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Black And Blue: Abridged
 
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Black And Blue: Abridged [Abridged] [Audiobook] (Audio Cassette)

by Ian Rankin (Author), James Macpherson (Narrator)
3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Audio Cassette
  • Publisher: Orion (20 April 2000)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0752818074
  • ISBN-13: 978-0752818078
  • Product Dimensions: 14 x 10 x 1.8 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 697,834 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Product Description

Product Description
Inspector John Rebus must disinter all four cases to nail just one killer. And do it while facing the glare of an internal inquiry led by a man he has just accused of taking backhanders from Glasgow's Mr Big, and with TV cameras at his back investigating a miscarriage of justice. One mistake is likely to mean an unpleasant and not particularly speedy death or, worse still, losing his job. With BLACK & BLUE Ian Rankin joins the elite of British crime writing' Marcel Berlins THE TIMES John Rebus, an outstanding creation...very ambitious and very confident with acute observation of the not so bonny side of Scotland' Mike Ripley, DAILY TELEGRAPH This is the Rebus book that Rankin fans have been waiting for; the one that moves him into the big league' CRIME TIME An outstanding performance' SUNDAY TIMES

About the Author
Ian Rankin has been elected a Hawthornden Fellow; and is also a past winner of the prestigious Chandler-Fulbright Award, as well as two CWA Daggers for the year's best short story and the Gold Dagger for Fiction for Black and Blue. He lives in Edinburgh and is married with two sons. Bill Paterson is an award winning actor who has appeared in many TV, film and theatre roles including The Singing Detective, Licking Hitler, Auf Wiedersehen Pet, The Killing Fields and Comfort and Joy. James Macpherson has played DCI Jardine in Taggart for sixteen years, and has acted on stage in plays as diverse as The Taming of the Shrew and works by Hamish Wilson. He has presented a regular books programme for Radio Scotland - for which he has interviewed Ian Rankin. He won a Gold Award for his reading of Strip Jack at the Spoken Word Awards 2004. He lives in Glasgow.

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Customer Reviews

14 Reviews
5 star:
 (4)
4 star:
 (6)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:
 (2)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.6 out of 5 stars (14 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best books I have ever read., 3 Jan 2001
This review is from: Black And Blue (Inspector Rebus) (Paperback)
As this was my first Rebus book, i was a little sceptical at first, however I was proved wrong. So much that I've started buying the other books in the series. This book has insane attention to detail and the research for this book is incredible. The dialogue is also stunning, realistic and is packed with humour. Rankin uses dialogue with the precision of a chess master and techniques far beyond my expectations. Being a citizen of Aberdeen, i found the detail very accurate and i could picture the settings in my mind with ease. The description in this story also creates images and pictures that make the book easy to understand. You can picture what people look like from Rebus' descriptions. Dont listen to the Yanks who have read the Rebus novels and hate them- They arent Scots so they wouldnt understand our slang and culture. Just buy it.
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Why not start here - a good intro the the world of Rebus, 21 Jan 2003
This review is from: Black And Blue (Inspector Rebus) (Paperback)
This is a great detective book with a number of plot threads to keep you hooked. I demolished this book in only a few short reading sessions desperate to find out not only who serial killer Johnny Bible was but how this would tie in with the resolution of everything else Ian Rankin has packed into this story.

John Rebus is now a strong central character and Ian Rankin has also created a strong cast of characters centred both around Rebus's home and work life.
This series of books have a definate reading order and events in one book often effect future stories. Despite this Black & Blue may be a good book to start with - Rankin is very much at the height of his powers on this story. Black & Blue gives a much better account of how good his books can be than some of the earlier novels.
Although this book talks about events in Rankin's 'Knots & Crosses' tale the ending of that is never given away. Other plot points from other stories are alluded to but, in my opinion, should not reduce your enjoyment of his earlier tales.

So if you want a solid, intelligent, exciting detective story with added Scottish grit (and humour) look no further.

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19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars complex, gripping, satisfying Scottish crime novel, 25 Jan 2002
By Dr. Sn Cottam "Steve the medic" (Preston, England) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Black And Blue (Inspector Rebus) (Paperback)
Inspector John Rebus returns in a multi-stranded novel, ostensibly starting with the murder of a North Sea oil worker in Edinburgh, with ramifications including an old and new serial killer, an investigative TV program claiming a miscarriage of justice and vicious gangland drug operations. Ian Rankin is bang up to date with his background and brings these diverse strands brilliantly together to a satisfying and realistic conclusion.

Perhaps the strongest feature of Rankin's writing is his evocation of the social, political and of course criminal landscape of modern Scotland, and this novel is no exception as Rebus travels between Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen and then on to Shetland and the North Sea itself to follow his leads and make his cases. Rankin's narrative sweeps along as strong as ever and the occasional implausibilities and jarring cliches just do not seem to matter.

All in all, Rankin continues on form in another richly satisfying and gripping read. If you like crime fiction, you'll love Ian Rankin's books.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the greatest novels of the 1990s in any genre
I don't usually post reviews to amazon but felt that this book shouldn't have a two-star critique at the head of its feedback. Read more
Published on 29 May 2007 by S. R. Body

2.0 out of 5 stars A lot of better books around
The version I read started with an introduction by the author where he says that this is the best Rebus he has written yet - which I found vaguely irritating. Read more
Published on 9 Nov 2006 by Janie U

5.0 out of 5 stars Wicked!
I picked this book up simply because it featured in a 3 for 2 offer at Dublin airport and I needed something to read on the way home from the Republic. Read more
Published on 20 Jul 2004 by aaron_atkinson_16

5.0 out of 5 stars Vintage Rebus
Rebus really outdoes himself in this book. He manages to get himself into serious trouble by annoying superior officers in three different cities at the same time…and I... Read more
Published on 3 Nov 2003 by Untouchable

4.0 out of 5 stars For those that don't know...
Another great read. Admittedly not the best from him, but good all the same. In order to fully appreciate the any series one needs to start as close to the beginning as possible... Read more
Published on 8 Aug 2001

1.0 out of 5 stars black & blue - extremely hard work
I was inspired to read one of Ian Rankin's novels after listing to a radio interview with him. During the interview Rankin brought Inspector Rebus to life with vivid descriptions... Read more
Published on 17 April 2001

1.0 out of 5 stars A dull book.
I had to keep re-reading to follow the plot. It just was not worth the effort. Very little tension - no surprises - many characters and scenes that confuse but rarely interest. Read more
Published on 20 Nov 2000

4.0 out of 5 stars Compelling and dark
I read an article about Bible John about five years ago and found it fascinating. Rankin has done a great job of weaving the truth of the story with the fiction of his novel and... Read more
Published on 20 Nov 2000 by Mrs. K. A. Wheatley

4.0 out of 5 stars The type of book you don't want to put down
I started reading this book when i saw its adaptation on the T.V a while ago and just had to read the book. I was not disappointed. The book was just as good as the t.v show. Read more
Published on 14 Nov 2000

4.0 out of 5 stars Great characterisation and a gripping plot
This is the first novel I have read by Ian Rankin and it will not be the last. Slow to start, as soon as the plot establishes iteself, it is an enjoyable novel with very tangible... Read more
Published on 6 Jun 1999

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