Knots and Crosses cover art

Knots and Crosses

Inspector Rebus, Book 1

 Preview
LIMITED TIME OFFER

3 months free
Try for £0.00
£8.99/mo thereafter. Renews automatically. Terms apply. Offer ends 31 July 2025 at 23:59 GMT.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for £8.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel monthly.

Knots and Crosses

By: Ian Rankin
Narrated by: Bill Paterson
Try for £0.00

£8.99/mo after 3 months. Offer ends 31 July 2025 23:59 GMT. Cancel monthly.

Buy Now for £8.99

Buy Now for £8.99

Confirm Purchase
Pay using card ending in
Switch payment method
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.
Cancel

About this listen

 This is the first Inspector Rebus novel.

"And in Edinburgh of all places. I mean, you never think of that sort of thing happening in Edinburgh, do you?"
That sort of thing is the brutal abduction and murder of two young girls. And now a third is missing, presumably gone to the same sad end. Detective Sergeant John Rebus, smoking and drinking too much, his own daughter spirited away by his estranged wife, is one of many policemen hunting the killer. Then, the messages begin: knotted string and matchstick crosses taunt Rebus with a puzzle only he can solve.

©1987 Ian Rankin (P)1999 Orion Publishing Group Ltd. Crime Thrillers Detective Fiction Mystery Police Procedural Thriller & Suspense Traditional Detectives Crime Thriller Scary Suspense

Listeners also enjoyed...

 Laidlaw cover art
A Litter of Bones: A Scottish Crime Thriller cover art
The Bonnie Dead cover art
A Long Time Dead cover art
First Blood cover art
The Turning of Our Bones cover art
Taken to the Hills cover art
Elantris: Tenth Anniversary Author's Definitive Edition (1 of 2) (Dramatized Adaptation) cover art
Whisky from Small Glasses cover art
The Black Echo: Special Edition cover art
Macbeth: A Novel cover art
Death on Cromer Beach cover art
A is for Alibi cover art
The Dead Won't Sleep cover art
Down Cemetery Road cover art
The Coldest Case: A Black Book Audio Drama cover art

Critic reviews

"Suspenseful riddling, with exemplary eye to the plod of police through civic jungle." ( Sunday Times)
All stars
Most relevant  
I read the paper back a couple of years ago, and this version captures that very enjoyable experience from the young Ian Rankin. Bill Patterson sparkles as usual.

A quick story, I’m sure it must be abridged. But we’ll done

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
it passed a few hours but I'm hoping the next in the series is better

Good enough listen

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Glad of the intro by the author because it was not the standard expected of Ian Rankin. However I enjoyed it.

Obviously new to this.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Loved this one narration was great can't wait to listen to next one in series

Brilliant

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
brilliant ! I couldn't stop listening. I couldn't wait ro get in my car to listen more.

gripping

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
A good tale well told a very engrossing listen,well written & narrated most enjoyable listen!

It was Excellent.A Good tale !

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I did not enjoy this book but as much as previous novels by Ian Rankin

My opinion

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I took this story on holiday with me and was so engrossed I didn't want to stop listening. This is expertly written and the narration by Bill Paterson is superb. As this is the first Rebus book you get to know the main characters and their backgrounds. If you like this book you're sure to love the others. I was sorry when it finished but also felt satisfied. It was the best book i'd listened to in ages. I have heard 2 others read by James McPherson which were equally as good but now I feel personally that I should have started at the beginning. Ian Rankin is certainly consistant and I think everyone should have at least one Rankin book in their collection.

Fab!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
this was my first buy on audible, brilliant book will now go on collecting rebus books. love the character moody yet somehow appealing a must buy!

first book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
A great book! Excellently read! The narrator gave a great performance, I look forward to the next installment.

Excellent!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews