Ian Rankin

Ian Rankin is one of today's best selling crime writers. He has written over 20 novels and many short stories. Rankin lives in Edinburgh, which also provides the backdrop his most popular works - the Inspector Rebus stories.

Biography

Ian Rankin was born in 1960 in the Kingdom of Fife. He attended Edinburgh University where he studied Literature - apparently after four pints of 80 Shilling even Ulysses begins to make sense! He graduated with an MA in 1982, returning later to complete a PhD studying the works of Muriel Spark.

After university Rankin had a variety of mainly short term jobs including swineherd, taxman and punk musician. Despite the glamour of these possible careers he eventually became a full time novelist. He is the UK's best selling crime writer.

Rebus

Rankin's most famous creation is, of course, Inspector Rebus. The character was invented whilst Rankin was at university and has remained with him ever since.

The first Rebus novel was Knots and Crosses, published in 1986. Rankin apparently considered this to be more of a mainstream work than a crime novel. Rankin and Rebus have since moved into more traditional crime genre fiction, however Rankin's literary roots remain visible in his style.

The 1997 Rebus novel Black & Blue was awarded the Crime Writers' Association Macallan Gold Dagger for Fiction and also shortlisted for the Mystery Writers of America 'Edgar' award.

Rebus lives and works in Edinburgh and the city's geography, history and culture are an integral part of the stories. The 2001 Rebus novel The Falls is in part inspired by the strange story of the Arthur's Seat coffins.

External Links:
Ian Rankin - official site