This book is well written, gritty and engaging. I really wanted to find out what happened but really didn't want it to finish. If you liked the Rebus books, then you'll really like this. It is more rounded, more complex but ultimately more readable. My partner and I got hooked and stayed up late to listen to it. Well worth investing the time.

Rankin is a favourite of mine because of his good (relatively) plausible plots and his exquisite language. A sentence like this: "Sandblasting him with a smile" you just won't find in normal crime fiction!



I'm also very fond of listening to the Scottish, so credibly read (at least to my foreign ear) by Peter Forbes.



This book had a few places where my heart sunk a little - you know, where a teensy weensy bit of extra editing would've improved it. But generally, I was well entertained and now know quite a bit more about Scotland's newer history and nationalism than I did before.

if there was a 4.5 score I'd award it. The deadpan narration and steady pace of the story took a little settling into but I ended up addicted and completely satisfied with this unexpected treat. I immediately downloaded the first in the Inspector Fox series and hope to enjoy many more to come. I was reminded of the Alec Blume series which is set in a different country but still has a decent cop dealing with internal corruption.

This is my first Ian Rankin audio book, I found it gripping right to the end, it makes you feel like you are there, off to download the next one now, I'm converted !

Brilliantly narrated by Peter Forbes, this feels like Rankin settling into writing Michael Fox. Although I enjoyed his first outing in 'The Complaints', the conspiracies of the first novel meant it wasn't quite such a glimpse of the real complaints as it perhaps might be. This multi-layered story felt like it was on more solid ground and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I expected more of the same as the Rebus series but although well read it was a bit too political for my liking. This may be just my taste as it did keep me listening to the end.

If you enjoy crime thrillers you should download this. A good length, fast paced story with good narration.
Perfect for long car journeys!

I thought maybe I've had enough of Rankin - I enjoyed The Complaints but this will be more of same. But I'm so glad I downloaded it – just like any Rankin it’s so good, so well written, so well read and of course a good story! What else to say - if you like Rankin and Edinburgh and Scotland you'll enjoy this as much as the others! My only regret is that, wisely, the author moves the story out of Edinburgh to the country and seaside and there is a slightly less intense feeling of the city of Edinburgh – but don’t let that worry you if you enjoy a good Rankin! There are some good fish and chips and seaside scenes instead.

Gripping. Fox is an interesting character - very compelling and totally different from Rankin's long-time anti-hero: Rebus. This is multi-layered, complex, sophisticated. A great listen.

I have listened or read most Rebus novels and loved them. Malcolm Fox, however, just feels more contemporary and modern day, but is just as stubborn, dogged, intelligent and human. I enjoyed the family interaction. Brilliant.