Book Review of A HEART FULL OF HEADSTONES by Ian Rankin

A HEART FULL OF HEADSTONES by Ian Rankin (Little Brown & Company, October 2022) Hardcover, 352 pages. ISBN # 9780316473637  

Synopsis on the Goodreads website . . . . .  

The brand-new John Rebus thriller from the #1 international bestseller Ian Rankin.

John Rebus stands accused: on trial for a crime that could put him behind bars for the rest of his life. It’s not the first time the legendary detective has taken the law into his own hands, though it might be the last.

But what drove a good man to cross the line?

Detective Inspector Siobhan Clarke may well find out. Clarke is tasked with the city’s most explosive case in years, an infamous cop, at the center of decades of misconduct, has gone missing. Finding him will expose not only her superiors, but her mentor John Rebus. And Rebus himself may not have her own interests at heart, as the repayment of a past debt places him in the crosshairs of both crime lords and his police brethren.

One way or another, a reckoning is coming – and John Rebus may be hearing the call for last orders…

My Four-Star Review on the Goodreads site . . . . .

     John Rebus is one of the best-developed characters in crime/detective fiction. What is most admirable about Ian Rankin's portrayal of Rebus is his progression, both in intuitiveness and humaneness, across over 20 novels. While his methods are often beyond conventional police procedures (and often in violation of the rules) his persistence and resolve are exceptional. 

     Rankin also continues to develop and flesh out the supporting cast, who are equally as interesting as Rebus. I've had a suspicion through the last couple of novels that one or more of them will eventually take center stage, replacing Rebus.

     I've always admired how Rankin ages his characters physically as well. Rebus suffers from several ailments, is now a retired officer who can't resist sticking his nose in where it doesn't belong and then actually making a contribution to a police investigation, and has been aging more rapidly in recent novels. I've had a sneaking suspicion that this is leading up to a finale, and A HEART FULL OF HEADSTONES sure reads like a prelude. Either jail or a nursing home. 

     This novel is a little slower to get to where it is going, but the journey is worth it. Really, the plot (and it's still a good one with a couple of neat twists) is secondary to the character development as far as I'm concerned. Please keep them coming, Ian Rankin.