Great fictional characters from Scotland — The Official Gateway to Scotland Great fictional characters from Scotland Harry Potter The biggest phenomenon in 21st century children's fiction was brought to life in Scotland's capital city. J K Rowling famously wrote the first of her Harry Potter books in a series of cafes in her adopted home of Edinburgh. Her stories of the bespectacled boy wizard and his adventures at Hogwarts' school have since become an incredible global success. The series has sold more than 450 million books in 67 languages, set records as the fastest-selling books in history and been turned into a series of big budget Hollywood movies which continue to break box office records. Toad of Toad Hall Despite being written more than a century ago, Kenneth Grahame's tale of the riverbank and the rich cast of animal characters that inhabit it is still much loved by children of all ages. The largest of life of all of these characters is without doubt the impulsive Mr Toad. Known for his love of fast cars and the sound of his own voice, Toad constantly gets into trouble, including being jailed, but always bounces back.

Edinburgh-born Kenneth Grahame's 1908 children's classic started out as a series of bedtime stories for his son Alastair. Some have suggested 'The Wind in the Willows' was inspired by the Crinan Canal because Grahame spent some of his childhood in Ardrishaig, Argyll. Sherlock Holmes The world's best known detective Sherlock Holmes was created by Edinburgh born writer Arthur Conan Doyle. The character of Holmes was said to have been inspired by Dr Joseph Bell for whom Doyle had worked as a clerk at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. Famous for his logical reasoning and his use of forensic science skills to solve difficult cases, Holmes made his literary debut in 1887 and has grown in popularity ever since. The Guinness World Records has consistently listed Sherlock Holmes as the 'most portrayed movie character' with 75 actors playing the part in over 200 films. Peter Pan Scottish author and dramatist J.M. Barrie found international success and acclaim with his immortal - figuratively and literally - creation, Peter Pan. The enduring story of Peter, the boy who refuses to grow up, Wendy and the Lost Boys has enchanted both adults and children across the world.

First performed as a stage play in 1904, Disney's iconic feature-length animated cartoon brought the adventures of Peter, Wendy, Captain Hook and Tinker Bell to the big screen in 1953. Today, over 100 years after the play first debuted on the London stage and more than 70 years affter Barrie's death, Peter Pan still fires the imagination. The 2004 film 'Finding Neverland' turned the story of how Barrie was inspired to write Peter Pan into a critically acclaimed movie starring Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet. Long John Silver Stevenson's swashbuckling pirate villain Long John Silver is without doubt one of the most powerful and formidable characters in literature. Cunning, disloyal and a cold blooded murderer, Silver can also be extremely charismatic and is quick to inspire trust in those who meet him. He also seems to have a genuine fondness for the story's young protagonist Jim Hawkins and eventually becomes a father figure to the boy.

Stevenson's 1883 adventure novel 'Treasure Island' and the character of Long John Silver has greatly influenced today's popular perception of pirates - including treasure maps with an 'x', the Black Spot and one-legged seamen with parrots on their shoulders. Miss Jean Brodie Muriel Spark’s much-loved 1961 novel introduced the world to the fascinating character of Jean Brodie, a schoolmistress at the Marcia Blaine School for Girls in Edinburgh in the 1930s. The unconventional Miss Brodie, who has chosen to dedicate the prime of her life to the girls she teaches is one of the most complex characters in Scottish fiction. Both attractive and repellent at the same time, her passion for teaching is to be admired. However, as the story unfolds, her hold over her chosen group of pupils - her crème de la crème - becomes increasingly ominous. The character of Miss Jean Brodie brought international fame to Spark, who died in 2006 at the age of 88.

The book has been adapted for TV, stage and screen and includes a memorable 1969 performance by Maggie Smith who went on to win a Best Actress Oscar for her portrayal of the eccentric teacher. Para Handy One of Scotland's best-loved literary creations, the Highland skipper and his exploits on the puffer boat known as the Vital Spark first came to public prominence in 1905. More than a hundred years later and the puffer boat's famous crew- skipper Captain Peter MacFarlane (aka Para Handy), engineer Dan MacPhail, Dougie the shipmate, Sunny Jim and The Tar – continue to captivate generations of fans with their antics. The characters were born from the imagination of Neil Munro, a journalist and writer from Inverary who came up with the idea to fill his weekly newspaper columns. Inspector Rebus Detective Inspector John Rebus was first introduced to the world in Ian Rankin's 1987 book 'Knots and Crosses', and has since gone on to become one of the most memorable characters in Scottish fiction. The former SAS operative turned hard-drinking detective is the focus of a series of detective novels that have sold millions of copies worldwide in 20 languages.

