Detective Inspector John Rebus is one of the few cops not covering the streets of Edinburgh while the world’s leaders confer at the G8. The plan is to keep his sharp tongue away from the dignitaries, which may have been successful, except that one them falls to his death. While it appears a simple suicide on the surface, as Rebus digs deeper the story, begins to look much more complex.

Rebus also finds himself facing the possibility of a serial killer, one that appears to be ridding the world of scumbags, criminals recently released on bail for sexual assault crimes. The pieces of the case don’t seem to be adding up, and a psychological profile of the killer raises more doubts than questions.

With a mobster trying to lure him into his world, a politician filled with his own theories, and the facts of the case continuing to mount, the tension increases as Rebus is led in a new and terrifying direction.

The Naming of the Dead is a thrilling murder mystery, filled with suspense and intrigue. As always, Ian Rankin does not disappoint. With well-developed characters and an intricate plot, your only disappointment will be that eventually, you must come to its end.