Recommendations For Ian Rankin

Recommended by Savannah Cooper

Ian Rankin is a fantastic storyteller and writes well on so many levels. Has a great ear for dialogu

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Recommended by Caroline Reed

I really love the Inspector Rebus series by Ian Rankin. Well developed characters, excellent story l

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Recommended by Cora Peterson

I recommend Ian Rankin’s Rebus series. They are fabulous! I’ve been reading the books for decades an

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Books By Ian Rankin

Rebus' Scotland
The Flood
The Travelling Companion
The People's City
Meet and Greet
A Cool Head
Dark Road
A Heart Full of Headstones
Midnight and Blue
The Beat Goes On: The Complete Rebus Stories
A Good Hanging
Rebus: Long Shadows
A Game Called Malice: A Rebus Play
John Rebus: A Mysterious Profile
Witch Hunt
Bleeding Hearts
Blood Hunt
The Complaints
The Impossible Dead
The Rise: A Short Story
Rather be the Devil
Doors Open
In a House of Lies
Watchman: A Novel
A Song for the Dark Times
Westwind
Black and Blue
The Hanging Garden
Dead Souls
Set in Darkness
The Falls
Resurrection Men
A Question of Blood
Fleshmarket Close
The Naming of the Dead
Knots and Crosses
Exit Music
Hide and Seek
Standing in Another Man's Grave
Tooth and Nail
Saints of the Shadow Bible
Strip Jack
Even Dogs in the Wild
The Black Book
Mortal Causes
Let it Bleed
In the Nick of Time: John Rebus vs. Roy Grace

Tips and Resources From Your Ian Rankin Book Club Friends:

Ian Rankin’s John Rebus first appeared in Knots & Crosses in 1987. Since then, the fictional detective has been featured in 25 novels (so far), over a dozen short stories, two plays, and two television series. Rankin has even written a travel book highlighting Edinburgh according to Rebus. Rebus is a complex character who struggles with personal demons, including struggles with alcoholism and relationships but Rankin makes you care about Rebus despite his flaws. Rankin’s rich characterizations, ear for dialogue, and crackling exciting storytelling keeps readers coming back for more. His vivid descriptions of Edinburgh almost make the Scottish city a secondary character in the books. In addition to Rebus, Rankin has written several thrillers, two Malcolm Fox books and more. What aspects of Rankin’s writing draw you in the most? Do his descriptions of Edinburgh make you want to visit the places he mentions? What do you think of Rebus as a character? Let’s have a good craic about it.

the order of the Books and all Related Books Available
All Ian Rankin’s Book Series in Order of Publication

Find the right order of the books in the series.

Inspector Rebus Books In Order
Malcolm Fox Books In Order
Recommendations From Ian’s Fans

Michael Connelly

Recommended by Audrey Stewart

Hands down, I think the best living writer in the English language is the Bosch universe of books by

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Recommended Books From Ian Rankin Fans

