** spoiler alert ** Ian Rankin's John Rebus books are among my favorites, particularly the mid- to later- books in the series.

This falls into that category. In this installment, Detective Inspector Rebus of Edinburgh is a 'drinkie drinkie' who reforms under the influence of colleague Jack Morton.

Rebbus is cynical yet endearing in his hardboiled way.

We see Rebus help both Siobhan and Gill Templar in their careers. We see him refuse his first drinks on the path to temperance. We see him solve an interlocking set of crimes that have to do with the offshore oil industry in Scotland.

(This has meaning has one bro is based currently w. BP in Azerbajhian sp?, dealing w. offshore drilling, who phoned while I was reading B&B) while another bro in Alaska, just flew this same week by "budgie" (helicopter) to a rig in Cook Inlet that is going to be decommissioned, therefore needing some expanded living quarters. So that bro had to wear the same sort of contortionist dry suit that Rebus wears when flying to/from the rig).

Core of the book has to do w. a past-prime serial killer (Bible John) who's in a bother because he's being upstaged by a newer serial killer who has been dubbed Johnny Bible, because the MO's are similar.

Awesome!