Set in Darkness

Set in Darkness
Name	Set in Darkness
Author	Ian Rankin
Country	Scotland
Language	English
Series	Inspector Rebus
Genre	Crime fiction
Publisher	Orion Publishing
Pub date	2000
Media type	Print
Pages	384
Isbn	978-0-7528-2191-6
Preceded by	The Hanging Garden
Followed by	Resurrection Men

Set in Darkness is a 2000 crime novel by Ian Rankin featuring the detective Inspector Rebus. Set against the backdrop of the 1999 Scottish Parliament election and the re-establishment of the Parliament of Scotland, the novel intertwines a cold-case investigation with contemporary political change in Edinburgh. Rankin explores institutional culpability and moral complexity through interconnected plots involving historic crimes, policing, and public figures.

Plot

A murder in an Edinburgh tenement draws Inspector Rebus into a web that connects to a decades-old disappearance tied to a prominent family in the New Town. The investigation uncovers links to a long-buried scandal involving members of the Scottish judiciary, figures associated with the old Conservative Party establishment in Scotland, and alumni of elite institutions such as Fettes College and Heriot-Watt University. As Rebus pursues leads, he confronts resistance from senior officers in Lothian and Borders Police and tangled relationships with journalists from outlets like The Scotsman and broadcasters at BBC Scotland.

Parallel threads involve political manoeuvrings tied to the newly reconvened Scottish Parliament and the inaugural sessions at Holyrood. The book depicts campaign activity from parties including the Scottish National Party, Labour Party, and Scottish Liberal Democrats, while protests and public reactions frame the detective work. Rebus's partner explores archival records and interviews retired figures such as former ministers and judges, unearthing an alleged cover-up connected to a disappeared civil servant and suspected lethal secrets. The climax resolves the immediate homicide and exposes culpability that reverberates across Edinburgh's social elite, precipitating legal inquiries and media storms.

Characters

Major characters include Inspector John Rebus, his subordinate Siobhan Clarke, and colleagues in Lothian and Borders Police such as Detective Inspector Alister Gray and others in Rebus's division. Prominent supporting roles feature members of the Edinburgh establishment: a retired judge linked to the cold case, an aristocratic family in the New Town, and journalists representing The Scotsman and The Herald who probe the story. Political figures appear, including an MSP associated with the Scottish Parliament's first cohort, campaign strategists from the SNP and Labour, and civil servants with ties to Holyrood transition teams.

Other recurring characters from the Inspector Rebus corpus make appearances, connecting this novel to earlier works such as Black and Blue and The Black Book. Figures from law enforcement leadership and legal institutions, including senior crown office personnel and members of the Scottish bench, underscore tensions between police procedure and prosecutorial discretion. The ensemble conveys class divisions across neighborhoods from Leith and Gorgie to the genteel streets of the New Town.

Themes and motifs

Rankin interrogates the residue of historical privilege, juxtaposing the ostentatious facades of Georgian architecture in Edinburgh's New Town with the city's grittier districts to examine social stratification. Institutional accountability recurs through depictions of the Scottish legal system, interactions with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, and the role of retired magistrates and judges. The novel engages with memory and secrecy, as archival research, faded records, and retired witnesses illuminate how past actions shape contemporary scandals.

Political transition forms a central motif: the reconstitution of the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood is both setting and symbol, reflecting debates about national identity advanced by entities such as the Scottish National Party and counterposed by unionist traditions tied to Edinburgh Castle's historic symbolism. Media scrutiny and the ethics of journalism—embodied by reporters from The Scotsman, BBC Scotland, and tabloids—highlight tensions between public interest and personal ruin. Rebus himself embodies moral ambiguity, navigating loyalties to colleagues, respect for legal process, and a personal code shaped by Edinburgh's places and histories.

Background and publication

Written as the devolution era dawned, Rankin composed the novel during a period marked by the 1997 UK General Election aftermath and the successful 1997 Scottish devolution referendum that led to the 1999 reconvening of the Parliament of Scotland. Published by Orion Publishing in 2000, the book continued the Inspector Rebus series that had earlier entries released by publishers including Polygon Books and Charnwood. Rankin drew on contemporary debates about policing reform, the role of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, and the relationship between Scottish institutions and the broader United Kingdom constitutional framework.

Rankin incorporated detailed local knowledge of Edinburgh geography, historical figures associated with the city, and procedural aspects of Scottish policing, reflecting his ongoing research into legal archives and oral histories from retired officers. The novel's release coincided with increased international interest in Scottish literature and crime fiction from authors such as Val McDermid and Reginald Hill.

Reception and legacy

Critics praised the novel's atmosphere, intricate plotting, and incisive portrayal of Edinburgh during a pivotal constitutional moment, with reviewers in outlets like The Scotsman and national newspapers noting Rankin's blend of procedural realism and social commentary. Some commentators compared Rankin's work to that of Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, and contemporary European crime writers, while scholars of Scottish literature situated the book within discussions of post-devolution cultural identity alongside authors like James Kelman and Alasdair Gray.

The novel reinforced Rankin's reputation as a leading figure in Tartan Noir and contributed to adaptations and translations that expanded the Rebus franchise across markets in France, Germany, and the United States. Its themes influenced later entries in the series and inspired critical essays on policing, secrecy, and the politics of memory in modern Scotland. The book remains a referenced work when examining fictional engagements with the early years of the revived Scottish Parliament and contemporary depictions of Edinburgh's social topography.

Category:2000 novels Category:Scottish crime novels Category:Novels by Ian Rankin