Like Edinburgh inspector John Rebus, the resurrection men of the title are treading on thin ice--they've all been sent to a short course at the Scottish Police College because they've failed in some way, generally "an issue with authority." Rebus has been known to have issues of that nature before, which only boosts his credibility with the other cops in attendance, suspected by their bosses of being on the wrong side of the fence, on the take, or even guilty of murder on several previous occasions. The dour Inspector's agenda aims to bring the higher-ups proof of the so-called Wild Bunch's nefarious activities; in the process, his own conduct in the old case he and his college classmates must rework and revisit comes under scrutiny. A solid police procedural whose protagonist, the hero of 14 other titles in this internationally acclaimed series, continues to grow on readers who are just discovering him. --Jane Adams


From Publishers Weekly
Rankin's moody Inspector John Rebus, unorthodox pride of the Edinburgh police, begins this latest installment in hot water. He's been sent back to the police college for "retraining," with a group of other "resurrection men," for throwing a cup of coffee at a superior in a moment of frustration. It soon becomes clear, however, that the police brass have their own agenda for Rebus. Some of his fellow officers are suspected of being on the take, and it's his mission-should he accept it-to try to infiltrate their schemes, perhaps even encourage them. Meanwhile, a murder he and the edgy Det. Sergeant Siobhan Clarke have been investigating has turned up some curious links with an apparently Teflon crime boss Rebus has been after for years. The two cases gradually come together in Rankin's skillfully woven plotting, full of his trademark tough, oblique dialogue and sudden moments of touching warmth. The book's only drawbacks are that it seems a little overextended, and that the final bloody climax lacks something in conviction, if not in tension. This isn't one of Rankin's top efforts, but even coasting, he leaves most police procedurals at the gate.Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal
A top author in the UK, where he sells more than Stephen King or John Grisham, Rankin cooks up more trouble for Inspector John Rebus. This time, the disgraced Rebus is trying to solve a murder he unwittingly may have caused when he realizes that a protege's case may be related. The publisher hopes to break out Rankin with this title, so expect big publicity.Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From AudioFile
Can bad cops be turned around? How far over the line must theygo before they're irredeemable? Edinburgh's Inspector Rebus exploresthese questions while on an undercover assignment at a retrainingclass for bad cops. He digs up dirt on three classmates who turn outto be far more dangerous than anyone suspected. His life isthreatened, as is friend and protégée Detective SiobhanClark's. Joe Dunlop's reading gives a genuine voice to each character,down to the slightest differences in Scottish accent. His perfectpacing makes it possible to follow the intricately twist-ing plot, andhis poetic cadence is sheer pleasure. Seventeen hours is a commitment,but Rankin is a master storyteller, and Dunlop brings an unusual levelof intimacy to his finely tuned performance, making this time wellspent. E.S. © AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine


From Booklist
It's the perfect cover. Edinburgh Detective Inspector John Rebus, the maverick's maverick, guilty of throwing a coffee cup at his superior officer, is sent to a remedial "career counseling" course on being a better team player. But the fix is in; Rebus' real assignment is to investigate four Glasgow renegade coppers also forced to take the course. Rebus just throws cups and breaks rules; the Glaswegians may have stolen drug money. Rankin has been rightfully celebrated for his mastery of mood and character in his brooding series of "Tartan noir" procedurals. But he hasn't received enough credit for his plotting abilities. Many mystery authors run parallel plots, bringing them together in the end, but Rankin adds several layers of texture by having the plots feed off one another. Here, paralleling the career-counseling story is Rebus' unconventional, possibly illegal behavior in the resolution of an old case that is being reinvestigated as an exercise in building teamwork. Is Rebus guilty of transgressions equal to the cops he is investigating? And paralleling those stories is Rebus' colleague Siobhan Clarke's investigation of the murder of an art dealer. Rankin makes the connections between his plot strands ingeniously and subtly, adding depth not only to the story but also to the way the action reveals the souls of the characters. This installment in a truly groundbreaking series is more a straightforward procedural, less an exploration into the heart of darkness, than some of its predecessors, but it's still A-level crime writing from one of the best in the business. Bill Ott
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

