Quick Book Reviews Blog

The face of organized crime has changed rather drastically in Scotland since the old days. Whereas gangsters used to be universally feared and even revered by many, today the old sharks see many of their revenue streams either legalized or made non-viable through other social developments. Nevertheless, they still very much exist and are dangerous in their domains of operation, still playing parts that make the news and attract the public's eye, or at least it is the case in Ian Rankin's latest detective Rebus novel, Even Dogs in the Wild .

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.

After the ordeal he endured a while ago, inspector Rebus was allowed back on the force, albeit with a demotion. As he is making his way through a mundane car crash case, news reaches his ears that a case from thirty years ago is being opened once again. What’s worse, Rebus and the men who operated under him at that time are the ones placed under suspicion, as it is believed that they have helped a murderer elude justice for their own, selfish reasons.