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A Song for the Dark Times

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A Song for the Dark Times

By: Ian Rankin
Narrated by: James Macpherson
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About this listen

 From the iconic Number One bestseller Ian Rankin, comes one of the must-read books of the year: A SONG FOR THE DARK TIMES

'Genius ... Only great novels capture the spirit of the age. This is one of them.'
THE TIMES

* * * * *

'He's gone...'

When his daughter Samantha calls in the dead of night, John Rebus knows it's not good news. Her husband has been missing for two days.

Rebus fears the worst - and knows from his lifetime in the police that his daughter will be the prime suspect.

He wasn't the best father - the job always came first - but now his daughter needs him more than ever. But is he going as a father or a detective?

As he leaves at dawn to drive to the windswept coast - and a small town with big secrets - he wonders whether this might be the first time in his life where the truth is the one thing he doesn't want to find...

PRAISE FOR A SONG FOR THE DARK TIMES:

'Magnificent ... utterly unputdownable and an immersive pleasure' MARIAN KEYES

'This is Rankin at his best, Rebus at his best, storytelling that meets the moment and transcends all genres and expectations' MICHAEL CONNELLY

'An outstanding addition to one of the finest bodies of work in crime fiction' MICK HERRON

'Rankin remains the king of the castle' THE TIMES

'Typically compelling' DAILY TELEGRAPH

'Masterly storytelling' SUNDAY EXPRESS

'Excellent' LIZ NUGENT

'The best that the crime genre can offer' FT

'Rankin grows better with time . . . Rebus grows ever more compelling' DAILY MAIL

* * * * *

PRAISE FOR THE ICONIC NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER:

'Ian Rankin is a genius'
LEE CHILD

'A master storyteller'
GUARDIAN

'Rebus is one of British crime writing's greatest characters: alongside Holmes, Poirot and Morse'
DAILY MAIL

'Great fiction, full stop'
THE TIMES

'One of Britain's leading novelists in any genre'
NEW STATESMAN

'Rankin is a phenomenon'
SPECTATOR

'Worthy of Agatha Christie at her best'
SCOTSMAN

'The king of crime fiction'
SUNDAY EXPRESS

****

Ian Rankin's SONG FOR THE DARK TIMES was a Sunday Times bestseller w/c 5th October 2020©2020 Ian Rankin (P)2020 Orion Publishing Group Crime Thrillers Detective Fiction Mystery Police Procedural Private Investigators Thriller Thriller & Suspense Crime Suspense

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All stars
Most relevant  
Another great listen really enjoyable keeps you guessing throughout. Really looking forward to the next one.

Great story

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Rebus is retired but not in good health - but you can't keep a good man down.

His daughter with whom he has a rather strained relationship lives in the north of Scotland. When Rebus hears that her partner is missing he goes to help her. Meanwhile in Edinburgh an Arab socialite is murdered and Siobhan and Malcolm Fox are investigating.

When Samantha's partner turns up dead the plot thickens and Rebus begins to believe there are links between the two crimes.

The plot cracks along nicely with Rebus unable to keep his nose out of police business. And Big Ger Rafferty is still around attempting to manipulate the police.

Good writing, good characters and good plotting.... What's not to like?

The old gang back together....

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This year a comfort blanket of a novel is the perfect tonic. Here are all the usual characters living a life before the pandemic, giving a much needed slice of normality.

Much needed return of an old friend.

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A thoroughly good double who dunnit. Rebus solving crime unofficially now he is retired. Very well read and acted by James McPherson. The only issue with that is that his voice is so dintictive I kept thinking I was In a Taggart story! Great characters. lots of detailed scene setting creates suspense and a roller coaster of emotions. I dont know if the police procedure detail is accurate but it felt so. I do like the details to be accurate.

Great story - lots of twists and turns

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Another great Rebus book and it feels like the series is starting to prepare for the end game. As ever, superbly read.

Rebus Classic

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As always well plotted, well written, thought provoking and involving all the Rebus novel characters readers have come to know. And a satisfying resolution.

Perfect solace for Dark Times thoughts

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Great interplay between the two plots and as always between the main characters. Loved it.

Brilliant

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it's not the best I've read to be honest, it's ok.....but that's as far as it goes.

it's ok.....but that's about it really.

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easy to listen and take in and picture the scene
descriptions brilliant
always picture Ken Stott as Rebus

another brilliant Rebus story

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Superb! a masterly continuation of the Rebus saga loved it! So believable even an old retired copper is convinced

As good as it gets

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