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Content snapshot
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Violence
Some
A murder investigation and its historical cover-up; procedural violence
Language
Some
Strong language
Sexual Content
Barely any
Mild content
Substance Use
Some
Heavy drinking; Rebus's relationship with whisky and his health continues
Emotional Intensity
Some
Institutional loyalty versus justice; the particular awkwardness of policing the police
What this book is about
A car is found buried in a Scottish forest — and inside it is the body of a private detective who went missing a decade ago. The case immediately throws up questions about an old investigation and the police officers involved. Siobhan Clarke leads the present-day inquiry; Rebus, who knew some of the original officers, works alongside her in an unofficial capacity. Ian Rankin's twenty-third Rebus novel is a polished procedural about institutional cover-up — how police close ranks around their own — and the specific difficulty of investigating colleagues without becoming the enemy.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
twenty-third of the Rebus series
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