Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
On hunting a modern-day Mr. Hyde., 24 Aug 2006
He had wanted to update Robert Louis Stevenson's "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" for modern times, Ian Rankin writes about his first Inspector Rebus novel, "Knots and Crosses" in the introduction to the 1999 compilation "Rebus:The Early Years," which contains the first three installments of the series. Oblivious to the mere existence of such a thing as the mystery genre - or so Rankin says - he was stunned to soon hear his book described first and foremost as a crime novel. But eventually this characterization prompted him to have a closer look at the work of other mystery writers, and he found that the form suited his purposes just fine; that in fact he "could say everything [he] wanted to say about the world, and still give readers a pacy, gripping narrative."
Bearing in mind the original duality of Jekyll and Hyde, however, Rankin's tales are not dominated by a contrast painted in black and white. While the villains Inspector Rebus faces are certainly every bit as evil as Stevenson's Mr. Hyde, Rebus himself is far from a clean-slated "good guy:" Divorced, cynical, hard-drinking and a former member of the SAS, he is a brother in spirit to every noir detective from Dashiell Hammett's Sam Spade and Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe to Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch, James Ellroy's squad of crooked cops and Peter Robinson's Alan Banks. Nor is Rebus's Edinburgh the touristy town of Calton Hill, castle and Summer Festival (although the series has meanwhile sparked real-life guided tours to its most famous locations, too) - as befitting a true detective of his ilk, Rankin's antihero moves primarily in the city's dark and dirty underbelly, which is populated by society's losers and where those who have "made it," those with money in their pockets, only show up if they have shady deals to conduct as well.
The title of Rankin's second Rebus novel, "Hide and Seek," is an even more overt play on Robert Louis Stevenson's famous dual character(s) than the mere juxtaposition of cop and killer in "Knots and Crosses;" and when the villain's identity is finally unveiled, the parallels between this book and Stevenson's become even more obvious. Here, Rebus is on the hunt for the killer of a junkie whose half-naked body is found in a run-down, deserted building in the Pilmuir housing estates - the worst part of town, notwithstanding a nearby construction project involving high-priced luxury condominiums - positioned crucifixion-style and near a drawing possibly hinting at Satanic rituals. And Rebus's only witness seems to be the young woman who had been living with the dead man for the last three months and heard him yell "Hide!" before pushing her out of the door, telling her: "They've murdered me;" but who is now more than just a little reluctant to cooperate, taking refuge, instead, behind an almost unbreakable rebel-against-society-facade, complete with peroxide hair, stud earrings and Attitude with a capital "A."
While this series had a terrific start already in its first two novels, published in 1987 and 1991, Rebus's character - and Rankin's writing - has evolved significantly over time. Thus, it is probably wise to read it in the order of publication. Contrary to his nonseries thrillers, however, which he views much more critically in hindsight, Ian Rankin overall still seems to be happy with his early Rebus books, commenting: "I can't read them without thinking back to my own early years, my apprenticeship as a crime writer. Read and enjoy." I have nothing to add to that ...
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not the best, 17 Sep 2007
Hide and Seek is, perhaps, not the most technically accomplished crime novel. There are three types of characters. Firstly, we have the police. Secondly, we have those involved in the dastardly deeds. Thirdly, we have red herrings to throw us off the scent. This makes for quite a claustrophobic novel, without the room to develop Inspector Rebus as a character or really explore the city of Edinburgh. There is little sense of the past - characters just are what they are.
The plot is far fetched - even by the standards of the crime novel. The murders seem to be disproportionate given the relatively mundane level of nefarious activity that they were designed to protect. Without giving the game away, that nefarious activity itself lacks a sense of proportion too. And is it really de rigeur for the detective to become personally imperilled. I know we are talking about escapist fiction, but most murderers do not stalk those who are investigating them.
There is also an absolute howler where the guys from Rebus's police station raid a dog fighting ring in Fife. Unfortunately - and you'd think Ian Rankin would have known being a Fifer himself - Fife has its own police force. Lothian and Borders Police would not raid dog fighting rings across the water and end up in Dunfermline police station.
I suspect the redeeming feature of the novel is a sense of place. Edinburgh is a fantastic city and the glimpses we are allowed to see of the world heritage site and its seamier underbelly do draw the reader in. I hope, though, that later Rebus novels allow that exploration to be more than skin deep, and to bring in characters who are not quite so essential to the plot.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Rankin is excellent, 10 Dec 2006
Having heard a great deal about the novels by Ian Rankin, but unfortunately not read any, I put this right by reading Rankin's second Rebus book, Hide & Seek. I am a fan of crime fiction, and on another of my hunts round a public library, this time Billericay with my friend a and reading companion Rebecca, I found a shelf half devoted to Ian Rankin, and picked out a book.
Hide & Seek's story gets moving when a body of a young drug addicted drop out is discovered in an Edinburgh squat, positioned on the floor in a cross shape, with a couple of burnt candles and a five pointed star daubed on the wall. This beginning seems very occult, and it gets darker, when Rebus meets a select group of some of Scotland's most financially well-off business men. Rebus's colleagues try to tempt him into passing the case off as another death of an overdosed "junkie", but Rebus, ever the master at suspecting, continues it through to the disturbing end. The book was fast paced, especially the ending, and though a little predictable, thoroughly readable.
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