Coming to America

Ah, the calendar says it’s less than a week until Ian Rankin hit’s the U.S. with his American tour for THE COMPLAINTS. First stop, Cambridge. For other tour stops see the Hachette Group author tour site.

He’ll be in my home town of Milwaukee on March 19th, noon at Mystery One Books. Mystery One is the kind of brick and mortar store readers love but is small for an author of this renown. Be prompt.

Late in 2002 I wrote of Rankin’s John Rebus series, “It’s hard to say where the strength in this series is because there are no weaknesses.” I am a hard core Rebus fan. When Rankin announced he was ending this series, like many I was sad. I was also very excited. What would this writer do with a new group of characters but still within Edinburgh city limits?

The result is a book called THE COMPLAINTS from Hachette’s Reagan Arthur imprint. There’s a new voice in THE COMPLAINTS. It belongs to Malcolm Fox. He is that force within the police we equate with internal affairs here in the U.S. Where as Rebus severed himself from all but the most antagonistic of his relationships throughout his series run, Fox is firmly to ground with a father in a nursing home and a sister he want’s to ask for his help. A personal life? In a Rankin novel?
Never fear fans, it’s all good. The differences between the two series don’t stop there. Fox is a younger man, new school police.
It is the story that will entwine you. For like Rebus, Fox is a man trying to do his job to the best of his ability. We shuddered when The Complaints stepped onto the page in a Rebus novel. It usually meant our man was in trouble. Again.
As Rankin leads you into the tale of one police investigating the corruption of another we quickly realize the author has quite a bit more to say and limitless POVs (points of view) when it comes to Crime Fiction. He also possesses one of the most singular voices of his writing generation.
The best of the best, coming to America. Coming to Milwaukee.
Meet him if you can next week. If you can’t, find a way to acquire THE COMPLAINTS. Revel in the fact there are artists in this world who play with the written world as visually as Lucas’s team plays with special effects. You will not regret the decision. There are books and writers that get it so right it’s like listening to classical music, moving outside of your own world and into another. Rankin is a long time favorite and Malcolm Fox? He’s special & he’ll be back for an encore.

Get excited everyone. In a world now dictated by 140 characters there are still people who play the written word with spectacular talent.You can find Ian Rankin on Twitter where he’s proven to be a master of 140 characters as well but I’m going to make you investigate.

Ruth