John Rebus stands accused: on trial for a crime that could put him behind bars for the rest of his life. Although it's not the first time the legendary detective has taken the law into his own hands, it might be the last. What drove a good man to cross the line? Or have times changed, and the rules with them? Detective Inspector Siobhan Clarke faces Edinburgh's most explosive case in years, as a corrupt cop goes missing after claiming to harbour secrets that could sink the city's police force. But in this investigation, it seems all roads lead to Rebus - and Clarke's twin loyalties to the public and the police will be tested to their limit. A reckoning is coming - and John Rebus may be hearing the call for last orders...

'Five engrossing, resonant stories here, with no weak links' The Herald The world's first UNESCO city of literature, Edinburgh is steeped in literary history. It is the birthplace of a beloved cast of fictional characters from Sherlock Holmes to Harry Potter. It is the home of the Writer's Museum, where quotes from writers of the past pave the steps leading up to it. A city whose beauty is matched only by the intrigue of its past, and where Robert Louis Stevenson said, 'there are no stars so lovely as Edinburgh's street-lamps'. And to celebrate the city, its literature, and more importantly, its people, Polygon and the One City Trust have brought together writers - established and emerging - to write about the place they call home. Based around landmarks or significant links to Edinburgh each story transports the reader to a different decade in the city's recent past. Through these stories each author reflects on the changes, both generational and physical, in the city in which we live.

Christmas Eve. While the world sleeps, snow falls gently from the sky, presents await under the tree ... and murder is afoot. In this collection of ten classic murder mysteries from the best crime writers in history, death and mayhem take many festive forms, from the inventive to the unexpected. From a Santa Claus with a grudge to a cat who knows who killed its owner on Christmas Eve, these are stories to enjoy - and be mystified by - in front of a roaring fire, mince pie to hand.

A masterclass in cat-and-mouse espionage suspense - and the last lost novel - from the iconic Number One bestselling author of A SONG FOR THE DARK TIMES 'Ian Rankin is a genius' Lee Child It always starts with a small lie. That's how you stop noticing the bigger ones. After his friend suspects something strange going on at the launch facility where they both work - and then goes missing - Martin Hepton doesn't believe the official line of "long-term sick leave"... Refusing to stop asking questions, he leaves his old life behind, aware that someone is shadowing his every move. The only hope he has is his ex-girlfriend Jill Watson - the only journalist who will believe his story. But neither of them can believe the puzzle they're piecing together - or just how shocking the secret is that everybody wants to stay hidden... A gripping, page-turning suspense masterclass - experience the brilliance of the iconic Ian Rankin.

Stranded demonstrates yet again the scope of Val McDermid's imagination, her versatility as a stylist and her immense powers as a storyteller. As well as McDermid's popular series character, private eye Kate Brannigan, this diverse collection contains narrative voices, both female and male, from different continents and an eclectic range of backgrounds. McDermid has chosen the short-story form to probe not only the motivations of the criminal underworld but also the nature of crime itself, all the time playing with crime-writing and pushing it to its limits. There are even occasions where McDermid defies the genre altogether and the collection is framed by two stories that show a writer exploring fresh territory. Grit, sex, glamour, intrigue and unexpected turns: Stranded is a showcase of trademark McDermid that will strike a few surprising chords amongst even her most devoted readers.

THE BRAND NEW REBUS THRILLER FROM THE ICONIC NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER. ONE OF THE MUST-READ NOVELS OF THE YEAR. John Rebus had been in court plenty of times, but this was his first time in the dock... John Rebus stands accused: on trial for a crime that could put him behind bars for the rest of his life. Although it's not the first time the legendary detective has taken the law into his own hands, it might be the last. What drove a good man to cross the line? Or have times changed, and the rules with them? Detective Inspector Siobhan Clarke faces Edinburgh's most explosive case in years, as a corrupt cop goes missing after claiming to harbour secrets that could sink the city's police force. But in this investigation, it seems all roads lead to Rebus - and Clarke's twin loyalties to the public and the police will be tested to their limit. A reckoning is coming - and John Rebus may be hearing the call for last orders... * * * * * PRAISE FOR A HEART FULL OF HEADSTONES: 'I loved it hugely! Rebus is one of fiction's greatest creations.' MARIAN KEYES 'Phenomenal ... The ending is going to floor readers. Everyone is going to be talking about this!' MICK HERRON 'Magnificent - beautifully written, clever - and what an ending!' KATE MOSSE 'Peerless. Immaculately crafted, gripping, intricately textured. By turns wry, brutal, unflinching, heart-filled.' SARAH VAUGHAN 'The standout novel from one of the great storytellers of our generation ... The kind of ending you won't ever forget.' CHRIS WHITAKER * * * * * PRAISE FOR THE ICONIC NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER IAN RANKIN: 'Ian Rankin is a genius' LEE CHILD 'Rebus is one of British crime writing's greatest characters: alongside Holmes, Poirot and Morse' DAILY MAIL 'Whatever he writes, it will be worth reading ... Rankin has redefined the genre' GUARDIAN 'The arrival of a Rankin novel remains one of life's pleasures' EXPRESS 'Rankin is a phenomenon' SPECTATOR 'Worthy of Agatha Christie at her best' SCOTSMAN 'The king of crime fiction' SUNDAY EXPRESS 'Great fiction, full stop' THE TIMES

