![Rude, churlish, obnoxious ... John Rebus is the literary detective I hate to love.](<script%20type="text/javascript"%20src="http://wms-na.amazon-adsystem.com/20070822/US/js/link-enhancer-common.js?tag=margil0e-20&linkId=TE4KDWBUQJUTBQB7">%20</script>%20<noscript>%20%20%20%20%20<img%20src="http://wms-na.amazon-adsystem.com/20070822/US/img/noscript.gif?tag=margil0e-20&linkId=TE4KDWBUQJUTBQB7"%20alt=""%20/>%20</noscript> "John Rebus is the literary character I hate to love.")
In Exit Music John Rebus retired – but Rankin brought him back. I assume it was due to fan outrage!
The literary character I hate to love – or love to hate – is Inspector John Rebus. Rude, arrogant, churlish – his brilliance in solving Edinburgh murder mysteries is matched only by his self destructive love for booze, cigarettes, and conflict with authority.
I’m a bit like those few who are close to him in Rankin’s novels – loyal and able to see past his coarse exterior – but always wondering what he will do next to get himself in trouble with the bosses – and drag me along with him!
In Exit Music, author Ian Rankin finally put Rebus into retirement and introduced a new series character in The Complaints. I can only assume fan reaction won the day as Rebus made his typically messy but triumphant return in Resurrection Men.
