It's been 30 years since Scottish author Ian Rankin introduced the world to Detective Inspector John Rebus, an Edinburgh police officer and former SAS member with a curmudgeonly, sometimes misanthropic disposition. Knots and Crosses, the first of 21 Inspector Rebus mysteries, was written while Rankin was still a postgraduate student at the University of Edinburgh. It takes place in an Edinburgh terrorized by a serial killer strangling young girls. Inspector Rebus, between overindulging on drinks, cigarettes and women, investigates the murders, only to discover that his own family and military past are keys to stopping the killings.
Rebus's hardboiled exploits have made Rankin an international bestseller. He has been praised for his elaborate plots that span a wide variety of Scottish locations and weave throughout the series. The novels take place in real time, so Rebus ages as the books progress. 2007's Exit Music, the 17th in the series, retired Rebus from the police force, but not from solving crimes. His latest mystery, Rather Be the Devil, was published by Little, Brown on January 31 ($27, 9780316342575). Knots and Crosses was last published by Minotaur Books in 2008 ($16.99, 9780312536923). --Tobias Mutter