Ask the Author: Ian Rankin
Answered Questions (57)
Ian Rankin
I really liked that le Carre. I can imagine doing something similar in the future with Rebus/Cafferty. Stay tuned.
Ian Rankin
Crime fiction does everything I ask of it, lets me explore my society from top to bottom, discuss big moral and political issues, helps me make sense of my city, my country, and the larger world. No one author got me into crime fiction - the elasticity of the genre itself did.
Ian Rankin
Anita Nair is the Indian novelist that springs to mind, though I've read several Anglo-Indian writers, of whom Abir Mukerjee is probably my favourite. Favourite current Scottish crime writers is probably Denise Mina with Doug Johnstone not far behind.
Ian Rankin
Matt Wieslowski is an interesting novelist who uses the shape/structure of the true-crime podcast as a device in his book. Ragnar Jonasson's Hulda trilogy starts with a detective at the end of her career and then goes back in time in books two and three.
Ian Rankin
Black and Blue is a favourite. Everything seemed to click in that book.
Ian Rankin
Fingers crossed for September travel. Edinburgh has no shortage of great bars. Ones that would appeal to Rebus include the Oxford Bar (natch), Bow Bar, Sandy Bell's, Royal Oak, Bennets (next to Kings Theatre), Abbotsford, Café Royal. Nicely walkable pub crawl right there.
Ian Rankin
He has at least one more adventure waiting for him. I never plan further ahead than that. If I can get it written it’ll be published October 2020.
Ian Rankin
I know fans were happy with Ken Stott but I made the decision not to watch any of the TV versions because I wanted to stay true to my idea of Rebus and not be influenced by an actor’s interpretation.
Ian Rankin
Just about to start writing a new Rebus book.
Ian Rankin
Rebus is being a bit cheeky here but is also pointing out that Britain is often lazily used to equate to England and things in Scotland are done quite differently to England. Legal system, education system both very different. So it’s a reminder not to judge Scotland by perceived ideas of Britishness/Englishness.
Ian Rankin
Handling goods you know to be stolen and selling them on to an innocent party.
Ian Rankin
It’s been done already, first with John Hannah as Rebus and then with Ken Stott as Rebus. Not been any new TV films recently though a pilot script is under consideration for a reboot. All episodes are on DVD.
Ian Rankin
I still miss Jackie Leven. He was a huge talent and a great guy to know.
Ian Rankin
I think my Dutch publisher decided too many people were buying the English language editions, making it not very profitable to translate them.
Ian Rankin
I’d probably have to go back and reread the book before answering but I’d say those mid-period books were darker, edgier, more acerbic - as a result of stuff that was happening in my personal life. If you have the newer U.K. editions my introductions may be enlightening.
Ian Rankin
Big fan of King especially in my younger days when I was easier to scare! His non-fiction book On Writing is also v good on the pitfalls and pleasures of being a writer.
Ian Rankin
Yes but I also like a lot of newer stuff Rebus would have little or no truck with (Mogwai, Boards of Canada, etc). But we both love the Stones, John Martyn, Van Morrison etc.
Ian Rankin
Doubt I’ll ever get round to a Flood sequel. I was a very different person then with a different idea of what kind of writer I wanted to be.
Ian Rankin
Still a lot of nice traditional bars in Edinburgh. Try the Oxford, Abbotsford, Bow Bar, Sandy Bell’s, Kay’s, Cafe Royal.
Ian Rankin
I doubt he realises so many readers find him attractive! He's brooding, of course, and gnarly and a rebel of sorts - attractive qualities to some. Probably a fairly hopeless boyfriend though - or high-maintenance at any rate. I'm pleased for him that in the last few books he's found someone to spend time with (Deborah Quant).
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