Tooth and Nail

By: Ian Rankin

Narrated by: James Macpherson

Length: 8 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

They call him the Wolfman - because he takes a bite out of his victims and because they found the first victim in the East End's lonely Wolf Street.

Scotland Yard are anxious to find the killer and Inspector Rebus is drafted in to help. But his Scotland Yard opposite number, George Flight, isn't happy at yet more interference, and Rebus finds himself dealing with racial prejudice as well as the predations of a violent maniac. When Rebus is offered a serial killer profile of the Wolfman by an attractive female psychologist, it's too good an opportunity to miss. But in finding an ally, he may have given his enemies an easy means of attack.

©2011 Ian Rankin (P)2011 Orion Publishing Group Limited

Rankin doesn't age as well as Rendell or James

I finished the first three Rebus novels, but didn't enjoy them as much as early Inspector Wexford or Adam Dalgliesh listens. Neither the character nor the plot was elegant enough to endure past the changed times to become a period listen. While I'll listen to every Rendell or PD James available, I think I'll pick and choose over Rankin's older Rebus.

One small - but annoying - feature of this audiobook: Even though it's set in London, and most of the characters are English, I would have enjoyed a more Scottish Rebus, especially after the excellent performance of narrator Mcpherson in book 1. There is even a suggestion that the London detectives have trouble understanding Rebus' burr - but there's hardly an accent with which to miscommunicate?

Why change a good thing??

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I would recommend it to a friend, but with a warning...

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

The book on the whole i s good, I'm a devout Rebus fan!

Would you be willing to try another one of Samuel Gillies’s performances?

Samuel Gillies is a fantastic narrator, but not for this book. I could listen to him till the cows dropped dead if he was reading Sherlock Holmes or the like, but for this book one needs a Scott, that is why I was very disappointed that the choice of narrator had changed for this book!

Do you think Tooth and Nail needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

This point is moot as it has a follow up book and I' happy about that!

Rebus sounding English

What disappointed you about Tooth and Nail?

I often got lost and did not know it was meant to be Rebus speaking some of the time

How did the narrator detract from the book?

Having Samuel Gillies narrate the book. I had first enjoyed Standing in another mans grave, with Tom Cotcher. Then went back to the start of the series and enjoyed James Macpherson. Rebus needs a good Scots accent.

Any additional comments?

What a fantastic combination of narrators if Samuel Gillies did the English characters, while James Mcpherson did Rebus. Worth thinking about.

A disappointing listen

I've read and enjoyed the Rebus novels over the years, but strangely enough, I don't recall reading this one. If I had, I probably wouldn't have bothered with the audiobook because I found the story quite weak in comparison to the other novels. What particularly disappointed me was the reader - the selection of Samuel Gillies for this novel just struck an entirely wrong note with me, to the point that it spoiled what enjoyment I could have got from the book. Overall, a disappointment and not a book I'd recommend to others.