Review for The Black Book:

This is the fifth Rebus-novel I've read and I think it's my favorite so far. Not only are we up against a fantastic villain, Big Ger Cafferty (just the name!), but since both Rebus and DS Holmes are attacked, the stakes are very high. As in previous installment of the Rebus-series, the story is jam-packed with some really callous characters that Rankin brings to life through his fantastic ability to write realistic, and quite funny, dialogue. I appreciated that both DS Holmes and DC Siobhan Clarke seem to have become permanent characters in the series since they both act as excellent foils to Rebus. Also, on a personal note, Siobhan is a (non-Catholic) Hibees fan like myself, so how could I not love her?

Review for Mortal Causes:

Rebus continues to not disappoint. This installment follows a body found in Edinburgh's Mary King's Close to the perpetrators' possible involvement in the Troubles in Northern Ireland. It's full of the usual great characters along with some semi-secret societies and Rebus' fantastic nemesis, Big Ger Cafferty. As usual, Rankin is brilliant at sorting out the different voices and plots and Edinburgh, the City, plays its role very well by being as devious as it can be.

NB: If you get to go to Edinburgh, I highly recommend taking a tour of Mary King's Close - it's a like-no-other kind of experience! ( )