Preview
  • A Song for the Dark Times

  • An Inspector Rebus Novel
  • By: Ian Rankin
  • Narrated by: James Macpherson
  • Length: 11 hrs and 2 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (334 ratings)

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A Song for the Dark Times

By: Ian Rankin
Narrated by: James Macpherson
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Publisher's summary

"He’s gone...."

When his daughter, Samantha, calls in the dead of night, John Rebus knows it’s not good news. Her husband has been missing for two days.

Rebus fears the worst - and knows from his lifetime in the police that his daughter will be the prime suspect.

He wasn’t the best father - the job always came first - but now his daughter needs him more than ever. But is he going as a father or a detective?

As he leaves at dawn to drive to the windswept coast - and a small town with big secrets - he wonders whether this might be the first time in his life where the truth is the one thing he doesn’t want to find....

A thrilling new Rebus novel about crime, punishment, and redemption, from the Edgar Award-winning "genius" of the genre (Lee Child, best-selling author of the Jack Reacher series).

©2020 John Rebus Ltd. (P)2020 Little, Brown & Company
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What listeners say about A Song for the Dark Times

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

An excellent listen!

As usual, Ian Rankin, bring Rebus to life once again.
Brilliant writing, providing and real sense of northern Scotland.
Totally believable characters and an interesting story line.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

an old friend returns

I'm not sure why but I let several Rebus books lapse before returning to the series with this one. I've always liked the series, even visited the Oxford Bar in Edinburgh between books in the series. But, whatever, I'm back.

In this book Rebus is retired and getting old, he's even got COPD and has moved to the first floor of his building so he doesn't have to walk up steps anymore. Then he gets a call that his daughter's partner has gone missing and he's needed. Rebus gets involved in the case even though he's not a detective anymore. But once a detective always a detective it seems. And the setting goes to the northern tip of Scotland, who knew there was an actual town in Scotland named Tongue?

It's a good Rebus, a page turner for me. I'm going to have to check out those books I missed. Enjoy

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

One of the best Rebus stories

Didn’t want ‘A Song for the Dark Times’ to end as I fear we might not get much more in the way of John Rebus novels! But what a sweet post-retirement tale of love, loss, and family reconciliation. If you’ve followed these stories for any length of time, this one is a must but would recommend you start earlier on in the series (as long as James Macpherson is the narrator).

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5 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

typical Rebus

John Rebus finds being retired has its drawbacks when his daughter is suspected of murder. It's up to him to help point the local constabulary in the right direction .

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great New Rebus

Rankin delivers a brand new, top notch Rebus. Everything I love about Rebus: attitude, annoying villains, tight plot, wide open landscapes, and tough, evocative writing. Nice father-daughter plot symmetry too - something different. My only complaint is, as a US listener, I had trouble with some of the accents. That stopped me cold several times for a rewind. Granted, the narrator should receive an award for best audio interpretation of a German-Polish-Scots accent for a male character over 90 years old, should such an award exist. Thank you, Mr Rankin, and please keep on writing.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Really enjoyable read

Such a great storyteller! Ian Rankin includes all the details to paint you right into the action!

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Another great rebus

I find myself wondering whether to give it 4 or 5 stars--4.5 on all counts if I were fair. Anyway, it's Rebus in retirement and still going hard, Siovan (forgive spelling) at work and going hard too. Good crimes, both.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Ian Rankin is Back

Thought it was all over but Inspector Rebus is back. This series has the best reader, James McPherson, who is the master of the Scottish Dialect of Burrs.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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Rankin never disappoints

Great plot with many twists. Rebus may be retired but is still a great detective. Two related plots are woven together with all the detectives we fans have grown to love. Includes the infamous Big Ger too. A real treat.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Ian Rankin at his best

Great character development for all. I am beginning to get really attached to Malcom, Never thought I would. Great story telling as usual, it’s been 23 books and I still can’t have enough.

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