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Dead Souls: From the iconic #1 bestselling author of A SONG FOR THE DARK TIMES

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Patience is fleshed out a little more than usual here, usually she is the woman Rebus is hardly with, often choosing to spend solitary time at his own flat. James Gale proves an excellent choice to narrate this latest entry to the long-running Inspector Rebus series. Kudos to Rankin for the heightened drama of this police procedural beyond the usual crimes and their investigations. Overall it is a solid outing, I learn more about Edinburgh every time I read a novel in this fine series.

He thought back to times when he'd been happy, realising that at the time he hadn't felt happy; it was only in retrospect that it dawned on him. He may even be said to have invented modern Scotland, or at least modern Edinburgh, for his readers, just as Scott did in his time.

I didn't much care for one of the villains in this book and I didn't like how that particular thread was left at the end of the book because I really don't want to see this particular villain again.

The series is set in Edinburgh and Rankin displays an unnerving knowledge of, seemingly, how crime works there.Rebus' actions in the opening pages cast enough of a shadow on him that his very brief involvement on another case is used by the defense to cast a shadow on the police's investigation. Gritty, interesting mystery peopled with an varied, excellent cast, headed by cynical, war weary Detective Inspector John Rebus of Edinburgh's crime squad. Realising this, Stevens joins forces with Rebus in trying to find out what Oakes’ real object is in Edinburgh.

much of the way we act day-to-day has everything to do with the way we were taught – explicitly or implicitly, by parents and other sources – to make our way in the world. And then a fragment of Scotland's criminal history is repatriated at the end of a life sentence for murder. Fortunately, Rankin doesn't get over-explicit like this too often, generally conveying Rebus' tormented inner self more subtly (and effectively).Anyway, Dead Souls focuses on crimes against children and what that can do to them -- not just at the moment they're victimized, but years later. The book isn't an easy read - in part as I am not a non-Scottish person or familiar with Edinburgh, but also beacause there so many stories happening, all including so many people.

Each time I picked the book up I'd need to review what I'd already read to remind myself who was who, whether the character presently in the spotlight had previous mentioning; or I'd be bogged down attempting to decipher the "abbrevs" (to coin one myself! I enjoyed the insights into Rebus's young life and discovering how and why he ended up in the army and from there the police force. Each subplot echoes the idea that our past moulds our future, and questions how much control we have over our destiny. In the beginning of the book he is part of a stakeout of the Edinburgh zoo trying to find the person who is poisoning the animals.

Malcolm Fox proves a worthy successor to John Rebus in Rankin’s satisfyingly layered second novel featuring the Edinburgh Internal Affairs cop (after The Complaints). An old flame from Fife sees Rebus about her missing son who disappeared after clubbing in Edinburgh. His experience with both Rough and Oakes makes Rebus think out his prejudices and question how much a person is the product of his inherited nature, and how much nurture shapes that character.

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