In little more than a year, Inspector John Rebus will
retire. Shuttled off to the sidelines by his superiors, he
watches as his colleagues are recruited for security. The
G8 Conference of world leaders is descending on Scotland.
When his old partner and now superior, Siobhan, calls him
regarding a possible serial killer operating in the area,
Rebus jumps at the chance to investigate. It seems the
victims are recently released paroled rapists. When he
discovers that the employer of one victim is his long-time
nemesis, Cafferty, a gangster who operates a large criminal
operation, Rebus believes he has one more chance to nail
Cafferty.
As the G8 Conference begins, one of the participants is
found dead at the base of Edinburgh Castle. Was it murder
or suicide? And did it have any relationship to the other
killings? The government and secret service refuse to
cooperate with Rebus' investigation, throwing obstacles
every inch of his way. In order to solve the crime, Rebus
must make an uneasy alliance with the devil.
Rankin gives added texture to the mystery by using the
backdrop of the G8 Conference with its real-life characters
and incidents from the controversial political event. He
sprinkles songs and musicians throughout the tale enriching
it further. There are plenty of twists and surprises,
leaving Rebus and Siobhan with an uneasy future with their
superiors and Cafferty.
The leaders of the free world descend on Scotland for an
international conference, and every cop in the country is
needed for front-line duty...except one. John Rebus's
reputation precedes him, and his bosses don't want him
anywhere near Presidents Bush and Putin, which explains
why he's manning an abandoned police station when a call
comes in. During a preconference dinner at Edinburgh
Castle, a delegate has fallen to his death. Accident,
suicide,
or something altogether more sinister? And is it linked to a
grisly find close to the site of the gathering? Are the
world's
most powerful men at risk from a killer? While the
government and secret services attempt to hush the whole
thing up, Rebus knows he has only seventy-two hours to
find the answers.