Dead Souls (Rankin novel)
 First edition | |
| Author | Ian Rankin |
|---|---|
| Country | Scotland |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Detective fiction |
| Publisher | Orion Books |
Publication date | 1999 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 406 pages |
| ISBN | 0-7528-0723-4 |
| OCLC | 60611208 |
| Preceded by | The Hanging Garden |
| Followed by | Set in Darkness |
Dead Souls is a 1999 crime novel by Ian Rankin. It is the tenth of the Inspector Rebus novels. It was the third episode in the Rebus television series starring John Hannah, airing in 2001.
Plot summary
While investigating a poisoner at Edinburgh Zoo, Detective Inspector John Rebus sees a known paedophile photographing children. After a chase ending in the sea lion enclosure, Rebus decides to 'out' the man, in spite of assurances that he is trying to reform. As a campaign against the man starts, Rebus hears that the son of an ex-girlfriend has gone missing and starts investigating his disappearance from a nightclub with a mysterious blonde.
A convicted killer comes back from the U.S. having served his time in prison, with an agenda he wants to pursue. Rankin incorporated the novella Death Is Not the End as the missing person plot-line of this novel.
Title
The title refers to Joy Division's song "Dead Souls" and to the 1842 Nikolai Gogol novel Dead Souls, quotes from which appear at the beginnings of the two parts of the book.
Television adaptation
The television adaptation has significant plot differences from the novel. These concern the fate of the missing person, the nature of the relationship between Rebus and his ex-girlfriend, and the character of her husband.