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03-11-14: A 2014 Interview with Ian Rankin

Click image for audio link.

"...I knew that he would not want to leave the police force..."

—Ian Rankin

Based on 'Standing in Another Man's Grave' and 'Saints of the Shadow Bible,' I'd say that both Ian Rankin's and John Rebus's best days are ahead of them. Rebus is old and demoted but undaunted. Rankin is young, in top form and ... perhaps taking a break.

So he told both going into the studio and later on tape. To my mind this is something that needs to be changed, so I'm hoping that huge sales for this novel and the paperback version of the last will motivate everyone concerned. The ending to the latest novel is fully satisfying with the exception that there's not another immediately on the horizon.

But before we got to that, we talked about the reality behinda Rebus that informs the series and keeps it fresh. Rankin is quite firm on this. Rebus ages in real time. He started out pretty old and Rankin was forced to retire him a awhile back, old to find a way to bring him back in the Cold Case Unit in last year's 'Standing in Another Man's Grave.'

But reality informs the books, and this one in particular in another manner as well. At the center of this book are two intertwined aspects of Scottish politics; the independence referendum and a tweeze on Scottish "double jeopardy" that was brought about by a real crime at, wait for it — The World's End.

Rankin explained the name of the pub and horrific crime that brought about the change in law. Of course, this opens up a lot of cases from the past — and Rebus has quite a lot of past to open up. Rankin also talked about the real retirement parties he attended. He and Rebus have some fans in the police, so gets invites the rest of us don't, other than in his novels.

You're invited to kick back with Ian Rankin as he talks about John Rebus by following this link to The MP3 audio file.




03-10-14 UPDATE: Podcast Update: Time to Read Episode 152: Ian Rankin, 'Saints of the Shadow Bible'

Click image for audio link.
Here's the one-hundred fifty-second episode of my series of podcasts, which I'm calling Time to Read. Hitting the two-year mark, I'm going to make an effort to stay ahead, so that podcast listeners can get the same sort of "sneak preview" effect that radio listeners get each Friday morning. This week, I seem to be on top opf the game, but who knows what the hell might happen. I am hoping to stay back up and stumbling.

The podcasts/radio broadcasts will be of books worth your valuable reading time. I'll try to keep the reports under four minutes, for a radio-friendly format. If you want to run them on your show or podcast, let me know.

My hope is that in under four minutes I can offer readers a concise review and an opportunity to hear the author read from or speak about the work. I'm hoping to offer a new one every week.

The one-hundred fifty-second episode is a look at Ian Rankin and 'Saints of the Shadow Bible.'

Here's a link to the MP3 audio file of Time to Read, Episode 152: Ian Rankin, 'Saints of the Shadow Bible'



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