A Heart Full of Headstones
| Industry | Publishing |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
| Products | Books |
A Heart Full of Headstones represents the 24th entry in Ian Rankin's Inspector Rebus series. The novel's title is taken from Jackie Leven's track "Single Father," which is cited on the book's concluding page. Set in the aftermath of the 2022 post-COVID-19 lockdown period, Rankin commenced writing this installment in February 2022.
Plot
The narrative structure is framed by a prologue and an epilogue both titled "Now," while the central storyline, called "Then," unfolds over eight days leading up to Rebus's trial for an offense committed at the story's conclusion.
Since retiring in 2007, John Rebus, alongside DI Siobhan Clarke and DCI Malcolm Fox, each pursue investigations that intersect around Francis Haggard, a police officer stationed at the fictional Tynecastle precinct in Edinburgh. Clarke probes into Haggard’s domestic violence allegations involving his estranged spouse Cheryl and her sister Stephanie Pelham. Haggard threatens to reveal police corruption if the case proceeds but is subsequently murdered, prompting Police Scotland to establish a Major Inquiry Team (MIT) that includes both Clarke and Fox.
Fox, previously part of Internal Affairs ("Complaints"), had aimed to bring retired Sergeant Alan Fleck from Tynecastle to justice. Rebus had earlier assisted Fleck, connecting him with gangster 'Big Ger' Cafferty. Fox’s suspicions highlight prior misconduct associated with Fleck and Haggard, as well as possible smuggling operations linked to Fleck’s car dealership and drug trafficking activities—matters of interest to Police Scotland’s headquarters at Gartcosh.
Under instructions from Cafferty—whose criminal dominance has waned—Rebus searches for Jack Oram using a pretense of offering an apology. This tactic is intended to undermine the Mackenzie family—Fraser, Beth (once Cafferty’s partner), and their daughter Gaby—who oversee nightclub and narcotics enterprises inherited from Cafferty. Since Haggard was slain in an apartment leased from the Mackenzies, MIT intensifies its investigation. Rebus tentatively allies with Tommy Oram, Jack’s son employed by the Mackenzies, while following leads that focus more on Cafferty’s intentions than on Jack Oram’s whereabouts.
Clarke and Fox analyze phone data, CCTV recordings, and archived Tynecastle case files to piece together Haggard’s final day. Clarke identifies the perpetrator; meanwhile, Fox informally proposes her advancement to DCI. Rebus’s solo pursuit involving a crowbar culminates in failure.
Theme
Rankin drew inspiration from real-world incidents of police brutality, such as the 2021 murder of Sarah Everard, crafting a storyline where "Rebus is attempting to vindicate himself as a corrupt officer, yet he remains a corrupt officer," mirroring his involvement within a system that enables misconduct. This motif resonates with earlier works like Black and Blue (1997), Resurrection Men (2002), and Saints of the Shadow Bible (2013), where Rebus grapples with his past errors and ethical limits. In this installment, he revisits moments when Big Ger Cafferty manipulated him, reinforcing his image as controlled by the gangster.
Malcolm Fox exemplifies integrity by adhering strictly to regulations, whereas Siobhan Clarke acknowledges that Rebus’s disregard for rules often serves justice effectively. As a woman marginalized within traditional policing circles, Clarke accepts that unconventional approaches can produce favorable results. She remains doubtful of Francis Haggard’s defense that his domestic violence was triggered by PTSD stemming from years spent in a corrupt police environment characterized by bullying, violence, and misogyny at Tynecastle station.
Reception
Stuart Kelly of The Scotsman refers to Rebus as "Edinburgh's guilty conscience," emphasizing the book’s focus on the tension between injustice and criminal acts. Mark Sanderson, writing for The Times, commends it as "an outstanding crime novel with significant moral depth." Joan Smith from The Sunday Times describes it as "an excellent novel that seems to have revitalized both the author and his character."