• Rather Be the Devil

  • Inspector Rebus 21
  • By: Ian Rankin
  • Narrated by: James Macpherson
  • Length: 10 hrs and 48 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (77 ratings)

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Rather Be the Devil  By  cover art

Rather Be the Devil

By: Ian Rankin
Narrated by: James Macpherson
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Publisher's summary

Some cases never leave you.

For John Rebus, 40 years may have passed, but the death of beautiful, promiscuous Maria Turquand still preys on his mind. She was murdered in her hotel room on the night a famous rock star and his entourage were staying there, and Maria's killer has never been found.

Meanwhile, the dark heart of Edinburgh remains up for grabs. A young pretender, Darryl Christie, may have staked his claim, but a vicious attack leaves him weakened and vulnerable, and an inquiry into a major money laundering scheme threatens his position. Has old-time crime boss Big Ger Cafferty really given up the ghost, or is he biding his time until Edinburgh is once more ripe for the picking?

In a tale of twisted power, deep-rooted corruption and bitter rivalries, Rather Be the Devil showcases Rankin and Rebus at their unstoppable best.

©2016 John Rebus Ltd (P)2016 Orion Publishing Group

What listeners say about Rather Be the Devil

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

great book

The only complaint i have with this book is thst sometimes i found it very hsrd to determine who was talkingng because the voices of Fox and Rebus are almost indistinguishable.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

lad's, it's Rebus

Another great book in the series and credit to Rankin for keeping it interesting.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Another great Rebus novel

Took me a couple of chapters to warm to the narrator and then the voices he used for some of the well know characters didn't gel with what I thought they would be.

But that is my preferences, great story by Rankin.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Mr Rankin at his best

Where does Rather Be the Devil rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is vintage Rebus, nothing has been lost on this one

Who was your favorite character and why?

Rebus, of course

What does James Macpherson bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Understanding the accent

Any additional comments?

Ask Mr. Rankin for more of the same please. I see Cafferty is back so I expect some more in the near future.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Never fails to entertain, Rebus is as good as ever

If you could sum up Rather Be the Devil in three words, what would they be?

Like an old friend

What did you like best about this story?

Character relationships

What does James Macpherson bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Brings out the characters own personalities.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Yes but it would be a spoiler to write about it, although Hank Marvin will suffice.

Any additional comments?

After 20 previous books, with not even a slightly 'iffy' one amongst them, this book shines. Rebus is on form and every bit as good as he's always been, albeit slightly less edgy than his younger days, he still packs a punch! highly recommended! Patrica Cornwell could well learn some lessons about her character's appeal from this!

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Very consistent Rankin

Always very consistent, engaging and painfully well written. Worth 5 stars but saving one for in case.n

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