to events from three decades past. Detective Malcolm Fox conducts surveillance on Glasgow criminals who appear to be expanding their territory into Edinburgh, while local crime figures Cafferty and Darryl Christie navigate an increasingly dangerous landscape. The investigation forces police to confront both current criminal enterprises and long-buried secrets. The story operates at the intersection of past and present, examining how old sins cast long shadows and how loyalty can bind together even the most unlikely allies. Through its exploration of power, revenge, and justice, the novel demonstrates why Edinburgh remains one of crime fiction's most compelling settings.

Readers found this to be a solid entry in the Rebus series, with the retired detective's role feeling natural rather than forced. The interconnected plot threads and character dynamics between Rebus, Clarke, and Fox drew praise. Liked: - Complex relationships between police characters - Authentic portrayal of Edinburgh - Multiple storylines that come together - Return of gangster Big Ger Cafferty Disliked: - Slow pacing in first third of book - Too many characters to track - Some found the plot overly complicated - Several readers noted it's not the best entry point for new readers Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (9,800+ ratings) Amazon UK: 4.5/5 (2,100+ ratings) Amazon US: 4.3/5 (800+ ratings) "The interactions between Fox and Rebus are worth the price alone," noted one Amazon reviewer. A Goodreads user critiqued: "Takes too long to get going, but delivers in the final third."

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🔍 The title "Even Dogs in the Wild" comes from a song by Scottish post-punk band The Associates, reflecting Rankin's tradition of using music references in his book titles. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 This is the 20th book in the Inspector Rebus series, which has helped establish Edinburgh as a major setting in crime fiction, alongside cities like Raymond Chandler's Los Angeles. 👥 The character of 'Big Ger' Cafferty was partially inspired by real-life Edinburgh criminals of the 1980s and has appeared as Rebus's nemesis-turned-occasional-ally throughout the series. 🏆 Ian Rankin received an Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2002 for his contributions to literature, and has sold over 30 million copies of his books worldwide. 🎭 The book explores a recurring theme in Scottish literature known as "Caledonian Antisyzygy" - the idea of dual personalities and moral ambiguity, similar to themes in Stevenson's "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde."