Let It Bleed (novel)

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Let it Bleed
IanRankinLetitBleed.jpg
First edition
Author Ian Rankin
CountryScotland
LanguageEnglish
Series Inspector Rebus
Genre Detective fiction
Publisher Orion Books
Publication date
1995
Media typePrint (Hardback & Paperback)
Pages278 pp
ISBN 1-85797-634-7
OCLC 43181191
Preceded by Mortal Causes  
Followed by Black & Blue  

Let it Bleed is a 1995 crime novel by Ian Rankin. It is the seventh of the Inspector Rebus novels. The US edition has a final chapter not present in the UK version; Rankin has explained that his North American publisher objected to the open, ambiguous conclusion of the original text.

Contents

Plot summary

Detective Inspector John Rebus and Frank Lauderdale start the book with a car chase across Edinburgh to apprehend kidnappers, culminating with the two youths they are chasing throwing themselves off the Forth Road Bridge and in Rebus being injured in a car crash. [1] Rebus's upset over this allows Rankin to show the character in a new light, revealing his isolation and potentially suicidal despair.

After the unconnected suicide of a terminally ill con, Rebus pursues an investigation that implicates respected people at the highest levels of government, and due to the politically sensitive nature of what he is doing, faces losing his job, or worse. He is supported by his daughter Sammy, allowing their distant relationship to be built upon. [2]

Publishing notes

The title refers to the Rolling Stones album Let it Bleed . [1]

In one scene in the novel, Rankin describes Rebus putting his foot onto the bar rail in the Oxford Bar when a band is playing. This, Rankin states, caused many people to contact him to say that there wasn't a bar rail in the Oxford at that time. Rankin mused that this mistake (he claims he mis-remembered) has led to more complaints than anything else including historical inaccuracies or police procedure. [3]

The American version of the book includes a final chapter not seen in the original UK publication. The American publishers were unhappy with the open-ending in the book and so commissioned Rankin to complete the story for the American market. [4]

TV serial

An episode of the Rebus television series adapted the plot the book, with some differences. Ken Stott starred as Inspector Rebus. [5]

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. 1 2 Bowden, Jen (23 August 2012). "Rebus revisited – Ian Rankin picks his favourite moments". The Guardian . Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  2. Taylor, Andrew (21 October 1995). "Designer socks and gothic policemen". The Independent . ProQuest   312381760.
  3. Wade, Mike (18 January 2004). "On the trail of Rankin's Rebus muse". The Sunday Times . ProQuest   316800236.
  4. Alter, Alexandra (10 January 2013). "A Beloved Detective Returns". The Wall Street Journal . ProQuest   1268523324.
  5. "Let It Bleed". IMDb.com. Retrieved 28 October 2018.