The Naming of the Dead

Written by Ian Rankin

Read by James MacPherson

Publisher: Orion

Price: £14.99 Audio CD

Ian Rankin’s latest offering, ‘The Naming Of The Dead’ grips from the off, not only because it’s brilliantly plotted, but because it’s set around one of the most harrowing weeks of British history with the G8 Summit at Gleneagle’s Hotel in Scotland, the ‘Make Poverty History’ Live 8 Concerts and London’s 7/7 bombings. The tented village full of G8 protesters grows; Bob Geldof had demanded that a million dissenters make themselves known in Edinburgh; stretching the police to the limit. World leaders are gathering to discuss the World’s poverty, with Gordon Brown promising to write off African debt. In contrast,  protesters are causing havoc and streaking with a picture of Tony Blair’s face on the front of thier underpants. (A scene that wouldn’t be out of place in today’s political atmosphere just a year on.) The story starts with Detective Inspector John Rebus swallowing the regret of his brother Michael’s death and plunging himself into the investigation of a serial killer who, it’s discovered, has been leaving rotting remnants of clothing on a tree in a clearing at the spooky Clootie Well. Rebus, an alcoholic, world weary yet brilliant detective, and DS Siobhan Clarke, head the investigation, picking up a series of baffling clues. The apparent suicide of an MP attending the summit gives a further twist of tension to the story, especially when it looks like there’s a connection between that and the serial killer. Rebus is, of course, told to stay away from the area. The authorities don’t want to overshadow the meeting of global importance - so tell Rebus to stay well out of it. Rebus is never one to stick to the rules, and ignores his orders and tension escalates when Siobhan becomes suspicious of a fellow reveller, Santal, who latches herself to Sioban's parents, Eve and Teddy Clarke who have travelled from London to join the protest marchers. Sioban later finds herself hunting down the identity of a riot cop who assaults her mother. There’s a lot to follow in this political thriller, and at one point, it looks as though Rebus and Sioban are up against both the authorities, and the underground gangs running Edinburgh. James MacPherson reads it brilliantly. It’s well worth a listen.