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kathydavie's review against another edition
5.0
Seventeenth in the Inspector Rebus detective mystery series set in Edinburgh, Scotland.
My Take
Please. Please, don't let Rebus retire…I want to read more about him! He's too interesting a character to sit back in an armchair with his music and Scotch.
Rebus reminds me of Inspector Morse in that he's a bit cantankerous, "knows-all" (usually true!), and he has an eye for the ladies — besides the drink and the music! As for other characters, there's really only Siobhan Clarke who has been stuck with Rebus for most of the series as his not-quite-equal partner. We know so little about her that I don't see her taking over the series. Other minor characters appear in the background to give it some consistency — it's primarily Rebus with Shiv and his maneuvering to get his way in his (well, mostly his) investigations.
A fascinating look at crime in Edinburgh and an incredible tour of the city and Scottish culture and politics. If this truly is the end of Rebus…I'll miss it.
I do have my suspicions that Rebus may be joining another squad though…
The Story
Always a pain in management's back side (one of Rebus' three delights in life, besides the scotch and music), this is Rebus' last chance to clear up old cases, and especially, clear up Ger Cafferty. So when a Russian dissident poet is murdered and a possible connection to Big Ger rises, Rebus insists that there is more to the murder.
My Take
Please. Please, don't let Rebus retire…I want to read more about him! He's too interesting a character to sit back in an armchair with his music and Scotch.
Rebus reminds me of Inspector Morse in that he's a bit cantankerous, "knows-all" (usually true!), and he has an eye for the ladies — besides the drink and the music! As for other characters, there's really only Siobhan Clarke who has been stuck with Rebus for most of the series as his not-quite-equal partner. We know so little about her that I don't see her taking over the series. Other minor characters appear in the background to give it some consistency — it's primarily Rebus with Shiv and his maneuvering to get his way in his (well, mostly his) investigations.
A fascinating look at crime in Edinburgh and an incredible tour of the city and Scottish culture and politics. If this truly is the end of Rebus…I'll miss it.
I do have my suspicions that Rebus may be joining another squad though…
The Story
Always a pain in management's back side (one of Rebus' three delights in life, besides the scotch and music), this is Rebus' last chance to clear up old cases, and especially, clear up Ger Cafferty. So when a Russian dissident poet is murdered and a possible connection to Big Ger rises, Rebus insists that there is more to the murder.
pa259's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
coleycole's review against another edition
4.0
probably shouldn't listen to the last book in a long series first, but still, very enjoyable. yay for scottish narrators!
sonicboylee's review against another edition
5.0
Brilliant end to the normal police career of Rebus with a great shaggy dog story bringing in Russian poets and corrupt big business. As the usual the journey is much more important than the end. Loved the finale with the true relationship between Rebus and Cafferty playing out just like Holmes and Moriarty
laila4343's review against another edition
5.0
One of my favorites of the series so far. Rebus is getting ready to retire - an end of an era, and he's a little bit reflective about what comes next. Two corpses, a Russian dissident poet and the audio engineer who recorded his readings - how are they connected? Then something momentous happens with Big Ger Cafferty that shakes Rebus's world. A very exciting ending! Can't wait to see what comes next.
beastreader's review against another edition
1.0
Scottish Detective Inspector John Rebus is preparing for his retirement. Unfortunately though he will have to put all thoughts of it aside for now. A Russian poet is found beaten to death. The only witness to his murder has been burned to death. Rebus is joined on the case with Detective Siobhan Clarke. As Rebus starts doing some digging, he becomes suspicious of some Russian businessmen, who are in town looking to do some realty investing in Edinburgh. Rebus is trying to figure out what the connection is with these men and the dead poet.
It appears the killer is moving fast. Another victim has been found. This time it is the body of a local gangster, who Rebus used to have a beef with. Edinburgh’s mayor and politicians want Rebus to close out this case quickly and quietly. Having a stack of dead bodies in your own backyard is bad for business. All of Rebus’s poking around has caused some peoples attitude to turn sour. Will Rebus’s last case be a cold case or can he solve the murder and go out with a bang?
Exit Music is the last story to feature Detective Inspector John Rebus. Having never read any of the other books, I can happily say that you do not have to read of the prior novels. Exit Music can be read or listened to in audio format as a stand alone novel. What I liked about Detective Inspector John Rebus was his gung-ho attitude. It didn’t matter how difficult the situation may seem. He was willing to jump in feet first. What I didn’t like about this book was that aside from Rebus everyone else seemed uninteresting to me. Even with the help of James MacPherson doing the voice-overs, I still found it hard to pay attention to the story.
It appears the killer is moving fast. Another victim has been found. This time it is the body of a local gangster, who Rebus used to have a beef with. Edinburgh’s mayor and politicians want Rebus to close out this case quickly and quietly. Having a stack of dead bodies in your own backyard is bad for business. All of Rebus’s poking around has caused some peoples attitude to turn sour. Will Rebus’s last case be a cold case or can he solve the murder and go out with a bang?
Exit Music is the last story to feature Detective Inspector John Rebus. Having never read any of the other books, I can happily say that you do not have to read of the prior novels. Exit Music can be read or listened to in audio format as a stand alone novel. What I liked about Detective Inspector John Rebus was his gung-ho attitude. It didn’t matter how difficult the situation may seem. He was willing to jump in feet first. What I didn’t like about this book was that aside from Rebus everyone else seemed uninteresting to me. Even with the help of James MacPherson doing the voice-overs, I still found it hard to pay attention to the story.
winterreader's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
aoosterwyk's review against another edition
5.0
It is a melancholy day today. Coming to the end of a beloved series is so sad. I have enjoyed DI Rebus so much, I couldn't believe it would be over so soon. I created a playlist of music from the books and it has added another dimension to my appreciation of the author's craft and one which I will continue to enjoy, despite having finished the series.
blairconrad's review against another edition
4.0
Sad. Not a sad story, but sad that this is the end of the Rebus books.
The story was pretty good, but I mostly didn't care about the whole Russian angle. We do get the usual coincidences and big web of connected people, which sometimes is fun, and sometimes grates. What makes this story, like many of the Rebuses, is the interactions of the characters we've come to love - watching Rebus, Siobhan, the other CID members, and even Cafferty deal with John's impending retirement made for an excellent show.
The story was pretty good, but I mostly didn't care about the whole Russian angle. We do get the usual coincidences and big web of connected people, which sometimes is fun, and sometimes grates. What makes this story, like many of the Rebuses, is the interactions of the characters we've come to love - watching Rebus, Siobhan, the other CID members, and even Cafferty deal with John's impending retirement made for an excellent show.