IAN RANKIN ON LIFE, DEATH AND THE RETURN OF REBUS
On the 30th anniversary of Rebus, Scotland’s bestselling crime
IT’S a very long time since Ian Rankin has faced such open ridicule. With book sales in the tens of millions around the globe, the creator of John Rebus is used to a more appreciative audience. But today, in the Oxford Bar in Edinburgh, a regular haunt of both the detective and Rankin himself, he is being subjected to public humiliation as regulars scoff at the new Nike trainers he is wearing – in particular, their incredibly bright, luminous green laces.
A laughing Rankin, 56, whose photograph hangs prominently on the wall, shrugs off the goodhumoured insults with the ease of a longstanding friend – which is what, of course, the pub, tucked away in a quiet lane off the city’s bustling heart, has become over the past 30 years since he dreamt up Rebus.
Within the next few days, the author would normally be preparing to start writing his next Rebus book – but with 2017 being such a landmark year in the life of his bestknown character, he is about to set off on an international tour instead, beginning in the US next month.
Ahead of the anniversary, Rankin reveals a three-day RebusFest will be held on June 30 in Edinburgh, featuring some of the bands loved by both himself and Rebus which are mentioned throughout the 21 books. Screenings and appearances by actors involved in the TV series are also planned.
Rankin also says the ageing Rebus has made him acknowledge his own mortality, how negotiations are under way to bring the character back to TV – and hints he might even find time to write a new book later this year.
But before all that, Rankin, whose latest book Rather Be the Devil was published two months ago, is looking forward to a holiday in St Lucia with his wife Miranda. Rebus, of course, will be there in spirit – whether they like it or not.
RANKIN says: ‘It feels a bit strange not to be preparing for my next book. Fans want another one. Rebus is so real to so many people and the truth is they often get very disappointed when they meet me because I’m not him.
‘He’s much more interesting and more complicated than me. It’s hugely flattering that people want to spend time with him. I’ve had people saying, “I can’t believe it’s the 30th anniversary, I’ve been with you since book one”. That’s the reality, he’s been with them for half their lives. It’s terrifying.’
As he talks about Rebus, discussing his recent ‘health issues’, his bad habits – smoking and drinking – even his musical tastes, it’s hard not to get swept up in the phenomenon, whether you are a fan or not.
So, if Rebus is ‘real’, does he have a view on Brexit? Tickled by the idea, Rankin’s eyes dance as he says: ‘Rebus is not political, so I think it’s an irrelevance to him. Why would it affect him anyway? He doesn’t have a passport, so he doesn’t go abroad, he doesn’t need euros.’
Rankin’s books, however, do often weave current events, from the G8 summit in Scotland in 2005 to the independence referendum of 2014, into their storylines.
Rebus may not have much to say on Brexit – but Rankin, who usually steers clear of political pronouncements, is clearly rattled by the outcome of the EU referendum.
He said: ‘We were on holiday in Greece and my wife stayed up to watch the Brexit result, while I went to bed. There were six of us in the villa and when I came downstairs next morning, it was like a f***ing funeral.
‘I said, “Everybody all right?” My wife said, “We’ve left”. I said, “What do you mean, we’ve left?” Our friend, who we were staying with, is Greek but he’s a dentist in Edinburgh. He was asking what did it mean for him, for the people he employed? Nobody could take it in.
‘It’s not our generation that’s going to have to deal with this, it’s the next generation. We’ve made a helluva mess. It’s not really democracy if they don’t make everybody vote. They should have made it compulsory for something that big. What you end up with is 72 per cent of the population across the UK voting on something with massive implications for everybody.’
Rankin smiles ruefully as he says he slept through the victory of Donald Trump too. ‘You know how they say, “May you live in interesting times”? Well, sometimes times are just too interesting.
‘God, it’s unbelievable. I went to bed thinking there was no way he was getting in, I woke up to my wife crying, “Trump’s in”. I tell you, I’m never sleeping again.’
He’s due in the US shortly after Trump is inaugurated as President. ‘It’s the closest we’ll get to The West Wing,’ he says.
‘Things can only get better, as they say. I’ve decided I’m going to use all my money and all my talent to build a bunker at the moment. I’m going to fill it up with books, music and booze.
‘We’ll dig ourselves in for the Trump presidency and come out in four years’ time. All that will be left will be scorpions and Keith Richards.’
Rankin is in negotiations to bring Rebus back to TV after buying back the rights as he was annoyed by the editing for the last series, starring Ken Stott.
‘They were turning 400-page books into a one-hour episode with adverts,’ he says, disgusted.
An earlier series, starring John Hannah as a young Rebus, he felt was much fairer to his writing.
‘So, we’re talking to various people. It could be a while though. There are so many cops on TV just now. I’m not in a hurry. It will have to be right before I’ll let them do it.’
