Another complex novel in the Rebus series. In this, Rebus is co-opted onto a school shooting investigation by his friend Bobby Hogan, with colleague Siobhan Clarke along to drive and otherwise support him as Rebus has, it seems, badly scalded his hands in the bath. The problem is that a criminal who was stalking Siobhan and had just assaulted her in the street is now dead after a chip pan fire - and seems to have been tied to his chair during it - after being seen drinking in a pub with Rebus who then went back home with him. As Rebus is known to be protective towards Siobhan, their boss and her superiors assume he is responsible, so during the course of the novel he ends up suspended which makes it tricky for him to keep working on the school shooting - although he does manage it, of course.

Investigation into the ex-army suspect for the school shooting reveals apparent criminal involvement, and a couple of army investigators are also around to menace Rebus who eventually works out their hidden agenda. Meanwhile, Siobhan is attracted to an ex RAF friend of the shooter's with unexpected consequencies.

On the plus side I enjoyed the much greater role played by Siobhan in this and the humorous interaction between her and Rebus. However, I didn't find the guest star villains - Rankin tells the story in his foreword of how they were created after a charity raffle to auction off the right to appear in the book - at all convincing. I found their parts of the story rather dragged out and thought the book could still have worked without them and with a little rewriting to cover the essentials of their role. I also wasn't convinced by the climax wouldn't it have made more sense for someone with the proceeds of drug trafficking who has his own plane and has flown to Amsterdam many times to have tried to do a runner instead?. So the rating balances out at 4 stars for me. ( )

Rebus is always a good read. This one shows a bit of his family that we haven‘t seen before, and he reckons a bit with the impact of the army on soldiers‘ lives. This one does show its age in the technology (laptops plugged into the phone line to get internet) but the investigation techniques are timeless. ( )

Edinburgh - indeed, all of Scotland - is shocked when an ex-Army man bursts into a private school and kills two students, wounding a third before turning the gun on himself. DI Rebus is drafted into the subsequent investigation because it is believed that he might have insight into the man’s motives, being ex-Army himself. However, his ability to help is limited by the fact that he has recently sustained serious burns to his hands, unfortunately right when a lowlife who had been stalking DS Siobhan Clarke dies in a house fire, later determined to be murder - and Rebus was seen entering the man’s apartment shortly before the fatal flames…. The 14th entry in the long-running Rebus series retains the complexity, realism and contradictory nature of its protagonist, although one must wonder what police service would continue to employ a cop who continuously goes against regulations, charters his own course in uncovering malfeasance and generally remains under suspicion of wrongdoing himself! Having come to the series late, I have the comfort of knowing that he’s not in serious danger of expulsion or death because there are many more books to come; but I sincerely hope that the last scene between Rebus and Siobhan does not portend what it seems to suggest! Recommended. ( )

Un antiguo miembro de las Fuerzas Especiales del Ejército irrumpe en un acto de locura en un colegio privado del norte de Edimburgo, mata a dos alumnos de diecisiete años y acto seguido se suicida. Tal como dice el inspector Rebus, "no hay misterio", salvo el móvil. Interrogante que le conduce al corazón de una pequeña localidad conmocionada por la tragedia. Rebus, fascinado por la figura del asesino, comprueba que una investigación militar del caso entorpece la suya. Al ex comando no le faltaban amigos ni enemigos: desde personajes públicos hasta jóvenes góticos de atuendo negro y oscuros habitantes de la pequeña localidad cuyas vidas transcurren en un transfondo de secretos y mentiras.

Close to perfect Rebus. Credible plot, satisfyingly twisty and complicated. Characters fully drawn and comfortable in their skin. Writing taut and confident. Technology stuff has aged somewhat. ( )