Knots & Crosses is the first Inspector Rebus crime novel written by Ian Rankin, when he was a postgraduate at the University of Edinburgh. He says in the introduction the character of Rebus came to him fully formed, and in 1987 Knots & Crosses was published to tepid reviews and low sales. However, Rebus caught on, and the reception to the second novel Tooth and Nail was more positive.
He has written 24 Inspector Rebus novels and I am starting with number one.
John Rebus starts out in Knots & Crosses as a Detective Sergeant, working the case from the lowest rung - door-to-doors and taking incoming calls, so he is definitely on the sidelines. Someone has been kidnapping young girls and strangling them to death, otherwise unharmed. Rebus is receiving anonymous hand delivered envelopes with either a knotted string or a matchstick bent into a cross - and a cryptic taunt about him not finding the clues. He is young and doesn't seem to take them seriously.
In true detective fashion, Rebus is separated from his wife and young daughter, he limits himself to 10 cigarettes a day - but almost always goes over, and drinks too many pints. He strikes up a relationship with a fellow policewoman, but is haunted by violent flashbacks of his experiences training for a special unit of the SAS. His is often at odds with his wealthy brother Michael, a stage hypnotist hiding a secret life, and his actions are being tracked by a nosy reporter who is convinced the two brothers are involved in illegal activity. Rebus soon finds out he is both the focus and the reason for the killer's rage - when his own daughter Samantha is kidnapped.
It's a twisty story that didn't read as well as I thought it would. I expected Rebus to be the main investigator, was surprised the character was quite a mess with his PTSD. The book seems like his first novel (it was his third) conceived as a re-telling of Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (also set in Edinburgh), which Rankin has said wasn't written as a crime novel. His introduction also admits it's not the most polished book, written almost 30 years ago. If this was a stand alone book I wouldn't recommend it, but I am willing to see what the series brings.
The Rebus series did take off, making Ian Rankin Britain's number-one crime writer, and the 24 forthcoming novels bestsellers worldwide. He was presented with the OBE and many other honours (including the Edgar Award) as well as putting Edinburgh on the literary map. He both praises it's charms and reveals the darker side and corruption.
The novels have been turned into a successful TV series starring John Hannah.
I wasn't as impressed with Knots & Crosses as I wanted to be, but am still looking forward to reading more.
1987 / Paperback / 225 pages
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