Rebus' daily investigations involve tackling Edinburgh's grim underbelly, introducing readers to an alternative side of the city that lies behind the normal tourist haunts. The celebrated maverick detective has been brought to life on screen by Scottish actors John Hannah and Ken Stott. Fife born Ian Rankin, a graduate of Edinburgh University, is one of Scotland's most commercially successful writers. He has received numerous crime-writing awards including America's celebrated Edgar Award for the book 'Resurrection Men'. Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde 'The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde' met with immediate success when it was published in 1886, selling 40,000 copies in six months. Described by its writer Robert Louis Stevenson as a 'fine bogey tale', it tells the story of Dr Henry Jekyll, an outwardly respectable doctor who transforms himself into a savage murderer, Mr Edward Hyde. Stevenson's dark fable and its exploration of the duality of human nature has inspired hundreds of stage and film adaptations. This includes a 1947 Tom and Jerry film in which the mouse is transformed into a monster after drinking a saucer of milk spiked with bug powder!

Oor Wullie Ok, not generally regarded as a literary character as such but no list of top Scottish fictional characters would be complete without a reference to Oor Wullie. The spiky-haired, bucket-sitting comic strip hero first conceived over 50 years ago has a special place in the heart of Scots. The first Oor Wullie cartoon ran on 8 March 1936, in the newly launched "Fun Section" of the Scottish newspaper, the Sunday Post. Drawn by artist Dudley D Watkins in his trademark black dungarees and tackety boots, Wullie caught the imagination of young and old with his comedic misadventures. Still going strong to this day, the loveable tearaway is described in his annual Christmas compendium as 'Oor Wullie! Your Wullie! A'body's Wullie!' Order of Inspector Rebus Books - OrderOfBooks.com Home | Characters | Authors Order of Inspector Rebus Books Inspector Rebus is a character and series of detective fiction novels by Scottish author Ian Rankin . The police procedural series is considered to fall into the Scottish Tartan Noir subgenre. The Detective Inspector John Rebus character is based in Edinburgh.

Unlike other series, the character does age with time, as the character turned 60 years old with Exit Music. The series was adapted to the British TV series Rebus. Ian Rankin started the Inspector Rebus series with Knots and Crosses in 1987. The series is incredibly popular in the United Kingdom, making up 10% of crime fiction sales there. Below is a list of all of Ian Rankin’s Inspector Rankin books in order of when they were originally published: Publication Order of Inspector Rebus Books Knots and Crosses Ian Rankin’s Inspector John Rebus: a beginner’s guide - The Scotsman Ian Rankin’s Inspector John Rebus: a beginner’s guide Ian Rankin in Inspector Rebus' favourite drinking den, The Oxford Bar. Picture: Jane Barlow ALEX WATSON EVEN Dogs In The Wild, Ian Rankin’s last Inspector Rebus, has been released. If you’re still not up to speed with Edinburgh’s greatest fictional detective, then catch up with this beginner’s guide The basics Throughout the Rebus series the reader slowly learns more about the initially mysterious police detective’s past.

According to Rankin, who first created the character in 1985, John Rebus was born in 1947 and grew up in Cardenden, Fife, not far from where Rankin himself went to high school. Rebus has one brother, Michael, and their father was a stage hypnotist. After leaving school at the age of 15, Rebus joined the army and served in Northern Ireland during The Troubles. The teenager then applied and was selected to undergo SAS training, where he excelled. Rebus suffered a nervous breakdown as a result of further, more intensive training and resigned from the SAS. With help from the army, the character secured a position with the Lothian and Borders Police in order to recover. During the first Rebus novel, Knots and Crosses, Rebus is a detective sergeant, but is soon promoted to detective inspector. He turns down at least one further promotion in the following novels, remaining at the same level until retirement. The character married before the beginning of the Rebus books, but was divorced some time in the 1980s. His ex-wife Rhona and daughter Samantha feature regularly in the novels.

