The Impossible Dead

From the iconic #1 bestselling author of A SONG FOR THE DARK TIMES

By: Ian Rankin

Narrated by: Peter Forbes

Malcolm Fox and his team are back, investigating whether fellow cops covered up for Detective Paul Carter. Carter has been found guilty of misconduct, but what should be a simple job is soon complicated by a brutal murder and a weapon that should not even exist.

A trail of revelations leads Fox back to 1985, a year of desperate unrest when letter-bombs and poisonous spores were sent to government offices, and kidnappings and murders were plotted. But while the body count rises the clock starts ticking, and a dramatic turn of events sees Fox in mortal danger.

Read by Peter Forbes

(p) 2011 Orion Publishing Group©2011 John Rebus Ltd

Overall good story with some contrivance

This is basically a good plot except for one flaw: Why IS Malcolm Fox investigating this case? There is the most tenuous link between his job and the investigation that he is pursuing, and I don't think too many police departments would stand for that.

The reader does a fine job.

Great fast paced thrill.

Fox is a very different character to Rebus, but equally complex and driven. Lots of twists. Great plot.

Excellent

Interesting, engrossing, well written, intelligent, very likeable characters ~ no ghastly or gross descriptions of crimes. A refined cop story, if I may call it that. Well read - Peter Forbes is a master at different voices and accents. You know who's talking when he's reading. Well paced and natural.

Ian rankin's new character is very real.

Ian Rankin always writes a believable and exciting mystery. He does not resort to impossible scenarios like so many popular mystery writers. The police procedures are based on actual procedures and for the knowledgeable reader this makes his characters come to life with human heroics and flaws. It seems today that most mystery writers feel the need to reach over the top fantastic and ultimately unbelievable conclusions which destroy the story and the characters. Rankin sticks to the possible and his story ends in a very satisfying way which makes you want to read the next book with these characters.

Rankin's back on his game - and it's winner

The first book after Rankin ditched Rebus was simply terrible. Then came "The Complaints" first book in this series. It was good - but not up to the Rebus books. This one is terrific - the man is back and swinging and I'm very pleased. Few mystery writers are as good as Rankin when he's on the top of his form and I was afraid we'd lost him. Happy to say, I'm back enjoying every word. Hooray for mystery readers everywhere!