A Question of Blood

A “Question of Blood” by Ian Rankin is a crime fiction novel including two very intelligent detectives; DS Clarke and DI Rebus. They both live north of Edinburgh and operate out of a police station called St. Leonard’s. Rebus, likes to bend the rules and has to in order to solve this murder. The murder took place in a school in their jurisdiction called Port Edgar. An ex-Army loner killed two seventeen-year olds in the school, who turned the gun on himself after the murders.

Ian Rankin writes in a certain way to lead the reader as if there is no other possible killer other than the man from the military. Then, at the last possible second a clue presents itself leading the detectives on a wild goose chase to find the killer. His style is very light; there are many jokes even though it is a whodunit novel. I believe that because of the lightness of his writing the reader becomes more enveloped in the story.

A crime fiction novel is supposed to be logical, the author should weave a puzzle leaving the reader confused but not at a total loss. The reader should be guessing who the killer is, and wanting to know. The clues should lead the reader to a certain point and then show the killer. Ian Rankin wrote “A Question of Blood” in this manner which allowed the reader to be trapped into the story.

This novel was quite good, and I look forward to reading more of the same genre and author.