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Saints of The Shadow Bible by Ian Rankin
John Rebus series Book #19
4.5★
Rebus is back on the force, albeit with a demotion and a chip on his shoulder. He is investigating a car accident when news arrives that a case from 30 years ago is being reopened. Rebus's team from those days is suspected of helping a murderer escape justice to further their own ends.
Malcolm Fox, in what will be his last case as an internal affairs cop, is tasked with finding out the truth. Past and present are about to collide in shocking and murderous fashion. What does Rebus have to hide? And whose side is he really on? His colleagues back then called themselves "The Saints," and swore a bond on something called the Shadow Bible. But times have changed and the crimes of the past may not stay hidden much longer -- and may also play a role in the present, as Scotland gears up for a referendum on independence. Allegiances are being formed, enemies made, and huge questions asked. Who are the saints and who the sinners? And can the one ever become the other?The good guys are never all good and the bad guys are never all bad. This takes the reader back to Rebus's rookie days when he belonged to a group of cops that were known as "The Saints" and they swore allegiance on something called the Shadow Bible. From there the story goes back and forth from the past to the present. The book starts slowly and takes some time to get warmed up. It's in the days when there was little forensic science so DNA wasn't a big factor in solving a case. Readers can see how John Rebus developed into the case-solver that he is today while struggling to be a part of the team. Another good read.
