Ian Rankin: A Companion to the Mystery Fiction

by Erin E. MacDonald, Elizabeth Foxwell (Editor)

Overview

Ian Rankin is considered by many to be Scotland's greatest living crime fiction author. Most well known for his Inspector Rebus series—which has earned critical acclaim as well as scores of fans worldwide—Rankin is a prolific author whose other works include spy thrillers, nonfiction books and articles, short stories, novels, graphic novels, audio recordings, television/film, and plays.

This companion—the first to provide a complete look at all of his writings—includes alphabetized entries on Rankin's works, characters, and themes; a biography; a chronology; maps of Rebus' Edinburgh; and an annotated bibliography. A champion of both Edinburgh and Scotland, Rankin continues to combine engaging entertainment with socio-political commentary showing Edinburgh as a microcosm of Scotland, and Scotland as a microcosm of the world. His writing investigates questions of Scottish identity, British history, masculinity, and contemporary culture while providing mystery readers with complex, suspenseful plots, realistic character development, and a unique mix of American hard-boiled and procedural styles with Scottish dialects and sensibilities.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780786471881
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers
Publication date:	06/22/2020
Series:	McFarland Companions to Mystery Fiction , #10
Pages:	455
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.91(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Erin E. MacDonald is a professor of English at Fanshawe College’s School of Language and Liberal Studies in London, Ontario. She published a literary companion book on Ed McBain and edited a collection of essays on Robert Downey, Jr. Her articles have appeared in the Journal of American and Comparative Cultures and in Clues. Series Editor Elizabeth Foxwell, an Agatha Award winner, serves as managing editor of Clues: A Journal of Detection and is an editor at McFarland.

Table of Contents

Series Editor Elizabeth Foxwell, an Agatha Award winner, is managing editor of Clues: A Journal of Detection.

Acknowledgments viii

Preface 1

Introduction: Past Guilt and Present Fantasies 3

Rankin's Works in Chronological Order 7

The Rebus Series 13

Rankin's Works in Alphabetical Order 15

A Brief Biography 21

A Career Chronology 27

The Companion 29

Appendix A An Interview with Ian Rankin 411

Appendix B Scots Words and Slang Found in Rankin's Works 415

Appendix C Map of Edinburgh City Center 417

Appendix D Map of Edinburgh and Area 419

Annotated Bibliography 421

Index 431

Editorial Reviews

Fascinating biography...definitely belongs in mystery reference collections...Rebus devotees will love having a copy at the ready when they find themselves wanting to check backstories on the multiple repeating characters.”—Booklist

Reviews of the Series: “The McFarland Companion series...has been consistently excellent, both in its choice of subjects and its quality of scholarship and writing”—Mystery Scene.

From the Publisher