Rather Be the Devil

Rather Be the Devil follows retired Inspector Rebus as he revisits a decades-old unsolved murder at Edinburgh's Waldorf Caledonian Hotel, while his former colleagues investigate new crimes in Scotland's capital. DI Siobhan Clarke and DI Malcolm Fox find themselves working parallel cases involving organized crime, financial fraud, and a suspicious death that may connect to Rebus's cold case investigation. The investigations draw in various figures from Edinburgh's underworld, including rising gangster Darryl Christie and the notorious 'Big Ger' Cafferty. The novel marks the 21st installment in Ian Rankin's Inspector Rebus series, featuring the persistent detective who, despite retirement, cannot step away from the pursuit of justice. The story moves between past and present as multiple investigations intersect across Edinburgh's criminal landscape. The book explores themes of power shifts in criminal hierarchies and the lasting impact of unsolved crimes on both victims and investigators. It examines how the past continues to influence the present in both personal and professional spheres.

Readers found this to be a solid addition to the Rebus series, particularly appreciating the interweaving of a cold case with current crimes. They noted the strong character development of Rebus dealing with aging and health issues while refusing to step away from investigations. Liked: - Complex plot connections between past and present cases - Natural progression of Rebus's character - Strong interactions between Rebus, Clarke, and Fox - Edinburgh setting details Disliked: - Some found the plot overly complicated - Less action than previous books - Too many characters to track - Several readers mentioned a slower pace Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (11,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (1,200+ ratings) "The aging detective angle adds depth to Rebus's character" - Amazon reviewer "Plot threads become tangled and confusing toward the end" - Goodreads review "Not as gripping as earlier books but still delivers" - LibraryThing user

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🔍 The title "Rather Be the Devil" comes from a famous blues song by John Martyn, reflecting Rankin's tradition of using music references in his book titles 🏰 The Waldorf Caledonian Hotel, where the cold case originates, is a real luxury hotel in Edinburgh that opened in 1903 and has hosted numerous celebrities and royalty 📚 This is the 21st book in the Inspector Rebus series, which began in 1987 with "Knots & Crosses" and has sold over 20 million copies worldwide 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 The Crime Campus at Gartcosh mentioned in the book is a real facility that opened in 2014, housing Scotland's FBI-equivalent and other major crime-fighting units 🎭 Ian Rankin originally created Rebus as a young detective but has allowed him to age in real-time throughout the series, making him one of crime fiction's few realistically aging protagonists