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In a House of Lies

by Ian Rankin
Little, Brown. (Insp. John Rebus, Bk. 22).Dec. 2018. 384p. ISBN 9780316479202. $27; ebk. ISBN 9780316479219. M
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For more than a decade, the family of PI Stuart Bloom has decried the inept and ineffectual investigation of his disappearance by the local police. Now his body has been discovered in the trunk of his rusted-out car with clues that lead too close to the detectives assigned to the case. DI Siobhan Clarke, still reeling from a tussle with an Internal Affairs investigation, is assigned the case and quickly discovers that one of the original detectives is her mentor, retired DI John Rebus. Clarke tiptoes around her supervisors and connects with Rebus, giving him access to the cold case but also enlisting his assistance with a number of threats she's received. Lies abound, each character seems to have something to hide, and someone is leaking information.
VERDICT The 22nd Rebus title (after Rather Be the Devil) finds the usual suspects and old friends: Rebus, Clarke, Fox, Cafferty, et al. Newcomers to the series may be drawn in by the plot twists, pithy dialog, and dark underside of Edinburgh, but readers of the previous entries will enjoy a deeper appreciation of the intricacies of the relationships and events.
Reviewed by Susan Santa, Shelter Rock P. L., Albertson, NY , Dec 01, 2018
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