Since Rhona, Rebus’s romantic interests have been fleeting. The only woman in his life throughout much of the series is detective sergeant Siobhan Clarke, his colleague and protégé. Their platonic bond is strong and Siobhan soon becomes a principal character, first appearing in the fifth Rebus novel The Black Book. Characteristics While Ian Rankin prefers not to embellish too much on the physical appearance of his characters, there are a few hints to suggest that Rebus has brown hair and green eyes. The detective is unkempt, a smoker and a heavy drinker who prefers to be alone. He is a lover of both literature and music, and has a huge record collection. A music fan himself, Rankin often references artists and songs in his book titles, chapter names and plotlines. The author has also stated in the past that, although not made obvious in the novels, Rebus is a Raith Rovers supporter when it comes to football. Undoubtedly Rebus’s most famous character trait is his gruff demeanour, which hides a kind heart that is often masked by his wry sense of humour. “Sithing was staring at Rebus.

‘Right at the core of your cynical heart, can’t you feel something?’ “‘It’s just indigestion, thanks for asking.’ Rebus rubbed his chest.” Rebus’s Edinburgh Set primarily in and around Edinburgh, Rankin’s novels take the detective all across the city in search of the truth. Some notable local landmarks written into the series include the National Museum of Scotland on Chambers Street, Rosslyn Chapel and Calton Hill. The 15th Rebus novel even borrows its name from the Edinburgh street Fleshmarket Close. In recent years Rankin lists Rebus’ home at 17 Arden Street in Edinburgh, a real address in the Marchmont area. The character also frequents the Oxford Bar on Young Street in the city centre. Nemesis Every hero has an enemy. Just as Holmes had Moriarty, Rebus has Big Ger Cafferty, a notorious Edinburgh crime boss and constant headache for Rankin’s detective. Morris Gerald Cafferty cameos briefly in third Rebus novel Tooth and Nail, but becomes a main character two novels later in The Black Book. Rebus and Cafferty have a complicated relationship.

Rebus often presses his nemesis for information even as he simultaneously pursues him for a long list of crimes. Rebus and Siobhan spend much of their time chasing Cafferty, whether directly or indirectly, throughout the rest of the series. Retirement Detective Inspector Rebus officially retired 2007 after the publication of Rankin’s 17th Rebus story, Exit Music. The author did not retire the character, however, and John Rebus popped up again in 2012 novel, Standing in Another Man’s Grave. When Rebus is brought back on board to assist new Rankin character Detective Inspector Malcolm Fox, the former detective is spending his days working on cold cases as a civilian at police headquarters. In Rankin’s latest book, Even Dogs in the Wild , Rebus is again tempted out of retirement to assist, Siobhan and Fox with Edinburgh’s latest murder mystery. Rebus on TV Two very different actors have taken on the role of John Rebus for TV adaptations. John Hannah was the first, playing the detective in four episodes between 2000 and 2001.

Five years later, Ken Stott picked up where Hannah had left off, filming three series (10 episodes) as Rebus. Rankin’s Rebus stories have also been adapted many times for BBC Radio 4. John Rebus - Ian Rankin Ian Rankin Keep up to date with Ian by signing up to receive his email newsletter. Please enter your email address in the box below. Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! John Rebus ‘It’s happened. An idea for a novel that started as one situation and has blossomed into a whole plot. I’ve not written any of it yet, but it’s all there in my head from page one to circa page 250’ (Ian writing in his diary 19th March 1985) The character of Detective John Rebus – complete with estranged wife, young daughter and fragile sanity – seemed to spring fully formed from young English Literature graduate Ian Rankin as he sat in his bedsit in Arden Street, Edinburgh in March 1985. The book’s title Knots & Crosses came first, with the detective’s name coming out of that ‘picture puzzle’ of knotted rope and matchstick crosses of the title.

Oxford had ‘Morse’ – a code, so Edinburgh would have ‘Rebus’ – a puzzle. Knots & Crosses was not intended to grow into a series. In the first draft Rebus died at the end: but during the editing process Rankin decided to give him a reprieve. This was just as well, as when sales of standalone novels Watchman and Westwind were slow, his publisher suggested he revive the detective, who reappeared in Hide & Seek . The word ‘curmudgeon’ could have been invented for Rebus. The flawed but humane detective we first meet in Knots & Crosses when he’s aged 40 is pretty much the character we see even in the most recent books when Rebus flirts with retirement before returning to the police force when the rules change. Rebus is a professional misanthrope made more cynical by the job he does. He delights in flouting authority; he smokes and drinks; he doesn’t play by the rules. He is the ultimate maverick cop who prefers ‘old-school’ graft to new-fangled modern-day policing methods.

