I can't really remember when I read the series opener of the Rebus series, but it was some time back. I do remember Rebus being a puzzle (and you just have to wonder if perhaps there's some reason the author gave him this name) of a character, and he still is.
Hide and Seek is #2 in the series featuring Inspector John Rebus. In this installment, John Rebus is called in to investigate the death of a drug addict in a dilapidated flat in one of the worst parts of Edinburgh. He notices a lot of strange things right away, and shares his findings his fellow officers who do not seem to care. It's just another OD. The victim's girlfriend, however, says that the last thing he said was "Hide..." and that "they" murdered him. Rebus' investigation takes him into both the seamy side of Edinburgh as well as its social heights.
The mystery is solid, and the message the reader is left with is no surprise, but I'm still not sure that Rankin (at this juncture -- I haven't read any others but the first in the series) has a handle on exactly who he wants Rebus to become characterwise. His personal life is a bit of a mystery and he dislikes interacting with other policemen unless he feels an absolute need, And although this book is listed as a police procedural, I'm not sure that's entirely accurate. I also have to note that the ending was a bit rushed and a little unsatisfying.
Overall the book was good -- I love the way Rankin writes, and Rebus is so enigmatic that I have to keep reading the series to see what happens with his character. Definitely recommended for readers of UK crime fiction.
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