An Evil Heart
The Black Echo
Rain Gods
Prophecy
Waiting for Wednesday
The Right Jack
Toxic Prey
The Skull Beneath the Skin
The Retribution
Elegy for Eddie
The Kingdom
Victims: An Alex Delaware Novel
Devil's Delight: An Agatha Raisin Mystery
Past Lying
Four Aunties and a Wedding
House of Stone
Rules of Prey
Duel to the Death
Killer Market
The Hanging Valley
A Gathering of Secrets
The Vicious Vet
The Girl of His Dreams
Diamond Solitaire
The Western Star: A Longmire Mystery
Bones Never Lie
A Place Called Freedom
Letters to a Soldier
The Jewels of Paradise
Critical Mass: A V.I. Warshawski Novel
Innocent Blood
Any Other Name: A Longmire Mystery
The Longmire Defense
Evan Blessed
Perfect People
Big Sky
The Evidence Exposed
Murder in Williamstown
A Noble Radiance
The Dry
Windy City Blues: V. I. Warshawski Stories
The Shattered Tree
The Postscript Murders
Mary's Christmas
To Kill a Troubadour
In a Dry Season
The Angel Court Affair
Blood on Snow
Curious Minds
Devil May Care
Dressed for Death
The Golden Egg
Flashback
The Distant Echo
Wednesday's Child: An Inspector Banks Novel
Midnight Sun
Cimarron Rose
Telling Tales
The Beautiful Mystery
The Third Girl
The Burnt House
Bloodhounds
The Conditions of Unconditional Love
Undone: Will Trent
The Blackhouse
After the Storm
The Hunter
Left for Dead
Brunswick Gardens
The Highway
Skeleton Hill
The Brass Verdict
The Apprentice: A Rizzoli & Isles Novel
Death of a Bore
Total Recall: A V. I. Warshawski Novel
The Tooth Tattoo
Vanish: A Rizzoli & Isles Novel
Death in the Devil's Acre
Death and Judgment
The Silkworm
Death of a Witch
Death by Water
The Price of Love and Other Stories
Unnatural Habits
Not the Ones Dead
Our Lady of Pain: An Edwardian Murder Mystery
World Without End
A Private Investigation: A DC Smith Investigation
The Night of Four Hundred Rabbits
Death at Victoria Dock
Mulholland Dive: Three Stories
The Impossible Dead
Incident at Badamaya: A Novel
Fall of Giants
The Face of a Stranger: A William Monk Novel
The Raging Storm
A Christmas Resolution: A Novel
Hunter's Moon
The Truth: A DC Smith Investigation
The Miracle at Speedy Motors
You Will Never Be Me
Away in a Manger
Endangered
The Black Box
Venus in Copper
Murder on the Ile Sordou
The Trespasser
Birds of a Feather
The Silent Girl
Broken: A Novel
What Rose Forgot
Monster: An Alex Delaware Novel
Destroyer Angel
Watchers of Time
The Madness of Crowds
Deborah's Judgment: A Deborah Knott Short Story
Death Comes to Pemberley
Trophy Hunt
The Horse You Came in On
Abattoir Blues
Bone Box: A Decker/Lazarus Novel
False Witness: A Novel
Death of a Snob
Pardonable Lies
The Potted Gardener
Missing Joseph
Black and Blue
Laurie R. King's Sherlock Holmes
Girl Waits with Gun
A Faint Cold Fear
The Sisters of Glass Ferry
A Measure of Darkness
Dead Beat
The Good Daughter: A Novel
The Third Nero
Bootlegger's Daughter
Payment in Kind
The Deadly Dance
Belgrave Square
Point of Origin
A Certain Justice
Naughty In Nice
The Butcher's Theater
Eye for an Eye
Wicked Business
Blood Trail
Dear Miss Kopp
Headhunters
Dorchester Terrace
The Bone Hacker
The Circle
The Clinic: An Alex Delaware Novel
Storm Prey
Looking Good Dead
R is for Ricochet
Trace
Flags on the Bayou
The Nature of the Beast
Body Double
A Colder Kind of Death
The Sinister Pig
Heartstone
The Girl with Braided Hair
Spirit of Steamboat: A Longmire Story
Midnight Guardian
Necessary as Blood
Into the Darkness
The Old Silent
Dead Man's Footsteps
Failure to Appear
Grave Secrets
A Great Deliverance
Gone Before Christmas: A Charles Lenox Mystery
Bruno and Le Pere Noel: A Bruno
Dead Man's Chest
Photo Finish
Unnatural History: An Alex Delaware Novel
The Evening and the Morning
The Grey Wolf
1979: An Allie Burns Novel
Double Homicide
A Lesson in Dying
Agatha Raisin and the Murderous Marriage
A Hanging at Dawn: A Bess Crawford Short Story
Masked Prey
The Stranger Diaries
Blindsighted
High Country
The Best American Mystery Stories 1998
Jackdaws
The Vanishing Museum on the Rue Mistral
The Careful Use of Compliments
Image in the Lake
Moonflower Murders
Storm Front
Blood Hunt
Spider Girl
The Black Book
Killing the Shadows
The Running Grave
The Shifting Tide: A William Monk Novel
Messenger: A Walt Longmire Story
The Love Talker
The King's Ransom
The Other Side of the Door
Unfinished Business
Dark Fire
Trouble
Twenty-one Days
Eleven on Top
The Secrets of the Bastide Blanche
Pray for Silence
Speaking in Bones
Doors Open
Picture You Dead
The Glass Coffin
A Palm for Mrs. Pollifax
Endangered Species
Talking God
In a Dark House
A Killing of Innocents
Wait for Signs: Twelve Longmire Stories
A Serpent's Tooth: A Longmire Mystery
The Night Fire
Breakdown: A V.I. Warshawski Novel
Before the Poison
The Anodyne Necklace
The Course of Honour
Street of the Five Moons: A Vicky Bliss Novel of Suspense
The Mysterious Bookshop Presents the Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2023
Journey to Munich
The Rose Arbor
Ice Cold: A Rizzoli & Isles Novel
Dust: A Richard Jury Mystery
The First Eagle
A Stranger in Mayfair
Just a Little Bit Dangerous
A is for Alibi
W is for Wasted
Swan Peak
Boar Island
Sleeping in the Ground: An Inspector Banks Novel
Treasure State
A Question of Betrayal
Fever of the Bone
No Mark Upon Her
The Edge of Dreams
Alchemist
Play with Fire
Lamentation
Left You Dead
Long Time Gone
The English Assassin
Field of Prey
L is for Lawless
Tuesday's Gone
I'll Keep You Safe
Never Say Die
The Dark Angel
Bad Blood
Heirs and Graces
A Banquet of Consequences
The Sheen on the Silk
The Twisted Root: A William Monk Novel
Harbour Street
The Camera Man: A DC Smith Investigation
At Risk
The Private Patient
Hiss and Hers
Ill Wind
Paragon Walk
Uncertain Voyage: A Novel
Police: A Harry Hole Novel
The Woman in the Water: A Prequel to the Charles Lenox Series
The Drop
Uniform Justice
Track of the Cat
Hardball: A V.I. Warshawski Novel
The Temptation of Forgiveness
Still Dead: A J.P. Beaumont Novella
Death of a Celebrity
Blowback
Death of a Master Chef: A Brittany Mystery
The Bones of Paris
Four to Score
A Christmas Visitor
What Time the Sexton's Spade Doth Rust
The Golem of Hollywood
Death of a Policeman
Stately Holmes
A Question of Belief
Christmas in Absaroka County: Walt Longmire Christmas Stories
Hour of the Hunter
Acqua Alta
Tears of the Giraffe
A Song for the Dark Times
The Deeds of the Disturber
Entry Island
The Chase

“Rebus drank his coffee and felt his head spin. He was feeling like the detective in a cheap thriller, and wished that he could turn to the last page and stop all his confusion, all the death and the madness and the spinning in his ears.”

Ian Rankin, Strip Jack
Diane Murray
“If you like gritty and complex lead characters then Rebus is for you. Personally, I like my detectives to have flaws that they have to overcome. I also love the descriptions of Edinburgh in the books. And Rankin’s writing is exceptional.”

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