FROM OUR EDITORS

The Barnes & Noble Review
Ian Rankin's Inspector Rebus books have brought him worldwide acclaim for their vividly drawn characterizations and intricate, compelling plots. In this installment, the rebellious Rebus has gone too far -- flinging a mug of tea at a superior's head lands him in Tulliallan, a police college, for retraining. There he's assigned to a group of "resurrection men" -- officers with a history of problems with authority -- who have one last chance to become team players again. At least, that's the official line. Unofficially, Rebus soon suspects there's something shady going on: Some of his classmates are clearly not strangers to one another, even though they pretend to be. And the unsolved case they've been given to rework has developed some disturbing twists. When Rebus begins to notice connections between the unsolved case and the murder investigation he was pursuing when sent away, he knows he must pick his allies with care. With no way to know which superiors or colleagues can be trusted, Rebus and his newly promoted prot￯﾿ﾽg￯﾿ﾽe, Siobhan Clarke, turn to the only people who might have the information they need: dark and dangerous figures from Scotland's criminal underworld. Resurrection Men is a gritty, edgy, suspenseful story in which loyalties aren't always what they seem￯﾿ﾽand death is often very, very close. Sue Stone

ANNOTATION

Winner of the 2004 Edgar Award for Best Novel

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Inspector John Rebus has messed up badly this time, so badly that he's been sent to a kind of reform school for damaged cops. While there among the last-chancers known as "resurrection men," he joins a covert mission to gain evidence of a drug heist orchestrated by three of his classmates. But the group has been assigned an unsolved murder that may have resulted from Rebus's own mistake. Now Rebus can't determine if he's been set up for a fall or if his disgraced classmates are as ruthless as he suspects.

When Detective Sergeant Siobhan Clarke discovers that her investigation of an art dealer's murder is tied to Rebus's inquiry, the two-protÈgÈ and mentor-join forces. Soon they find themselves in the midst of an even bigger scandal than they had imagined-a plot with conspirators in every corner of Scotland and deadly implications about their colleagues.

With the brilliant eye for character and place that earned him the name "the Dickens of Edinburgh," Ian Rankin delivers a page-turning novel of intricate suspense.

Author Biography: Ian Rankin is an Edgar Award nominee and the recipient of a Gold Dagger Award for Fiction and the Chandler-Fulbright Award. He lives in Edinburgh, Scotland, with his wife and their two sons.

FROM THE CRITICS

The New York Times

Although a reader could get dizzy trying to follow all the permutations of the three multilayered cases, Rebus not only finds the hidden connections but also manages to keep his footing in the shifting moral landscape. That, they don't teach in cop school. — Marilyn Stasio

Publishers Weekly

Rankin's moody Inspector John Rebus, unorthodox pride of the Edinburgh police, begins this latest installment in hot water. He's been sent back to the police college for "retraining," with a group of other "resurrection men," for throwing a cup of coffee at a superior in a moment of frustration. It soon becomes clear, however, that the police brass have their own agenda for Rebus. Some of his fellow officers are suspected of being on the take, and it's his mission-should he accept it-to try to infiltrate their schemes, perhaps even encourage them. Meanwhile, a murder he and the edgy Det. Sergeant Siobhan Clarke have been investigating has turned up some curious links with an apparently Teflon crime boss Rebus has been after for years. The two cases gradually come together in Rankin's skillfully woven plotting, full of his trademark tough, oblique dialogue and sudden moments of touching warmth. The book's only drawbacks are that it seems a little overextended, and that the final bloody climax lacks something in conviction, if not in tension. This isn't one of Rankin's top efforts, but even coasting, he leaves most police procedurals at the gate. (Feb. 3) Forecast: This is the first book in a new contract with a new publisher, and Little, Brown can be expected to give it an extra push, starting with a six-city author tour. Rankin has never been the top seller here that he is at home (and in Canada), but wider attention should bring sales dividends.

Library Journal

Detective inspector John Rebus of the Edinburgh CID is pulled from regular police work to infiltrate a group of possibly corrupt police officers. John is not above suspicion himself, and he worries that the others may learn about his secret past. Meanwhile, his colleague Siobhan Clarke is left to solve the murder of an art dealer. The two parallel and slowly entwining stories are adeptly read by Joe Dunlop, who meets the challenge of numerous characters, complex plotting, and gray moodiness. He incorporates all these elements in an understated reading that clearly defines each person and the (usually) terrible circumstances in which they find themselves. This dark tale of murder, theft, and greed offers little joy. This ambitious audio production is generally successful and will be enjoyed by listeners of the Rebus series, of which this is the 14th installment.-Juleigh Muirhead Clark, John D. Rockefeller Jr. Lib., Colonial Williamsburg Fdn., VA Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews