In the Nick of Time: John Rebus vs. Roy Grace

Inspector Rebus #19.5

by Ian Rankin, Peter James

In this short story from the thrilling anthology FaceOff, bestselling authors Ian Rankin and Peter James—along with their most famous characters, John Rebus and Roy Grace—team up for the first time ever.Detectives John Rebus and Roy Grace could not be more different. Different generations, different backgrounds, and not to mention, they work 500 miles apart.The case that eventually brings them together centers on a crime that happened when Rebus was just a teenager in the 1960s—but it took place in Roy Grace’s stomping grounds in Brighton, England, at a time when violence erupted between rival gangs known as Mods and Rockers.Now, a deathbed confession in in Edinburgh brings Rebus and Grace together to investigate a cold case with a shocking twist.For more exciting pairs, check out all eleven stories in FaceOff!

Genres: Crime, Mystery, Short Stories, Mystery Thriller, Thriller, Fiction, Procedural

24 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 30, 2014

About the author

AKA Jack Harvey.

Born in the Kingdom of Fife in 1960, Ian Rankin graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 1982 and then spent three years writing novels when he was supposed to be working towards a PhD in Scottish Literature. His first Rebus novel was published in 1987; the Rebus books are now translated into 22 languages and are bestsellers on several continents.

Ian Rankin has been elected a Hawthornden Fellow. He is also a past winner of the Chandler-Fulbright Award, and he received two Dagger Awards for the year's best short story and the Gold Dagger for Fiction. Ian Rankin is also the recipient of honorary degrees from the universities of Abertay, St Andrews, and Edinburgh.

A contributor to BBC2's Newsnight Review, he also presented his own TV series, Ian Rankin's Evil Thoughts, on Channel 4 in 2002. He recently received the OBE for services to literature, and opted to receive the prize in his home city of Edinburgh, where he lives with his partner and two sons.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/ianrankin

Reviews

[Bettie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full film here

Description: Detectives John Rebus and Roy Grace could not be more different. Different generations, different backgrounds, and not to mention, they work 500 miles apart.

The case that eventually brings them together centers on a crime that happened when Rebus was just a teenager in the 1960s—but it took place in Roy Grace’s stomping grounds in Brighton, England, at a time when violence erupted between rival gangs known as Mods and Rockers.

Now, a deathbed confession in in Edinburgh brings Rebus and Grace together to investigate a cold case with a shocking twist.

Opening: His name was James King and he had something to confess. His wife was waiting for Rebus in the hospital corridor. She led him to the bedside without saying much, other than her husband had "only a week or two, maybe less."

After a busy year of murders, things have calmed down and Grace is back looking at cold-cases when Potting receives a call from a certain Siobhan Clarke from Edinburgh...

But a man's reach
should exceed his grasp,
Or what's a heaven for?"

Damn but I wish this was a full novel of Rebus/Grace collaboration.

Brighton 1964



3* Knots and Crosses (Inspector Rebus, #1)
3* Hide and Seek (Inspector Rebus, #2)
4* Tooth and Nail (Inspector Rebus, #3)
3* Strip Jack (Inspector Rebus, #4)
3* The Black Book (Inspector Rebus, #5)
3* Mortal Causes (Inspector Rebus, #6)
3* Let It Bleed (Inspector Rebus, #7)
3* Black and Blue (Inspector Rebus, #8)
3* The Hanging Garden (Inspector Rebus, #9)
3* Dead Souls (Inspector Rebus, #10)
2* Death Is Not the End (Inspector Rebus, #10.5)
3* Set in Darkness (Inspector Rebus, #11)
4* The Falls (Inspector Rebus, #12)
4* Resurrection Men (Inspector Rebus, #13)
4* A Question of Blood (Inspector Rebus, #14)
4* Fleshmarket Close (Inspector Rebus, #15)
4* The Naming of the Dead (Inspector Rebus, #16)
4* Exit Music (Inspector Rebus, #17)
5* Standing in Another Man's Grave (Inspector Rebus, #18)
4* Saints of the Shadow Bible (Inspector Rebus, #19)
TR Even Dogs in the Wild (Inspector Rebus, #20)
3* In the Nick of Time: John Rebus vs. Roy Grace
4* A Good Hanging: Short Stories
2* Beggars Banquet

4* The Complaints
4* The Impossible Dead

4* Dead Simple (Roy Grace, #1)
4* Looking Good Dead (Roy Grace, #2)
4* Not Dead Enough (Roy Grace, #3)
4* Dead Man's Footsteps (Roy Grace, #4)
4* Dead Tomorrow (Roy Grace, #5)
3* Dead Like You (Roy Grace, #6)
3* Dead Man's Grip (Roy Grace, #7)
3* Not Dead Yet (Roy Grace, #8)
4* Dead Man's Time (Roy Grace, #9)
3* Want You Dead
4* You Are Dead (Roy Grace, #11)

3* The Perfect Murder

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars rounded up to 4 Stars.

[Rune · Rating 1 out of 5]

This... was a total waste of time. Thankfully it took me just a couple of trips to the toilet to read.

[David Highton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A decent little short story in the Face Off series goes back to Mods and Rockers on Brighton seafront in 1964

[Pat · Rating 2 out of 5]

Adequate but very slight. Ian Rankin is a talented author and I will look out for a novel by Peter James which I suppose is the point of this exercise.
The biggest issue is that neither character is needed for the short story it could be any generic policeman in these locations.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the introduction. “The result is a story that adds to the mythology of both Peter’s and Ian’s series, while staying true to the spirit of all their books.”

Two of my favourite authors and their iconic detectives both better known than some with their fictional stardom on the small screen.

To bring the two together involved the cold case device where Rebus makes a journey to Brighton to follow-up a “death bed confession”.

Loved the use of delegation and the faithful sidekicks strutting their stuff. Loved the ‘digs’ about Rebus’ age and his enduring, sticking around long beyond ‘normal’ retirement and taking one’s pension. But as any fan will tell you. Our favourite police officers and private eyes have the longevity of Biblical patriarchs. They out last the best batteries and just ask Conan Doyle about trying to ‘kill’ them off.

The short story is clever and very interestingly told. Emotive and reflective of life; where the consequences of youth and actions in the heat of a moment or current vogue can have long lasting effects even if we absolve our conscience and escape punishment or a measure of justice.

How does the perpetrator and victim live beyond a serious crime?
Rebus and Grace reveal in their actions they are not just ticking a box. Resolving another open case not for statistical purposes but because it is what they do!

[Gavin Felgate · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short story from a longer collection by Ian Rankin. I'm not a fan of Inspector Rebus - yet - but read it for the appearance of Peter James' detective, Roy Grace. Apparently it comes between the 10th and 11th Grace novels, but makes only passing reference to the events of the main novels.

The plot of this book is simple, taking a chance to mention the mod v rocker riots that occurred in 1960s Brighton. Rebus is presented with a man confessing to stabbing a rocker during the incident, and because the incident occurred in Brighton, Roy Grace gets involved in the case.

The plot is relatively simple; Grace just has to take the victim up to Scotland to get a positive ID on the man who stabbed him, and that's all that happens. I tend to be a bit sceptical about crossover storylines like this, but the writing seemed true to the characters who I was familiar with. To be honest, it felt like a wasted opportunity, as the writers could have done a lot more with a pairing of their two most famous characters. I think a more honest rating would be 2.5 out of 5, but it was a reasonably enjoyable read. I might have to pick up a Rebus book some time.

[Randy Tramp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Roy Grace operates out of the South Coast of England.
John Rebus in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Big music fan.

Deathbed confession leads Rubus to England to investigate a long-ago murder.

Simply said: Near Death Confession leads to Investigation, which leads to ***. Won't say without spoiling. What I will say is, 'wow', incredible ending.

[Steven Cooke · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a “cross-over” or mash-up of two different detectives (John Rebus and Roy Grace) from two different series meeting in a single story to play with their similarities and differences in detective work and local regulations. It is VERY short. A diversion, but not entirely waiting to get to.