He’s a flawed, pessimistic, multi-layered character, a troubled, brooding soul and a cynical loner who can find no solace in faith, who’s obsessed with work, and happiest when propping up the bar of his favourite pub, The Oxford Bar, a glass of IPA in his hand. The older Rebus has a bit more flesh on the bones – both literally and metaphorically; he is a little more disillusioned, and fighting a few more demons – and not quoting quite so much Walt Whitman or Dostoevsky. The Rebus novels are written in real time, so Rebus ages along with each book. As the series progresses we learn more about him. Born in 1947, Rebus grew up in Cardenden, Fife, with his brother Michael, the sons of a stage hypnotist and grandsons of a Polish immigrant. Rebus left school at aged 15 to join the army whilst his brother followed in their father’s footsteps. Rebus served in Northern Ireland during The Troubles, before being selected for the SAS in 1971 where he excelled in training but he left the army shortly afterwards, which brought on a nervous breakdown.

Following lobbying from the army, Rebus joined the Lothian and Borders Police in 1973. Rebus has been married, but divorced sometime in the 1980s. His ex-wife, Rhona, and his daughter, Samantha, appear frequently in the early novels. We first meet Rebus in 1987 in Knots & Crosses when he is a Detective Sergeant working on the case of the Edinburgh Strangler, a serial killer who had been abducting and strangling young girls. He is based at the (fictional) Waverley Road police station where he receives anonymous letters containing knotted rope and matchstick crosses… The Puzzle of Detective Inspector John Rebus The Puzzle of Detective Inspector John Rebus PW Talks with Ian Rankin by Tim Peters | Jan 05, 2004 PW: For the benefit of American readers, what exactly is "Irn-Bru," which appears so often in your novels? Ian Rankin: Irn-Bru [pronounced "Iron Brew"] is a Scottish soft drink; it's bright orange, sugary and fizzy, and seems a staple of the working-class diet.

It's also a great hangover cure, which might explain why so many characters in my books drink it. PW: And for readers unfamiliar with John Rebus, tell us about the Edinburgh detective and his evolution. IR: Rebus is a dark and brooding character who burrows into other people's lives [through his job] as a way of not dealing with his own problems. In the early novels, he was more of a cipher, a way of telling the story and leading the reader through the plot. As he developed, he became the plot. I grew fascinated with him, feeling there were secrets he was keeping from me. He's haunted by the ghosts of every murder victim he's ever dealt with. And this is important to the arc of the series: he lives in real time. He's 40 when we first meet him [Knots and Crosses], and 55 by the time of the latest novel. He has slowed down, aches in places where he didn't used to ache, and sees a younger, smarter, fitter world developing at his heels. PW: What was the genesis of your new novel, A Question of Blood?

IR: A fan once asked me if I had any plans to write about Edinburgh's private schools, which are an anomaly in Scotland. I started to think about the effect this system has had on Edinburgh. But what plot would I use? One was staring me in the face. The massacre of school children at a kindergarten in the town of Dunblane is a fresh memory for most Scots. Then I decided I would write about outsiders, about people who don't fit into society. Slowly, I began to see my plot taking shape. PW: Edinburgh is very much a character in your work with its gloomy architecture, weather and people. How do you feel about the place? IR: On the surface, Edinburgh is the most beautiful city in Europe, a place of history, tradition and culture. But scratch that surface and you find poverty, drugs, prostitution and malice. Edinburgh is good at hiding its sins from the world, and the tension between surface and what lies beneath makes it a fascinating place to write about. PW: You've certainly helped put Scotland back on the literary map. Is there a Scottish literary renaissance under way? IR: When I first started writing, there seemed to be very little going on in the contemporary Scottish novel.

