“Standing in Another Man’s Grave” by Ian Rankin – The Thrill of the Hunt

Inspector Rebus is a dying breed of policeman; solitary, rough, and very lax on laws and boundaries as long as morality is maintained and the culprit brought to justice.

Though this sort of maverick approach to things has earned him quite a reputation, having reached the end of his rope Rebus finds himself with very few people to turn to for help.

Nevertheless, he misses the pleasure of administering retribution to the scum of the Earth, and in Standing in Another Man’s Grave by Ian Rankin, takes us on a journey with the grizzled retiree as he is called upon for help by a woman who saw her daughter disappear more than twelve years ago under mysterious circumstances.

Furthermore, a number of other girls have vanished in the same area, and though the police are as skeptical as one can expect them to be, both Nina Hazlitt (the woman) and Rebus believe that there is a dangerous serial killer at work under the radar.

Being a civilian and all on his own, Rebus must get back on the hunt he loves so dearly, all while himself being the subject of an investigation by District Attorney Malcolm Fox for suspicion of leaking information to criminal elements.

It has already been twenty-five years since Inspector Rebus made his appearance on paper, and more than seven years ago it seemed that he had retired for good. Thankfully, I believe most are grateful that Rankin brought him out of there and back on his old cold cases unit, because let me tell you, it makes for a rather grandiose novel that marks a true “return to shape” if you will of Rebus novels.

A lot of attention is paid to Rebus’ relation with his old “nemesis” (for lack of a better word) as well as the various developments which have occurred over the years in the many supporting characters that have become familiar faces throughout the series.

As far as the story in this one goes, it is simpler and more straightforward than the earlier books, which also means it is easier to follow… however, do not take this the wrong way. Though we learn fairly early on who is responsible for these grisly murders, the real pleasure lies in experiencing the thrill, pleasure and satisfaction of the hunt alongside Rebus himself.

In other words, despite knowing who it is, you are still going to be biting your nails with anticipation as to how Rebus will overcome insurmountable odds and do what he does best.

Everything is written with perfect cohesion, with all the events logically leading into each other, slowly building up the tension and culminating in a finale that will leave you shocked, satisfied, and curious about one of our most basic instincts: that of killing for any reason other than survival.

All in all, if you were craving some of the inspector Rebus or are searching for a compelling, well-written and original murder mystery, then Standing in Another Man’s Grave is certainly a piece of writing you ought to consider getting.

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Ian Rankin Personal site Ian Rankin is a crime writer of Scottish origin who is best-known in literary circles for his series of novels following Inspector Rebus from one case to the next. He has received a multitude of awards since the late 80s, including honorary doctorates and many prizes for individual books given by different European organizations.