In a House of Lies
| Industry | Literature |
|---|---|
| Founder | Ian Rankin |
| Products | Crime novels |
In a House of Lies represents the 22nd installment in the Inspector Rebus series authored by Ian Rankin.
Having retired and battling declining health, Rebus is drawn back to investigate a cold case involving the discovery of an investigator's corpse found inside a car trunk, restrained with police handcuffs.
Plot
In a woodland area embroiled in a property dispute, boys stumble upon a vehicle containing a body that has been deceased for some time. Rebus had previously handled the flawed 2006 missing-person investigation, during which he sought to shield the missing individual’s partner—who is the son of a detective inspector—and aimed to establish a link to 'Big Ger' Cafferty. The ongoing homicide investigation falls under the jurisdiction of Police Scotland, featuring Detective Inspector Siobhan Clarke and Detective Inspector Malcolm Fox among the key personnel. Clarke endures harassment after being scrutinized by corrupt officers from the Anti-Corruption Unit due to allegations of leaking information. Upon her request, Rebus revisits the case, challenging the ACU team and probing Cafferty’s involvement in the murder.
Rebus is afflicted with COPD, having ceased smoking and nearly stopped consuming alcohol. The narrative also delves into the influence of contemporary media on both public and private harassment.
Background
Ian Rankin has acknowledged that this novel draws partial inspiration from the murder of Daniel Morgan, a private investigator who was killed in South London during the late 1980s. Morgan suffered fatal axe wounds in a pub parking lot in Sydenham, South London in 1987 while probing suspected police corruption.
Reception
Upon release, the novel topped the hardback sales chart at number one. Critical response was predominantly favorable; Barry Forshaw writing for The Guardian commended Rankin’s skillful character development and his ability to maintain freshness throughout 22 entries in the series. Mark Sanderson of the Evening Standard described it as "A brilliantly twisted case for Rebus," adding that "no one in Britain writes better crime novels today." Paul Connolly from The Metro awarded four stars, praising its intricate storyline and labeling it "one of the great Rebus novels."
Julian Cole from the Northern Echo also gave it four stars, calling it "a good rattling read," while mentioning some overuse of dialogue tags.