'He's gone...'

When his daughter Samantha calls in the dead of night, John Rebus knows it's not good news. Her husband has been missing for two days.

Rebus fears the worst - and knows from his lifetime in the police that his daughter will be the prime suspect.

He wasn't the best father - the job always came first - but now his daughter needs him more than ever. But is he going as a father or a detective?

As he leaves at dawn to drive to the windswept coast - and a small town with big secrets - he wonders whether this might be the first time in his life where the truth is the one thing he doesn't want to find...

Perfect for Rankin fans: Finished the novels and just want more? Dive inside Edinburgh as only John Rebus knows it. Packed with detail: Every single Rebus novel to date is referenced: can you spot them all? Poster and playlist: Comes with a poster detailing all the references and a playlist tailor-made by Ian Rankin himself of John Rebus's favourite songs so that you can fully immerse yourself in The World of Rebus. Good size: Completed puzzle measures 48.5 x 68 cm (19 x 27 in.). THE MUST-HAVE JIGSAW FROM ICONIC NO.1 BESTSELLER IAN RANKIN 'Rebus is one of British crime writing's greatest characters' DAILY MAIL Take a tour through all two dozen of Ian Rankin's Rebus novels in this 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle illustrated by Barry Falls. See Edinburgh as you've never seen it before as you find clues, criminals and coppers from each instalment. Can you piece all the strands together? 'Unsurpassed among living British crime writers' THE TIMES 'The king of crime fiction' SUNDAY EXPRESS 'Worthy of Agatha Christie at her best' SCOTSMAN

The tenth Inspector Rebus novel from the No.1 bestselling author of A SONG FOR THE DARK TIMES. 'Britain's best crime novelist' DAILY EXPRESS 'No one in Britain writes better crime novels today Evening Standard Stalking a poisoner at the local zoo, Inspector John Rebus comes across a paedophile taking pictures of children. When the social workers claim he is there for legitimate educational reasons, Rebus is faced with a dilemma - should he be outed to protect local kids or given a chance to start anew? As the locals begin a hate campaign Rebus gets a call from the past: the son of a friend has gone missing and no one else will make time to ask the right questions. And then a fragment of Scotland's criminal history is repatriated at the end of a life sentence for murder. Once more Rebus's cup of trouble runneth over and the ghosts of past misdeeds return to haunt Edinburgh's streets.

Detective John Rebus: His city is being terrorized by a baffling series of murders...and he's tied to a maniac by an invisible knot of blood. Once John Rebus served in Britain's elite SAS. Now he's an Edinburgh cop who hides from his memories, misses promotions and ignores a series of crank letters. But as the ghoulish killings mount and the tabloid headlines scream, Rebus cannot stop the feverish shrieks from within his own mind. Because he isn't just one cop trying to catch a killer, he's the man who's got all the pieces to the puzzle...
"Knots and Crosses" introduces a gifted mystery novelist, a fascinating locale and the most compellingly complex detective hero at work today.

'What treats you have in store!' IAN RANKIN. Who knew literature could be so lethal? Here are 20 specially commissioned stories about deadly books from the world's best crime writers. By turns hair-raising and playful, packed with twists and turns, literary references and bookish conundrums, this is a treasure chest of bloodthirsty bibliophilia

From wronged wives to nosy neighbours, from distant dads to new-found family, from secrets to lies, fresh starts to false endings - and everything in between... A collection of brilliant short stories from the best writers around. This collections contains original stories from Fanny Blake, Louise Candlish, Mike Gayle, Mari Hannah, Sophie Kinsella, Jojo Moyes, Adele Parks, Ian Rankin, Mahsuda Snaith and Keith Stuart.

Christmas is a time of goodwill to all men ... or is it? As the nights draw in, throw another log on the fire and settle back into your armchair to enjoy this collection of ten classic Christmas mysteries, in which crime's best known sleuths, from Rebus to Holmes and Cadfael to Father Brown, uncover murder and mayhem galore. Whether it's a Christmas goose with a surprising secret cargo, a murdered pantomime dame, or a killer who departs the scene of the crime without leaving a single footprint, these stories will puzzle and delight in equal measure. And along the way, there'll be enough carols and Christmas pudding, mistletoe and mulled wine, to warm the heart of a stone-cold killer ... perhaps.

NINETEEN CWA DAGGER AWARD-WINNING SHORT STORIES FROM THE BEST OF THE BEST IN CRIME FICTION Maxim Jakubowski has edited all the great names in crime fiction and stories from his anthologies have won the CWA Dagger six times. Now he has collected 19 Dagger award-winning stories in one volume, making it the first retrospective deep dive into the CWA's archive of Dagger Award winners. Bringing together the greatest crime fictions authors such as Ian Rankin, Jeffery Deaver, John Connolly, Denise Mina, John Harvey and many more. Edgy, twisted and disturbing, Daggers Drawn is a visceral and thrilling collection showcasing the very best modern crime fiction has to offer. Contributors include: Ian Rankin Jeffery Deaver John Connolly John Harvey Denise Mina Julian Rathbone Martin Edwards Peter Lovesey Lauren Henderson Stella Duffy Peter O'Donnell (writing as Madeleine Brent) Danuta Reah Cath Staincliffe Margaret Murphy L.C. Tyler Phil Lovesey Larry Beinhart Richard Lange Jerry Sykes

The sixth Inspector Rebus novel from the No.1 bestselling author of A SONG FOR THE DARK TIMES. 'An outstanding creation' SUNDAY TELEGRAPH It is August in Edinburgh and the Festival is in full swing... A brutally tortured body is discovered in one of the city's ancient subterranean streets and marks on the corpse cause Rebus to suspect the involvement of sectarian activists. The prospect of a terrorist atrocity in a city heaving with tourists is almost unthinkable. When the victim turns out to be the son of a notorious gangster, Rebus realises he is sitting atop a volcano of mayhem - and it's just about to erupt.

A CRIME TOO CLOSE TO HOME . . . A superb, highly suspenseful crime thriller from the No.1 bestselling author of A SONG FOR THE DARK TIMES 'You'll love every second of it' MIRROR 'Excellent' SUNDAY TIMES At a private school, two teenagers are killed by an ex-Army loner who then turned the gun on himself. Finding the truth will take Detective Inspector John Rebus into the heart of a shattered community. Ex-Army himself, Rebus becomes fascinated by the killer, and finds he is not alone. It seems the man had friends in high places and enemies to spare. And Rebus has secrets of his own. He's fresh out of hospital, with newly bandaged hands, and won't say what happened. But after the death of a criminal he visited, who had been stalking DS Siobhan Clarke, Rebus is the prime suspect...

Sometimes murder is the easy way out... A brilliant Rebus novel from the No.1 bestselling author of A SONG FOR THE DARK TIMES. 'Britain's No.1 crime writer' Daily Mirror 'Ian Rankin is a genius' Lee Child A mugging gone wrong ... or murder? A dissident Russian poet is found dead - at the same time a delegation of Russian businessmen arrives in town. For some, it is crucial that the case is closed quickly, clinically and with the minimum of attention. But DI Rebus and DS Siobhan Clarke believe this is something more than a random attack - especially after a particularly nasty second killing. Then, a brutal and premeditated assault on a local gangster puts Rebus in the frame - and he may not survive long enough to solve anything...

'Unmissable Rankin, as gripping and involving as any Rebus story' CHOICE; 'A brilliant book' GUARDIAN From the No.1 bestselling author of A SONG FOR THE DARK TIMES 'On the evidence of THE COMPLAINTS it looks as if Fox will be just as sure-footed a guide to the city as his grizzled predecessor' DAILY EXPRESS. Nobody likes The Complaints - they're the cops who investigate other cops. Complaints and Conduct Department, to give them their full title, but known colloquially as 'the Dark Side', or simply 'The Complaints'. Malcolm Fox works for The Complaints. He's just had a result, and should be feeling good about himself. But he's middle-aged, sour and unwell. He also has a father in a care home and a sister who persists in an abusive relationship. In the midst of an aggressive Edinburgh winter, the reluctant Fox is given a new task. There's a cop called Jamie Breck, and he's dirty. Problem is, no one can prove it. But as Fox takes on the job, he learns that there's more to Breck than anyone thinks. This knowledge will prove dangerous, especially when murder intervenes.