A Heart Full of Headstone

Prolific author, Ian Rankin, delivers a rather cerebral 25th tale featuring John Rebus. Rebus, a former detective, long retired from Police Scotland (PS), makes his way among the array of characters Rankin’s readers know very well and a few new ones. The novel contains reminders of all the sheltering at home that has transpired during Covid and the boredom endured, especially by Rebus. Now that there’s a loosening of Covid rules, Big Ger Cafferty, an aging, wheelchair-bound gangster, snags Rebus with a proposition he can’t refuse. Rebus sets out to do Cafferty’s bidding because he just cannot resist a challenge. Rebus requests the assistance of his former work buddy, Siobhan Clarke, who is much younger and still active in the ranks of PS. She is a wise and clever detective. Cafferty’s job grows to involve current and past PS officers. In other words, a hornet’s nest worth of trouble is unleashed.

Author Rankin has aged his characters allowing readers to reflect on the personal growth of some of them. There’s plenty of local Edinburgh jargon that sometimes warrants a look-up online and plenty of local color, mainly in pubs. Recommended for Rankin’s loyal fans.