goodbye rankin

book: exit music

author: ian rankin

completion date: 11/06/10

method: borrowed (tom)

i was terribly disappointed by this book. after doors open i was ready and willing to give rankin another go. i had liked his work in the past and one mediocre book wasn't about to put me off an author for good. however i found this novel unforgivable.

here is the thing about mystery/detective/thrillers: they have to be totally engrossing. the book has to be all you can think about. the end is so close, but you don't want the novel to end because you are loving it so much and are so engaged. you'll stay up all night and the next morning to finish it if necessary. i found there were nothing but distractions from this book on the bus. everything else was so much more interesting. i was always checking my phone or eavesdropping on my neighbours... thinking what to do with my hair... should i have washed it...etc.

now this novel, unlike doors open was a 'rebus' novel. like many crime authors, rankin has his DETECTIVE who stars in most of the books. now we are supposed to care about this DETECTIVE and not find him frustrating and or irritating. he should be endearing and charming. old and wizened but still passing on his infinite wisdom to the young, eager cadets surrounding him. i was so bored by rebus's antics and the crime itself seemed stupid and poorly thought out.

what i found in doors open i found here too- the detectives are too suspicious based on nothing. i know that it's their job to be suspicious but they also have to follow the facts... unless they've already read the last page and know whats going to happen. the detectives get no leads whatsoever (physically and very little people wise) but they still manage to find people to call on. there was no mystery here to figure out, just a laying out of what happened. and the 'twist' if you can call it that was shallow and poorly played. on the bus home to london i was looking for drama and excitement (and maybe a little blood shed) but got none of this. all i detected was disappointment. (bad bad joke)

xo-ellebee