The end for Insp. Rebus

[christie1]

I got Ian Rankins lastest and apparently last book in the insp. Rebus series ( called Exit Music). I wonder why this is the end, is he out of ideas or wanting to write other stuff. Ian Rankin is still pretty young. I will miss Rebus. Anyone else a fan?

I'm a HUGE fan (and the book is fantastic!)

He had to stop writing Rebus because he exists in 'real time' and so is due for retirement. I think he really wrestled with how to write the final book.

I love the Rebus series. One of my favs, just keeps getting better and better.

Am just reading 'The Naming of the Dead' and will put off 'Exit Music' till it's out in paperback.

Ian Rankin has spoken publicly about the future of Rebus many times.

He may consider writing a sort of Rebus meets murder in the Costa del Dosh in a few years times, with the retired Rebus coming back on the scene to solve crime.

That would be cool.

And, of course, Siobhan is fairly young, with a good future!

Having written about him for so long, however, I can imagine how Rankin's perhaps happy to get a break and turn his creative attentions elsewhere. He's done some cool stuff with some local musicians lately - his interest in music is obvious even throughout the Rebus series.

I love Rebus.

Managed to order Exit Music from library and read it in one sitting.

I heard IR on an arty prog on r4 saying that he would not be writing any Rebus stuff for a couple of years at least,as he is busy with other projects.

He did not completely rule out bringing Rebus back,but more in the context of a novel about Siobhan.Maybe he will appear back eventually

Whilst on the subject can I say how disappointed I was with Ken Stott playing Rebus on TV,not my idea of Rebus at all.

Not as bad as John Hannah was. Must be confessed though that I didn't even watch John Hannah as he was so beyond my conception of Rebus and felt justified when I heard Ian Rankin in conversation at a book festival making it quite clear that John Hannah was not his choice and distanced himself from that whole project.

got to confesses i am a rebus fan, quite anoraky read all in sequence and visited the venues mentioned. agree JH was too woosy and plain wrong

I am pretty sure that Rankin will write something else with Rebus in it, after a break though as others have said

in many ways Edinburgh is as big a star of the books as Rebus is, and Siobhan became increasingly interesting, so further novels with them as the focus and Rebus appearing in 'cameo' would appeal to me as well

Now I think Ken Stott is fabulous as Rebus; for me, it's the part he was always meant to play. It was Claire Price as Siobhan who I felt was miscast in that series.

I felt that Exit Music was a cop-out after all the fuss that Rankin made about how to finish Rebus off - I thought it was a very weak ending given the strength of the rest of the series.

As others have said, my guess is that the next series will be centred around Siobhan Clarke, but will still feature Rebus until he gets her established as a leading detective in her own right. I think Ian Rankin will find it harder than he thinks to let Rebus go completely!

yes I wasn't massively keen on Exit Music

and I have to admit I haven't watched the TV series at all so no idea about what it's like

i've found new love after Rebus in Kate Atkinson's Jackson Brodie character.

I started exit music and it does not disappoint. The writing is really crisp, as it always is. I am so glad to hear rebus will be kicking around. I watched the tv series once but didn't find it interested me, I guess the rebus on the screen was not what I imagined. I went to Edinburgh this june for the first time and toured alot to the places from the book. I didn't to the rebus walks as I had my little ones with me but I have to say the books really made me feel like I really knew edinburgh. I would love to come back again.

I thought it was a bit too low key to be the last we'll hear of Rebus. I'm a huge fan though and having lived in Edinburgh for ten years I love reading about all the old haunts. Ian Rankin was also born in the same county as me (Fife) and I used to live not very far from him when I did stay in Edinburgh.

I had always imagined Ken Scott as Rebus, way before he was actually cast but I agree with the comments about the woman playing Siobhan, she just seems too insipid. Anyone got thoughts on who should play her?

(I always thought of a young Siobhan Redmond for some reason, obviously this association seems to be based soley on her name, and is hindered by the fact that Siobhan Clarke is English!!).