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Inspector Rebus audiobooks in order

Edinburgh across nearly forty years. Rebus ages in real time, hits mandatory retirement partway through, and keeps turning up anyway.

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Ian RankinIan RankinNarrated by James Macpherson, with Ian Rankin credited alongside him on The Beat Goes On · 26 books, including a short-story collectionPhoto: Roger Green · CC BY-SA 2.0 · cropped, via Wikimedia Commons

Which order should you listen in?

Publication order, and here it genuinely matters — Rebus ages, the city changes around him, and his relationships with Siobhan Clarke and Big Ger Cafferty develop across the whole run. Black & Blue is the usual recommendation if you want to sample before committing to the whole run. The Beat Goes On collects the Rebus short stories, with new material, and is listed at its 2014 publication; it can be dipped into at any point once you know the characters.

Inspector Rebus in publication order

  1. 1Knots and CrossesKnots and Crosses (1987)
  2. 2Hide and SeekHide and Seek (1991)
  3. 3Tooth and NailTooth and Nail (1992)
  4. 4Strip JackStrip Jack (1992)
  5. 5The Black BookThe Black Book (1993)
  6. 6Mortal CausesMortal Causes (1994)
  7. 7Let It BleedLet It Bleed (1996)
  8. 8Black & BlueBlack & Blue (1997)
  9. 9The Hanging GardenThe Hanging Garden (1998)
  10. 10Dead SoulsDead Souls (1999)
  11. 11Set in DarknessSet in Darkness (2000)
  12. 12The FallsThe Falls (2001)
  13. 13Resurrection MenResurrection Men (2002)
  14. 14A Question of BloodA Question of Blood (2003)
  15. 15Fleshmarket CloseFleshmarket Close (2004)
  16. 16The Naming of the DeadThe Naming of the Dead (2006)
  17. 17Exit MusicExit Music (2007)
  18. 18Standing in Another Man's GraveStanding in Another Man's Grave (2012)
  19. 19Saints of the Shadow BibleSaints of the Shadow Bible (2013)
  20. 20The Beat Goes On (short stories)The Beat Goes On (short stories) (2014)
  21. 21Even Dogs in the WildEven Dogs in the Wild (2015)
  22. 22Rather Be the DevilRather Be the Devil (2016)
  23. 23In a House of LiesIn a House of Lies (2018)
  24. 24A Song for the Dark TimesA Song for the Dark Times (2020)
  25. 25A Heart Full of HeadstonesA Heart Full of Headstones (2022)
  26. 26Midnight and BlueMidnight and Blue (2024)

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