The Naming of the Dead by Ian Rankin
The Naming of the Dead is the 16th Rebus novel by Ian Rankin. It is the sequel to Fleshmarket Close, which I read years ago, and the prequel to Exit Music, which I read last year. It also marks a big milestone for me – my last Rebus novel! I never intended to read the full series, but after reading a few in 2016 and 2017, I’ve been working my way backwards and forwards through the series since autumn 2022. And I’ve loved every page.
I’m pleased to say, I enjoyed The Naming of the Dead more than my last two Rebus novels – Resurrection Men and A Question of Blood.
The Naming of the Dead is set in 2005, against the backdrop of a lot of big news events at the time. The G8 Summit is taking place near Edinburgh and most of the police force have been assigned to ensure the summit goes smoothly. Protestors are gathering in their thousands, including DS Siobhan Clarke’s parents. Siobhan isn’t very keen on their new friend.
As politicians and businesspeople gather at Edinburgh Castle, an MP falls to his death. Was it suicide, accident or murder?
Meanwhile, a clue has been found in the hunt for a rapist’s murderer. And it appears he might not have been the only victim. But there aren’t many people interested in helping track down the murderer of a convicted rapist…
Once more, Rebus is in the wrong place at the wrong time, asking questions of the wrong people and causing trouble where it isn’t needed…
A leading councillor keeps popping up everywhere, doing his best for the community. But is he really acting in the best interests of the community or himself? And how much does Rebus’s nemesis, ‘Big Ger’ Cafferty know about everything which has been going on?
There is A LOT going on in The Naming of the Dead. While the action as ever takes place in and around Edinburgh, there are references to London winning the 2012 Olympics and the London bombings of 7.7.2005. This is probably the only Rebus book where I could really remember exactly where I was when the action happened. (My husband was in London when the bombs went off. He told me when I was sat in the car outside my son’s playgroup. Later I took my two kids – aged 4 and 20 months – to watch the action on TV at my grandad’s care home. My grandad died just over two months later.)
The Naming of the Dead was a fitting end to the series for me. If you enjoy detective/ police procedural type thrillers, I can’t recommend the Rebus books by Ian Rankin highly enough!
I love that I’ve been to Edinburgh and can really visualise a lot of the locations in the Rebus novels. But I do need to go back, because I have to go to The Oxford Bar.
I was very pleased to hear recently that there will be another Rebus novel coming out in October – Midnight and Blue. I will definitely be breaking my ‘no hardbacks’ rule for that one!