Then Alasdair Gray came along with his magnificent, sprawling novel Lanark [1981], and that changed the whole landscape. Nowadays, you can't walk 50 yards without tripping over a writer. J.K. Rowling lives not two streets away from me, and another recent success story, Alexander McCall Smith [author of The Number One Ladies' Detective Agency], lives two doors away. PW: Rebus's colleague Siobhan Clarke occupies a central role in A Question of Blood. Have you considered a novel with her as the protagonist? IR: I introduced Siobhan as just another of his colleagues, but she got beneath my skin, and female writers (and female cops) started telling me they liked her and found her realistic. Some people see Siobhan as my "insurance policy" and maybe they're right. If Rebus were to retire, I think she could handle a whole book on her own. PW: When you received the Order of the British Empire, did you get to meet the queen? Does she read crime fiction? IR: I received my OBE in Edinburgh rather than London, so I didn't get to meet the queen. Does she read crime fiction?

I doubt it, certainly not the gritty and violent sort. But quite a lot of Britain's politicians are avid crime [fiction] fans. Maybe they're looking for ideas! A version of this article appeared in the 01/05/2004 issue of Publishers Weekly under the headline: ADVERTISEMENT Ian Rankin : NPR Ian Rankin Email April 22, 20078:00 AM ET For twenty years Scottish Detective Inspector John Rebus has been tracking down criminals in the novels of Ian Rankin. In the new book, The Naming of the Dead, (Little, Brown and Company ISBN-10: 0316057576) Rebus's new case is set during the real life backdrop of the G8 Summit which was held in Scotland in 2005. But after two decades Detective Rebus pursuit of crime maybe coming to a close, as Rankin reveals in his next novel that the aged Inspector retires. (10:13) =20 LIANE HANSEN, host: A rebus is a puzzle in which symbols or pictures represent words or syllables.

Rebus is also the last name of Ian Rankin's hero in Rankin's mystery novels. Detective Inspector John Rebus solves crimes in Scotland, and Rankin's new book, "The Naming of the Dead," marks the 20th anniversary of the Rebus character. Author Ian Rankin joins us now from the studios of member station KUHF in Houston, Texas. Welcome to the program. Mr. IAN RANKIN (Author, Detective Inspector Rebus Mystery Series): Thanks very much. HANSEN: For those who have yet to read a Rebus mystery, describe him. Mr. RANKIN: Describe him - that's kind of why I'm doing the books. I mean, the reason I keep writing about him is because I keep finding out new stuff about him. When we first met him in book one, he was 40 years old. He's now nearly 60, so he does actually age in real time. He is a cop working in a police department in Edinburgh as a detective, but really, he operates almost as a private eye. He has a thing about authority.

He doesn't get on well with his superiors, and he would much rather be left alone to get his teeth into a case but do it his own way. He's a solitary sort of character. He likes to drink. He smokes. He likes '60s and '70s rock music. He's got a busted marriage behind him. He's very close to his colleague, Siobhan Clarke, but she's learned a lot of bad things from him and she's desperately trying to go it her own way and shrug him off. HANSEN: Yeah. Why did you call him Rebus? Mr. RANKIN: As you pointed out, a rebus is a picture puzzle. And when I was a little kid, there was a Sunday newspaper we used to get in Scotland, and it had a page every Sunday of kids' puzzles including a rebus. And I wrote the first Rebus novel when I was in my early 20s and I was a postgraduate student of literature at the University of Edinburgh. And I thought, oh, what a clever thing to call him, you know? Because in the first book, he is actually being sent picture puzzles.

HANSEN: Do you still like the name? Mr. RANKIN: You know, I spent years explaining to people, and then not that long ago - just a few years ago - I actually met a guy called Joel Rebus who lives in Edinburgh, and he said, I thought you got the name out of the phone book. And I said, well, I never looked in the phone book. I met him in a bar, we just bumped into each other, we got talking. So he got the phone book, the phone directory from behind the bar and looked down, and sure enough - a Rebus, J., and his address is Rankin Drive. So it was like, I'd meant to happen, it was like, it was meant to be. HANSEN: How did he first enter your mind as a character? Mr. RANKIN: I'd gone along to sign a contract on my very first book, which was not a crime novel. It was called "The Flood." That was in the afternoon. In the evening, sitting back in my apartment, staring at the fire, I got the idea for this story, this - messages, secret messages being sent to this character.

