IAN Rankin is talking about killing someone. Not surprising perhaps as his business is crime in general and murder in particular. What does come as a shock is the identity of the person he’d like to bump off – his bestselling creation detective John Rebus.
With a new Rebus play, TV series and book in the works the Scottish detective, John Rebus is very much alive and kicking. “I have tried to bump him off or get rid of him several times,” confesses Rankin. “But he seems to want to stick around.
He refuses to leave my head.” Previous attempts to rid himself of Rebus, including the detective’s retirement, have ended in failure. “With the previous novel I thought this is the end because at the end of the book he’s in court charged with murder and in the dock waiting to be sentenced,” he explains.
“I thought ‘what a great way to finish the Rebus series’ ...
then fans disagreed. They said ‘we need to know what happened in court. Was he found guilty or not guilty?’ “So I’ve written this latest book to explain that and answer the question.
The end of this new book is, I think, a very good end to the series. So let’s wait and see. It’s up to him, not up to me.
It’s up to Rebus. He’ll tell me when he’s had enough of me.” That latest Rebus book is published in October and Rankin will be out and about doing interviews and discussing the book.
But he’s on the line today to talk about the latest Rebus stage play Rebus: A Game Called Malice i.