Dead Souls: Amazon.ca: Ian Rankin: Books

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Customer Reviews

15 Reviews

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(6)
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Average Customer Review

4.5 out of 5 stars (15 customer reviews)

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4.0 out of 5 stars A GOOD READ, April 18 2002

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"aleksandraa" (USA) - See all my reviews

"Dead Souls" is quality thriller that keeps you reading from the first page to the last. Rankin's hero, Edinburgh policeman John Rebus, juggles three plot lines: the suicide of a fellow officer, the release of two former criminals (a paedophile and a murderer) and their return to Edinburgh, and the disappearance of his secondary school sweat-heart's son. As a result, the plot and action move quickly, with creative twists and overlapping clues. The criminals are creative and keep Rebus and the reader on their toes.

For those readers devoted to the Rebus series, the "Dead Souls" installment is an opportunity to gain insight into the inner-workings of our hero. We find out about his home-town, his school-boy shannanigans, his old friends, and old ghosts. Rankin uses "Dead Souls" to develop Rebus as a character.

Unlike some of Rankin's other novels, "Deal Souls" does not fall into a series of clichés. The climax is exciting. The characters are believable and have more depth than you find in run-of-the-mill-mysteries.

I was first introduced to the work of Ian Rankin in an airport when departing for Edinburgh. I was looking for an entertaining read to get me through the flight, and found "The Falls" in the airport bookshop. Because the novel took place in Edinburgh, I thought I'd give it a shot to learn a bit about the city. I wasn't disappointed. Not only does Rankin (always) offer the reader a great mystery, but he also offers an inside look on the "real" Edinburgh. He describes real streets, real cafes, and real history. Through the ever-cynical Rebus, Rankin addresses issues facing the city as only an insider could. His writing bring Edinburgh to life for those who already know and love it, and those who want to get know it better.

"Dead Souls" is a good, entertaining, mystery/thriller. Perfect for plane rides, long commutes, and lazy Sundays. I recommend it!

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5.0 out of 5 stars Rebus In A Thriller, Feb 25 2002

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Untouchable (Sydney, NSW Australia) - See all my reviews

John Rebus comes up against two undesirables who move onto his patch. The first is Darren Rough, a paedophile who has recently been released from prison, much to Rebuses indignation and disgust. The second is Cary Oakes, a murderer who has been in prison in the US and is being released on the proviso that he return home to Edinburgh. As if this isn't enough to keep him busy, the 19 year old son of an old school friend has gone missing and Rebus is asked to help find him.

The main theme of this book is paedophilia and it attempts to highlight how many people are affected by it. So many of the main characters are haunted by incidents from their past and their actions today seem to be dictated by what happened to them so long ago. This includes Rebus himself who is still a troubled soul, although not due to paedophilia I hasten to add. It's nice to see, though, that he appears to have found a manner of peace and meaning to his work.

I found this to be one of the best Inspector Rebus books that I've read yet. This books sits more in the thriller category that the police procedural. The psychological mind games played by Oakes ensure a gripping mood leading up to a shattering climax. A definite must-read for all Rebus fans.

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4.0 out of 5 stars One of the best reads I've had this year, Aug 2 2001

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Anton (Moscow, Russia) - See all my reviews

Believe it or not, that was my first encounter with Rankin's DI Rebus, but it will definitely not be the last. A good, tight plot with many subplots and the psychological dash re Rebus is especially welcome. You can almost imagine yourself in Edinburgh - a sense of place is admirable. Oh yes, and wonderfully crafted villain characters to top it all. Get it, you won't be disappointed,

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