It doesn't seem like 25 years since Rebus first hit the pages. In the 5 years since his retirement, I've missed him. The couple of books about The Complaints Division featuring the humourless, disagreeable and teetotal Malcolm Fox have helped to fill the gap, but Standing In Another Man's Grave cleverly squares the circle. Rebus returns and comes across his old adversary Fox.
Rebus comes out of retirement to work cold case files, but as a civilian. He has none of his previous powers as a police officer, but as may be expected, this small constraint doesn't stop him investigating in his own inimitable style. The route of the A9 links disappearances and unusually, Rebus leaves Edinburgh to follow leads all over Scotland. His beloved Saab is still going strong and other familiar characters including Big Ger and Siobhan also feature. The plot is more straightforward than many of the earlier stories and I found it easier to decide who's responsible for the killings. However, that doesn't detract in any way. It's a well judged page turner, the pace builds and lets go a number of times. For me, Mr Rankin nails dialogue. It's real people speaking, whoever they may be. The contrast between Fox and Rebus is stark. Fox remains sterile and disapproving whilst Rebus is almost anarchic, but human and likeable. The musical references are there, but increasingly involve a sense of mortality. Some of the most poignant moments are when Rebus reflects on the death of musicians of a similar age to himself, including John Martyn and Bert Jansch.
The good news is that the way is left open for Rebus to return. The retirement age for Police has been raised and Rebus makes it clear he wants another stint in his old job. For me, Rebus has lost non of his old magic. He remains a highly individual but engaging character. He has a distinct style and outlook but has always managed not to become a stereotype or caricature. The narrative is still fresh and relevant; there's no sense of complacency or cashing in. It's almost as if the author, too, missed and old friend. There's life in the old dog yet and the bite's as keen as ever in this outing. Thank you Mr Rankin; I hope there's another soon!