And I remember writing some notes to myself on that first night, and it said the hero may be a cop. But I - no, I didn't grow up with detective fiction. I mean, I watched a lot of crime movies and crime shows on TV. And, sort of, crime fiction had passed me by, so I wrote the first Rebus novel without really thinking that I was writing inside the genre. HANSEN: You knew nothing about crime novels. How did you get the police stuff right, the procedural stuff right? Mr. RANKIN: Well, I did what any good research student would have done. I wrote to the chief of police in Edinburgh and said, you don't know me, but I'm writing a novel about the police, and I'm going to lift the lid off the true nature of the police in Edinburgh and show them to be complex and corrupt, and will you help me? And I got a very nice letter back saying, go to this police station at this, you know, this certain time and talk to these two detectives. So I duly turned up with my notebook and pen, and these two detectives stared at me disbelievingly and said, you're writing a book?

And they said to me, what's the, you know, what's the plot? And so I laid out for them in broad brushstrokes the plot of the first Rebus novel, "Knots and Crosses," not realizing that these very police men at this very police station were investigating a crime in the real world that was very close to what I was writing about. So basically, I became a suspect. They thought I'd done it, and I was coming in to play games with them. So I became a suspect in a missing person's case, which became a murder inquiry. So that was my first attempt at research into the police. And after that, I stayed away from them for quite some time. (Soundbite of laughter) HANSEN: I can imagine why. The new mystery, "The Naming of the Dead," is set against the 2005 G8 Summit at Gleneagles in Scotland. Why did this event make such fertile ground for a Rebus mystery? Mr. RANKIN: Oh, it's just a gift. It's a gift to the writer, especially if you're writing crime fiction.

I mean, from a - from, sort of, January or February of that year, I was reading in the newspapers there were going to be hundreds of thousands of demonstrators and rioters coming to Edinburgh. The city would be under siege, there would be roadblocks, there would be tens of thousands of cops drafted in from all over the U.K. And I had a little smile to myself for two reasons: one, I thought, this curmudgeonly cop I've created, Rebus, would hate all of that, but most of all, he would hate other cops from outside Edinburgh trespassing on his patch. And I thought, what an interesting backdrop. You know, if Rebus is actually trying to solve a crime but all this other stuff is happening in the background, that would make it interesting because the story really is, at its heart, about personal responsibility. It's about the difference that we think we make to the world. Do rock stars who stand up on a stage and hold concerts for world peace or for, you know, to end war or whatever, or end poverty - do they make a difference? Hundreds of thousands of people marching through the streets - do they make a difference? Do the politicians themselves make a difference?

And, I mean, the irony there was that on the fourth day of that week, we had the bombings in London, the 777 bombings. And what we discovered was that a couple of zealots with a knapsack filled with explosives can make a much bigger difference in the short term than any of us. HANSEN: Did that affect your writing of the book? I mean, the timeline of the book… Mr. RANKIN: Yeah. HANSEN: …it takes place within a few days but before the bombings. Mr. RANKIN: I just wasn't - you know, when I started thinking about writing the book, I had nothing in mind like that. But because it actually happened in the real world, it had to become part of the storyline. And I didn't want it to vicariously become part of the storyline, so I had to find a way of actually making sure that it was intrinsic to everything that I was going to say. HANSEN: Well, there were two mysteries actually going on. One is when someone who was attending the G8, a member of Parliament - he falls, is pushed, he jumps off one of the bulwarks during the big, fancy dinner.

But Rebus is also called on to solve a crime of what looks to be serial killing, kind of, vigilante killing of people who have been in prison for rape or sexual assault, and they've come out of prison, and then they're murdered in a pretty gruesome way. And one of the places that Rebus ends up is a place that you call Clootie Well, and it's a place - I mean, this is so strange - it's a place where there are bits of clothing hung on trees, and they find some evidence of three murders. But Clootie Well - what is that? Mr. RANKIN: Well, it's yet another example that anything you make up is less strange than the real world. Having spent G8 week in Edinburgh, my family and I then went on vacation, and we went just north of Inverness in the highlands of Scotland, and there was - there were tourist signposts to this thing called the Clootie Well, and I knew, from the mists of time, that "clootie" was a Scots word meaning cloth or clothing. And so we thought, well, let's take a look.

And when we appeared in this clearing, sure enough, all the branches of the trees were draped with pieces of cloth and items of clothing in various states of decay. And we learned that local people had been leaving items of clothing here for centuries to appease the wood sprites. It's a kind of good luck charm. Now, as the pieces of clothing deteriorated, they fell to the ground and created a kind of mulch upon which you walked, and this kind of smell of rotten was overpowering. And there was a little spring that bubbled out of the ground, and people had left candles and toys and little dolls and candy bars and things. It was the creepiest tourist attraction I think I'd ever been to. And as soon as - being - having the mind that I've got, maybe, as soon as I walked into it, I thought: crime scene. It was obvious to me, here I was in the middle of the vacation, thinking of things for my next book; and all I did was physically move a hundred miles south to the outskirts of Gleneagles, which is where the G8 leaders were actually meeting, and that gave me a reason to get Rebus within striking distance of the G8.

HANSEN: You are writing a new book about him, because I wondered - the way that "The Naming of the Dead" ends, it appears that there would be more work for Detective Inspector Rebus. Mr. RANKIN: Yeah, but the new book, the one I'm writing just now, is his retirement book. At the end of it - I mean, I've got it in mind - at the end, he will retire. And what happens next, I'm not exactly sure. I'll think about it in the fullness of time. I mean, there are various things I can do. Siobhan, his colleague, can become the main police character and he, retired, a civilian, can help her out or he can do the dirty work for her. Or, we can change the law. There is a fan of the books who is a member of the Scottish Parliament, and she is debating this with the justice minister. She wants the justice minister to change the retirement age in the real world for cops so that Rebus can continue to work until he's 65.

I can't tell you how much hate mail I am getting from real-life cops who are looking forward to their retirement at 60, thank you very much, and don't want to work until they're 65 just so a fictional character continue to tread the mean streets of Edinburgh. HANSEN: Do you think if you met him, you'd like him, and would he like you? Mr. RANKIN: He certainly wouldn't like me. He would - I mean, he's an Old Testament sort of guy. He very much sees the world in black and white and good and bad. He would see me as a lily-livered liberal who has never had to do a hard day's work in his life. The things we would share in common, we could stand at a bar and we could drink a pint of beer, and we could talk music. And once we'd exhausted that, that would be about it. HANSEN: You want to write American comic books. You're going to write a graphic novel, right? Mr. RANKIN: Apparently I am. I was in New York recently.

I went to see DC Comics and Vertigo Comics, and I am doing a "Hellblazer" - "John Constantine: Hellblazer." It's a standalone graphic novel, I think, of 64 pages. It's what I wanted to do when I was 10 years old, so you can say that I've - you know, my life has taken a sudden switch, and from writing crime novels I am going to do at least one major comic book in my life, and that'll be such a thrill. I'm looking forward to that challenge. HANSEN: Ian Rankin is the author of "The Naming of the Dead." The book, published by LittleBrown, marks the 20th anniversary of Rankin's character, Detective Inspector John Rebus. Ian Rankin joined us from the studios of member station KUHF in Houston, Texas. Thanks a lot. Good luck. Mr. RANKIN: Liane, a real pleasure. Thank you. (Soundbite of music) HANSEN: To get hooked on the latest Inspector Rebus mystery, go to npr.org where you can read the first chapter of "The Naming of the Dead." This is WEEKEND EDITION from NPR News.

I'm Liane Hansen. Copyright © 2007 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at for further information. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by Verb8tm, Inc. , an NPR contractor, and produced using a proprietary transcription process developed with NPR. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record. Character profile for Detective John Rebus from Knots and Crosses (Inspector Rebus, #1) (page 1) by Ian Rankin (Goodreads Author) really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 7,418 ratings — published 2001 add/edit characters Want to Read saving… An Evening with Ian Rankin | Culture Northern Ireland An Evening with Ian Rankin An Evening with Ian Rankin The acclaimed author on why his latest release isn't 'really a Rebus novel', as the retired detective moves out on his own in the Scottish capital Ian Rankin 1.jpg Northern Ireland is home to some fantastic crime writers – it's a genre of fiction which has really taken off in the past few years.

Tonight however, Belfast is playing host to a firm favourite from across the pond, as Ian Rankin lifts the cover off his latest Rebus novel, Even Dogs in the Wild. Crime fans stream into Redeemer Central Church on Donegall Street and the venue is soon packed as the sold-out event, organised by No Alibis Bookstore, gets underway. Before the main attraction takes to the stage though, we’re eased into proceedings with a spot of jazz from renowned trumpet player and BBC jazz broadcaster, Linley Hamilton. He’s also brought along a couple of guests in the form of pianist Scott Flanigan and blues and jazz guitarist Ronnie Greer. The relaxed rhythms of jazz certainly mellow the crowd, but there’s still a frisson of excitement when Rankin appears with his interviewer for the evening - Eamonn Hughes of the Queen's University English Department. The Scottish writer's latest book brings his much-loved Detective Inspector John Rebus back into play, albeit in a slightly new set-up. Now retired from the force, this time around readers will see Rebus operating as a private eye, not unlike another famous detective. Rebus however, is probably not the type to be wearing a deerstalker hat...

