Introduction

The Rebus novels have been universally praised for the strength of characterisation, particularly the figure of Rebus himself who has been described as 'the most compelling mind in modern crime fiction' (Independent) and 'a masterful creation' (Observer); and for the gritty realisation of Edinburgh, the dark heart of contemporary Scotland which lurks behind the elegant and historic buildings of the tourist trail.

In this section, you can take a look around the Edinburgh of Inspector Rebus - the Oxford Bar, St Leonard's Police Station and some of the crime scenes he has visited - with a specially created interactive map. Find out more about some of the novels' characters (although there's no substitute for reading the real thing - check out the links page to find out some places you can order Ian Rankin novels on-line) or the background behind the successful television adaptation of Rebus.

The books

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