Let It Bleed (novel)

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Let It Bleed (novel)

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Let it Bleed
First edition
Author	Ian Rankin
Language	English
Series	Inspector Rebus
Genre	Detective fiction
Publisher	Orion Books
Publication date	1995
Publication place	Scotland
Media type	Print (Hardback & Paperback)
Pages	278 pp
ISBN	1-85797-634-7
OCLC	43181191
Preceded by	Mortal Causes
Followed by	Black & Blue

Let it Bleed is a 1995 crime novel by Ian Rankin. It is the seventh of the Inspector Rebus novels. The US edition has a final chapter not present in the UK version; Rankin has explained that his North American publisher objected to the open, ambiguous conclusion of the original text.

Plot summary

[edit]

Detective Inspector John Rebus and Frank Lauderdale start the book with a car chase across Edinburgh to apprehend kidnappers, culminating with the two youths they are chasing throwing themselves off the Forth Road Bridge and in Rebus being injured in a car crash.^[1] Rebus's upset over this allows Rankin to show the character in a new light, revealing his isolation and potentially suicidal despair.

After the unconnected suicide of a terminally ill con, Rebus pursues an investigation that implicates respected people at the highest levels of government, and due to the politically sensitive nature of what he is doing, faces losing his job, or worse. He is supported by his daughter Sammy, allowing their distant relationship to be built upon.^[2]

Publishing notes

[edit]

The title refers to the Rolling Stones album Let it Bleed.^[1]

In one scene in the novel, Rankin describes Rebus putting his foot onto the bar rail in the Oxford Bar when a band is playing. This, Rankin states, caused many people to contact him to say that there wasn't a bar rail in the Oxford at that time. Rankin mused that this mistake (he claims he mis-remembered) has led to more complaints than anything else including historical inaccuracies or police procedure.^[3]

The American version of the book includes a final chapter not seen in the original UK publication. The American publishers were unhappy with the open-ending in the book and so commissioned Rankin to complete the story for the American market.^[4]

TV serial

[edit]

An episode of the Rebus television series adapted the plot the book, with some differences. Ken Stott starred as Inspector Rebus.^[5]

References

[edit]

^ ^a ^b Bowden, Jen (23 August 2012). "Rebus revisited – Ian Rankin picks his favourite moments". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
^ Taylor, Andrew (21 October 1995). "Designer socks and gothic policemen". The Independent. ProQuest 312381760.
^ Wade, Mike (18 January 2004). "On the trail of Rankin's Rebus muse". The Sunday Times. ProQuest 316800236.
^ Alter, Alexandra (10 January 2013). "A Beloved Detective Returns". The Wall Street Journal. ProQuest 1268523324.
^ "Let It Bleed". IMDb.com. Retrieved 28 October 2018.

v t e Ian Rankin's Inspector Rebus series
Novels	Knots and Crosses Hide and Seek Tooth and Nail Strip Jack The Black Book Mortal Causes Let it Bleed Black & Blue The Hanging Garden Dead Souls Set in Darkness The Falls Resurrection Men A Question of Blood Fleshmarket Close The Naming of the Dead Exit Music Standing in Another Man's Grave Saints of the Shadow Bible Even Dogs in the Wild Rather Be the Devil In a House of Lies A Song for the Dark Times A Heart Full of Headstones
Short story collections	A Good Hanging and Other Stories The Beat Goes On
Characters	John Rebus
Television	Rebus (2000–07) "A Question of Blood" "Strip Jack" "Let It Bleed" "Resurrection Men" "The First Stone" "The Naming of the Dead" "Knots and Crosses" Rebus (2024–present)
Stage	Long Shadows

v t e Works by Ian Rankin
Novels	The Flood (1986) Knots and Crosses (1987) Watchman (1988) Westwind (1990) Hide and Seek (1991) Tooth and Nail (1992) Strip Jack (1992) The Black Book (1993) Witch Hunt (1993) Mortal Causes (1994) Bleeding Hearts (1994) Let It Bleed (1995) Blood Hunt (1995) Black & Blue (1997) The Hanging Garden (1998) Dead Souls (1999) Set in Darkness (2000) The Falls (2001) Resurrection Men (2002) A Question of Blood (2003) Fleshmarket Close (2004) The Naming of the Dead (2006) Exit Music (2007) Doors Open (2008) A Cool Head (2009, Quick Reads) The Complaints (2009) The Impossible Dead (2011) Standing in Another Man's Grave (2012) Saints of the Shadow Bible (2013) Even Dogs in the Wild (2015) Rather Be the Devil (2016) In a House of Lies (2018) A Song for the Dark Times (2020) The Dark Remains (2021; with William McIlvanney) A Heart Full of Headstones (2022)
Short story collections	A Good Hanging and Other Stories (1992) Beggars Banquet (2002) The Beat Goes On (2014)
Plays	Dark Road (2013) Long Shadows (2018)
Short stories	Death is Not the End (1998)
Related articles	Inspector Rebus

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