Black and Blue – Ian Rankin

Description

Black and Blue is the eighth instalment in Ian Rankin’s bestselling Inspector Rebus series, a gritty, atmospheric crime saga set in Scotland. This novel sees Detective John Rebus facing one of his most complex cases yet, as he navigates the dark underbelly of crime, corruption, and his own haunted past.

Decades ago, the notorious serial killer “Bible John” terrorised Glasgow, brutally murdering three women he met at a local ballroom. He was never caught. Now, a chilling copycat—dubbed “Bible Johnny” by the media—is on the loose, determined to claim the same infamy.

Rebus should be leading the hunt, but after a clash with a crooked superior, he’s been relegated to Edinburgh’s roughest districts. There, he investigates the murder of an off-duty oil worker—a case that drags him into the treacherous world of the North Sea oil rigs. As his investigation deepens, Rebus uncovers links between the oilman’s death and the Bible Johnny murders, forcing him to confront both Scotland’s darkest secrets and his own failures.

Ian Rankin’s masterful storytelling, rich character development, and razor-sharp dialogue make Black and Blue a standout in the series, blending real historical crimes with gripping fiction.