Exit Music: Goodbye to Rebus
Ian Rankin's Farewell to Detective Inspector John Rebus
In Exit Music, Ian Rankin sets out to retire his most famous creation, Detective Inspector Rebus.
Exit Music (by Ian Rankin, Orion Books, 2007), is the book in which Detective Inspector John Rebus prepares to retire, but as with anything Rebus is involved in, this does not go smoothly.
Rebus Not a Typical Hero
Rankin’s brilliantly-written hero, John Rebus, has never been a typical hero. He is flawed and self-destructive, but it is his flaws and his self-destructive nature that make him interesting, frustrating, and sympathetic.
Strong Sense of Place
Edinburgh, Scotland is Rebus’ stomping ground, and Rankin brings the city vividly to life. The Castle, the Old Town, and Arthur’s Seat – the extinct volcano guarding Edinburgh like a sentinel – are just three of the settings that have become as familiar to readers of Rankin’s books as they are to Detective Inspector Rebus himself.
Rebus Prepares to Retire
Having reached the end of his career, Rebus tries to put things in order before leaving the force, but he is stymied by a new murder. The victim, this time, is a Russian poet. At first the death seems to be a mugging gone awry. However, the more Rebus and his loyal partner, Siobhan Clarke, investigate, the more they are convinced that this is not so.
As usual, things are never as they first seem in a Rankin novel. He masterfully twists and turns plots, making the reader work for the conclusion. Even then, it’s hardly ever satisfying, although the conclusion is always ‘right’.
Darkness of Human Nature
Underlying Exit Music, and previous Rebus novels, is the realization that the darkness of human nature will never be extinguished. Despite his understanding of this truth, Rebus has continued to get up every morning to try and beat back a bit of that darkness. The personal cost has been high: he’s divorced, and alienated from almost everyone he knows.
When he should be packing his desk, Siobhan comments that when people retire in the movies, “they always seem to carry a box out of the building.”
Rebus agrees but admits that, “He’d been through his desk and found precisely nothing of a personal nature. Turned out he didn’t even have a mug of his own, just drank from whichever one was available at the time.” This admission is not surprising. ‘The job’ may have been the main focus of his life but he has still resisted exposing the personal side of himself.
Novel Filled With Familiar Faces
Exit Music is filled with familiar faces - criminals and co-workers that Rebus has encountered in previous cases – as well as new faces with dangerous new rules. If he’s not careful, this last investigation may be his last in more ways than one.
Beautifully Moving Finale
This novel is a beautifully-written and moving finale for Rankin’s finest creation. The ending was surprising at first but, after more consideration, it seemed fitting. Rankin has hit just the right notes in saying good-bye to D.I. John Rebus.
