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Knots and Crosses cover art

Knots and Crosses

By: Ian Rankin
Narrated by: James Macpherson
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Summary

'And in Edinburgh of all places. I mean, you never think of that sort of thing happening in Edinburgh, do you...?' 'That sort of thing' is the brutal abduction and murder of two young girls. And now a third is missing, presumably gone to the same sad end. Detective Sergeant John Rebus, smoking and drinking too much, his own young daughter spirited away south by his disenchanted wife, is one of many policemen hunting the killer. And then the messages begin to arrive: knotted string and matchstick crosses - taunting Rebus with pieces of a puzzle only he can solve.

©2008 Ian Rankin (P)2011 Orion Publishing Limited

What listeners say about Knots and Crosses

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

An uncertain beginning

This is the first of the Rebus novels and a relatively gentle introduction to the character, his flaws, his strengths and many of the themes that run through the whole series. These of course includes the vividly described Edinburgh, a struggle against authority, no little dark humour and the demons set to haunt Rebus across the coming decades.

Although expertly narrated by James Macpherson the story is not the best of Rebus, not the most chilling and possibly lacks a little in the usual length and depth. This is a series and character that grows in integrity and intensity as the series develops. It's a good enough start though and anyone new to the series is well advised to begin their journey into Rebus's mind here rather than with a later novel.

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49 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great Debut!

Living in Edinburgh and having worked in the Central Library featured in this book, i found the story very close to home. This was my first Ian Rankin book and i have to say i really enjoyed it. I look forward to reading more about John Rebus.

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

My first Rebus - and definitely not my last!

Would you consider the audio edition of Knots and Crosses to be better than the print version?

Yes. James MacPherson's excellent narration really brought it to life, and I became really immersed in the story.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Rebus of course! I felt sorry for him, the hard-bitten cop with a messy divorce and haunted by the demons of his past. I was rooting for him all the way through the story.

Which scene did you most enjoy?

The part where Michael (his brother) hynotises him and he regresses to his army days - I don't want to say too much and spoil it for people who don't know the story. I listened to that chapter twice!

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Yes - I was saddened by the scene with Gordon, I didn't want that to happen. I thought it was an awful moral issue.

Any additional comments?

Thoroughly enjoyed this and am looking forward to listening to more in the Rebus series. Also liked listening to James MacPherson's voice - I would buy other audio-books read by him.

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

An enjoyable read

This is my first Ian Rankin and Rebus novel and I really enjoyed it. It is a good punchy novel that moves along at a good pace while still doing a good job of developing and introducing characters.

The reading was excellent and it was a joy to listen to the Scottish accent. I have read a lot of US and Australian crime novels and this was a pleasant change, I look forward to following on with this series.

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

New to Rebus

I've heard a lot about this Rebus character but never read any of Rankins' books. This is a good introduction and really fleshes out the character and plot. Good interpretation by Macpherson and quality recording. Shall now download book 2!

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

great start to the series

after only recently stumbling across the rebus series, where better to start than the first book. I'm hooked already and I'm on book 7 within a month.

narration is excellent and really completes the package. only negative, the book seems quite short as do the first few rebus books, thankfully 7 and 8 appear longer and I feel I'm getting more for my audible credits.

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8 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Totally engaging and entertaining

What did you like most about Knots and Crosses?

Came across the Rebus books by accident and have become totally hooked on them.This first book in the series is a great introduction to the characters and their setting.James Macpherson's narration is both excellent and consistent.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

ian Rankin at his best

The plot got more interesting as it went on.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a real down to earth British detective story.

The narration was good however i sometimes didn't realise who was who. Perhaps because it was all Scottish accents.

Overall a thoroughly good read.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Good introduction to Rebus

With a character driven piece, the key to the Audio book is the narrator, and this one left me really looking forward to more. Very invocative of Edinburgh, and generally an involving and interesting read. Thoroughly enjoyed

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

The first 4 covered !!!

Having seen an interview with Ian Rankin I decided I'd start from scratch and listen to the whole series. I really enjoyed this book and James Macpherson narrates this and the second book really well. The character is introduced really well and Edinburgh invocatively described. Thoroughly enjoyed

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5 people found this helpful