The introduction of Siobhan allowed Rankin to introduce more of his favorite music like the Cocteau Twins or Belle and Sebastian. The music Rebus listens to reveals his age, class, and personality with mid-period Rolling Stones or Leonard Cohen. The differences are even emphasized through music, which plays a large part of the Inspector Rebus books in order. Once again pulling in themes of dichotomy, Rankin contrasts the old-school outlook and demeanor of Rebus with that of his younger colleagues, namely Siobhan Clarke.

With his more negative traits he is something of an anti-hero, but he is a fan favorite with readers.

He is a morally gray character, blurring the lines between right and wrong. He is tough, hard-bitten, cynical, and somewhat world-weary. Rebus is also a bit of a lone wolf and distrusts authority. He prefers the more manual labor of policing, which is a point of tension and conflict with other, younger members of the force. Rebus is very much the epitome of old-school policing. With the introduction of characters throughout the series Rankin is able to contrast the character of John Rebus against his contemporaries. So much has taken place during the last 40 years, and those changes are tangible in Rankin’s writing. Therefore, in reading all the Rebus books in order, readers get a wonderful snapshot of Edinburgh and policing in the 1980s compared to the 2020s.

Ian Rankin’s Inspector John Rebus books take place in contemporary Edinburgh and the setting has evolved with the passage of time.

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