He adds with a Cheshire cat grin: ‘I’m a great admirer of Scandinavian crime dramas, which are allowed to
play out over a number of hours. About 20 would be good.’
Regarding a new Rebus novel, Rankin says: ‘The second half of this year is looking a bit quiet, so I might find the time then.’
BECOMING the No1 bestseller for fiction in the US, Rankin reveals, is still one of his biggest dreams. But he says: ‘I’ve not cracked America yet. There’s always something to chase, no matter how successful an author is. But I’m happy where I am. I get to do a book when I want to, I get as much free time as I want, I get to buy lots of LPs, go on lots of holidays. I’m around for my family and I make a living as well. It’s pretty good.’
His first novel, Knots & Crosses, which was rejected by five publishers before being accepted, introduced readers to Rebus as a 40-year-old, heavy-smoking, heavy-drinking, divorced father of one. But it would be the tenth Rebus book, Dead Souls, before he made it into the Top Ten best-sellers list, finally reaping the rewards of his hard graft.
Until 2007, Rankin, who is originally from Cardenden in Fife but now lives in Edinburgh’s Merchiston, stuck to real-time ageing and retired Rebus, aged 60, in Exit Music. But five years later, with improvements in DNA leading to successes in cold cases, he had a reason to bring him back – to the delight of fans.
So what are the omens now for Rebus? Rankin admits he’s managed to ‘slow down time’ in recent books, but there is no doubt age is creeping up on Rebus and, indirectly, preying on the author’s mind.
‘He’s about 66, he should be 70,’ says Rankin. ‘I’ve slowed the clock drastically just to squeeze another book or two out of him before it gets ridiculous.
‘There’s no denying the latest books have all been focused on mortality. He’s feeling his age now. He’s not the guy he was in the early books. Previously, he could use his physical presence to intimidate people. He doesn’t get into a fight now because he knows he’ll lose.
‘These latest books have Rebus coming to terms with whether there is a role for him in this shiny new world.’
Is that how Rankin sees things going for himself? ‘If you were a psychoanalyst, I guess you would say it’s all there in the books. I’d be told, “You’re worried about dying, you’re fretting about it”. Partly, they would be right. My mum died of cancer at 58 and I’m 56, so you do start to think about that stuff.’
He blames his wife for Rebus’s present gloomy health prospects. ‘It’s all her fault. She’s been saying for years Rebus has had a lucky run, bearing in mind his smoking, drinking and lack of exercise.
‘Miranda has a good friend who’s a GP, so I asked her what she would expect him to present if he walked into her surgery. She went through half a dozen things, some more horrendous than others, from cancer to chronic pulmonary disease, before I settled on the latter. So now Rebus needs an inhaler. Not exactly lifethreatening, but life-limiting. Next book, I have to bear that in mind.’
One book Rankin won’t be working on is Sir Sean Connery’s autobiography, which the pair discussed a few years ago. ‘He was a big fan of my books and had an inkling we could maybe do a book together. It was just an idea and, as these things sometimes do, it didn’t go any further. But I remember I felt I should take along a DVD to get him to sign it.’
UNFORTUNATELY, his film of choice was The League of Extraordinary Gentleman – the movie in which Sir Sean had such a spectacular falling-out with director Stephen Norrington he quit acting for good. Rankin recalls: ‘I grabbed a DVD because I thought I’d better get his autograph, but the only bloody film I could find was that one, the last one he made because he hated it so much.
‘I said to Sir Sean, “Do you mind signing this for me?”. He took it from me, signed it and handed it back, saying, “The director was a f***ing mad man”. I’ve still got the signed DVD. I bet there aren’t too many signed copies of that around.’
Rankin feels fortunate he will never have to worry about money, thanks to Rebus. Particularly because the younger of his two sons, Kit, 22, suffers from Angelman syndrome, a disorder which causes severe disabilities. He uses a wheelchair and is looked after in a care facility for young adults.
Rankin says: ‘When he was first diagnosed, we were living in France and I was writing my eighth Rebus book, Black and Blue. I channelled all my frustration and rage on to the page. All the big questions. Why us?’
The award-winning book secured Rankin’s reputation as an author.
Now he says: ‘It took me a long time to get famous, to get rich. If it had happened overnight, I probably would have been insufferable. But by the time I did, I wasn’t in the first flush of youth any more and I had kids. So you don’t buy the Lamborghini, you don’t have the huge, expensive holidays.
‘It’s lovely to be able to help my family. I don’t have to worry about Kit getting the equipment he needs. He’s as happy as Larry now. Every day is full of fun, people looking after him amazingly well. He’s so busy we have to make an appointment to see him.’ But what’s in store for Rebus? ‘I don’t know what’s going to happen to him. He can’t run around solving crimes when he’s 70 or in an old folks’ home.
‘Besides, he might see me out. People are still writing about Sherlock Holmes.’