[Sean Harding · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have not rear any of the Roy Grace series and very little of Rebus so the characters are largely unfamiliar to me, so this did not have the same impact as it would on others, it was ok, but it possibly meant more to the people who had invested time in the characters.
Face Off #2

[Naomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very short, but enjoyable enough wee story featuring one detective I know well, and another I've not come across before. The mash up worked well I thought, but I would have liked it a wee bit longer.

[Garth Mailman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspector Rebus #19.5
In the Nick of Time: John Rebus vs. Roy Grace
Ian Rankin, Peter James

Two master detective join forces to solve an ancient cold case that ruined two lives. One reduced to living in a wheel chair and the other haunted by guilt.

[Leslie McNamara · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are a couple of interesting twists in this short story plot, but the authors fail to give us much, if any, character development.

[Alan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thankfully so short that it could be read at one sitting. Pretty much a pointless waste of time.

[Andrew Bagwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clever mix of two characters and authors into a cohesive and believable story.

[T Hamilton · Rating 1 out of 5]

Far to short and skill-less

Far to short and skill-less
Neither author used any skills that they are famed for in writing this!
A waste of time (5 mins) and money!

[Marie Moss · Rating 5 out of 5]

ok

[Abdul · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a good story

[Jon Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

.

[Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this - packed quite a bit into a 20 page short story! Tempts me to perhaps read some Roy Grace stories in future.

[Chris Fawcett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slow

I took a few pages before I got the gist of the story and was just starting to enjoy it when it finished. Ideal to read on holiday or on a long journey

[Gord · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not really a big short story guy but it was interesting enough and united two popular literary detectives briefly.

[Stuart · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable short story bringing together two iconic detectives.

[Janete on hiatus due health issues · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great short story. I loved it.

SYNOPSIS: "In this short story from the thrilling anthology FaceOff, bestselling authors Ian Rankin and Peter James—along with their most famous characters, John Rebus and Roy Grace—team up for the first time ever.

Detectives John Rebus and Roy Grace could not be more different. Different generations, different backgrounds, and not to mention, they work 500 miles apart.

The case that eventually brings them together centers on a crime that happened when Rebus was just a teenager in the 1960s—but it took place in Roy Grace’s stomping grounds in Brighton, England, at a time when violence erupted between rival gangs known as Mods and Rockers.

Now, a deathbed confession in in Edinburgh brings Rebus and Grace together to investigate a cold case with a shocking twist."

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story to read. Like how the main characters worked together to solve the crime they were working on together.

[Thad Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice short story.

[Tracey Pearce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well although very short story rather enjoyable well I am a big Rebus fan (or to be told Ian Rankin)

[Alexandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Promising, but the red herring sounded much more interesting than the "true" story. A case for another day, perhaps?

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This shortie is taken from the book "Faceoff", a collection of 11 short stories. In each, 2 authors paired up iconic characters from their popular series & came up with scenarios where they would run into & work with each other.
This one features Rankin's inimitable John Rebus meeting Peter James' Roy Grace.

Rebus is called to an Edinburgh hospital to hear a patient's death bed confession concerning a decades old murder in Brighton. Since it happened on Grace's patch, Rebus contacts him. Grace pulls it from the cold case pile & together they start to dig. With the confession in hand, it should be a simple matter. But the detectives soon find a connection to another crime from the same period that went unsolved. And the end result will be a bit of the shock to the patient.

Short stories can be a crap shoot as the format doesn't leave much time to develop characters or plot before bringing it all to a resolution. But in this case, both of these signature characters are so well known, the authors can dive right in & concentrate on the story. The only thing Rebus & Grace have in common is their dedication to the job. Otherwise, they are very different men & it's a pleasure to listen in on conversations between elegant, mild mannered Grace & the cranky fossil that is Rebus.

If you enjoy this, I'd recommend picking up "Faceoff". Other pairings include similar well known characters from authors such as Jeffery Deaver, Lee Child, David Baldacci, Dennis Lehane, Steve Berry, MJ Rose, Michael Connelly & John Sandford. Another satisfying collection is MJ Rose's "In Session".

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, this was SHORT, as in, blink and you'll miss it, short!
But, it's always pleasant to have Rebus back and it made me curious enough to check one of Roy Grace's stories in the near future.
The mods vs rockers background was also a nice touch.