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was of course, from Edinburgh, although unlike Rankin, he didn’t set his books in the city, so Sherlock Holmes did his detecting elsewhere. 'I thought it would be a wee bit of fun if Rebus is in retirement and comes in as a private eye,' says Rankin. 'Then he would perhaps have a wee bit of fun himself as a consulting detective. I never read any Conan Doyle or any crime fiction until late on – until I’d written crime fiction actually. 'It was a revelation to me that I’d written a crime novel when I was published. I was trying to write something like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.' Born in Cardenden in Fife, Rankin, like his fictional creation, is not originally from Edinburgh, although it’s where he now lives. When asked whether Rebus, who’s still discovering parts of the city, has surely seen everywhere by now, he says the challenge now is for Rebus to view it with fresh eyes. 'He’s seen the sights as a detective, so all he can see are crime scenes,' says Rankin. 'He has to unlearn that side of his nature.

He’s always seen the Mr Hyde, but it would be nice to see the Jekyll now and again. 'But there are bits of Edinburgh I’ve not seen and if I’ve not seen them, he might not have either. I dare say he hasn’t gone into many museums and galleries…' The story meanwhile, unravels differently from previous Rebus novels, and is therefore arguably, not a 'Rebus novel' per se suggests Hughes. Rankin agrees with this assessment, insisting that Even Dogs in the Wild is about legacy and what’s passed down through the generations. 'It’s about families and relationships, and this dysfunctional family I’ve created between Rebus and (DIs) Malcolm and Siobhan,' he says. 'So it’s not really a ‘Rebus novel’.' When it comes to writing, Rankin’s stories start to take root when he identifies a theme or question he wants to explore. He then finds a plot and from there, decides which characters will front the story. 'And so far, that’s always been Rebus,' he says.

'I keep thinking I have unfinished business with him.' In response to the question then about whether DI Siobhan Clarke or even gangster, Big Ger Cafferty, might ever get their own book, Rankin says it all depends on whether the right story comes along. So far, it hasn’t happened. 'With Siobhan, she was never going to be the central character,' he says. 'I’ve never had a plot or theme that I thought was hers. The ideas I get suggest themselves as being ideal for one character or another.' With Even Dogs in the Wild, Rankin throws Glaswegian and Edinburgh police together as a group of Glasgow gangsters arrive in the city. There’s also a murder to be dealt with and the story sees Rebus and Cafferty come face-to-face as the crime boss comes under fire from an unknown source. 'At 65, they now have to use their street smarts and guile instead of their physical presence…' says Rankin, who’s aged his characters realistically, albeit admitting to ‘slowing time’ a little over the last few books.

Having lost various friends last year, including fellow author Iain Banks, Rankin is all too aware of the stealth of mortality, which is reflected in his writing. Indeed, it caused him to take a break in 2014, although despite his wife and agent advising him to take a full year, he couldn’t quite make the 12 months. 'I nearly did… but I started writing short stories,' he says. When questioning is opened to the floor, the first query is perhaps one most Rebus fans want to know. Does Rankin prefer Ken Stott or John Hannah in the TV dramas of his books? 'I’ve never watched them,' he says, deftly side-stepping the question. 'I have all the DVDs but I didn’t watch them because I didn’t want actors’ faces and voices in my head when I wrote. I know fans were happy with Ken Stott. John Hannah was too young perhaps.' Part of what makes the Rebus books so popular, and which fans love the stories for, is their authenticity, and how Rankin depicts the realities of working in Police Scotland. However, he says all research is done after writing the first draft – so he knows what he needs to know then.

He also likes to play games with his readers. 'I’ll use real places and then I’ll make up a fictional place and people will go – where’s that?' Even Dogs in the Wild is published by Orion and is available now. Topics

Question: Fictional character Detective Inspector John Rebus was created by which author?
Answer: Ian Rankin