So, you’ve decided to tackle the legend that is John Rebus. Honestly, it’s a bit of a commitment. We’re talking about nearly 40 years of Scottish "Tartan Noir," a lot of heavy drinking, and enough Edinburgh rain to make you want to buy a metaphorical raincoat. But if you’re looking for Ian Rankin Rebus in order, you aren't just looking for a list of titles. You’re looking for a roadmap through a man’s life.
Unlike many fictional detectives who stay frozen in time, Rebus ages. He decays. He gets more cynical, if that’s even possible. When we first meet him in Knots and Crosses (1987), he’s a young-ish Detective Sergeant with a messy personal life. By the time we reach the most recent 2024 release, Midnight and Blue, he’s... well, he’s seen some things. Reading them out of order is basically like watching a man grow old in reverse, which is kinda jarring.
The Early Years: When Rebus Was Still "The New Guy"
In the beginning, Ian Rankin didn't actually mean for this to be a series. He even tried to kill Rebus off in the first draft. Thank god he didn't.
The first few books feel different from the later ones. They’re a bit more experimental. In Knots and Crosses, Rebus is dealing with the "Edinburgh Strangler," but the plot is deeply tied to his own secret past in the SAS. It’s personal.
By the second book, Hide and Seek (1990), Rankin starts to find the "voice" of the series. This is where the social commentary begins to creep in. Edinburgh isn't just a backdrop; it’s a character. You’ve got the shiny, touristy facade and then the dark, damp, heroin-chic underbelly.
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- Knots and Crosses (1987)
- Hide and Seek (1990)
- Tooth and Nail (1992) – Originally titled Wolfman, and it’s the only one that really takes him out of his element to London.
The Golden Era: Siobhan, Cafferty, and the Oxford Bar
This is where the series really hits its stride. If you want to know why people are obsessed with the Ian Rankin Rebus in order timeline, it’s because of the relationships. This is when we meet Siobhan Clarke, the young DC who eventually becomes Rebus's conscience (and his boss, eventually).
It’s also when "Big Ger" Cafferty becomes a permanent fixture. He’s the Moriarty to Rebus’s Holmes, except they occasionally share a drink and acknowledge that they’re two sides of the same old, battered coin.
- Strip Jack (1992): A scandal involving an MP. Classic Rebus.
- The Black Book (1993): This is the one where Siobhan Clarke first appears.
- Mortal Causes (1994): Set during the Edinburgh Festival. It deals with some heavy stuff regarding the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
- Let It Bleed (1995): Rebus starts fighting the "suits" at the top.
- Black and Blue (1997): Widely considered the masterpiece. It won the Gold Dagger and tackles the "Bible John" murders. It’s huge, complex, and dark.
- The Hanging Garden (1998): Dealing with war crimes and the Russian mafia.
- Dead Souls (1999): A look at pedophilia and the return of a face from the past.
Don't Skip the Short Stories
People usually forget about the collections. A Good Hanging and Other Stories (1992) and The Beat Goes On (2014) are actually essential if you want the full picture. They fill in the gaps between the major cases and show Rebus in smaller, more human moments.
The Retirement Years (That Never Actually Happened)
In 2007, Rankin wrote Exit Music. Rebus was 60. In the real world, Scottish police had to retire at 60 back then. It was supposed to be the end.
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The fans weren't having it. Rankin wasn't having it either.
After a five-year hiatus where Rankin wrote about Malcolm Fox (who works for "The Complaints" – Internal Affairs), Rebus came back. But he came back as a civilian. Then as a "re-engaged" officer. Then as a man just generally poking his nose where it doesn't belong because he has nothing else to do.
The Modern Rebus: Chronological List from 2000 to Now
If you’re catching up, here is the sequence you need to follow to see how Rebus handles aging in a world of DNA testing and "woke" policing methods he doesn't quite get.
- Set in Darkness (2000)
- The Falls (2001)
- Resurrection Men (2002)
- A Question of Blood (2003)
- Fleshmarket Close (2004)
- The Naming of the Dead (2006) – Set during the G8 summit.
- Exit Music (2007) – The "retirement" book.
- Standing in Another Man’s Grave (2012) – The return. He’s older, slower, but still a pain in the ass.
- Saints of the Shadow Bible (2013) – He’s back in the force, but as a DS again. Talk about a demotion.
- Even Dogs in the Wild (2015)
- Rather Be the Devil (2016)
- In a House of Lies (2018)
- A Song for the Dark Times (2020) – Rebus is basically an invalid here, struggling with COPD, but he’s still solving murders.
- A Heart Full of Headstones (2022) – Things get very legal and very messy for our hero.
- Midnight and Blue (2024) – The latest. Rebus finds himself on the other side of the bars.
Why You Shouldn't Just Jump In at the End
Look, you can read A Heart Full of Headstones without reading the others. Rankin is a pro; he’ll give you enough context. But you’ll miss the weight of it.
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When Rebus coughs because of his emphysema in the later books, it hits harder if you remember him chain-smoking in the 90s. When Siobhan Clarke sighs at his behavior, it means more if you saw her as a green DC in The Black Book.
The series is a slow-motion study of a city and a man both trying to modernize while being dragged back by their pasts. It’s about how the "old ways" of policing—knocking heads and following hunches—don't really fit in a world of digital footprints.
How to Start Reading Right Now
If the 25+ books feel daunting, don't panic. You don't have to read all of them this weekend. Honestly, start with the "Early Years" omnibus or just grab Knots and Crosses.
If you find the 80s setting a bit too dated (there are a lot of references to old tech and politics), you could technically start at Black and Blue. That’s where the series shifts from "good crime fiction" to "literary giant."
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check your local library for the Rebus: The Early Years collection. It’s the cheapest way to get the first three.
- Download the "The Beat Goes On" audiobook if you want to hear the short stories while you commute.
- Avoid the TV show until you’ve read at least five books. The portrayals are fine, but they never quite capture the specific internal grumpiness of the page-version Rebus.
Start with Knots and Crosses. By the time you get to Black and Blue, you’ll be hooked. By the time you hit Midnight and Blue, you’ll feel like you’ve lived a second life in the shadows of the Royal Mile.