Fleshmarket Close

Set in Edinburgh, Scotland, this police detective story deals with the issue of asylum seekers and racial discrimination in Scotland. Knoxland is a council estate made up of four high-rise buildings and housing many immigrants. An immigrant is reported murdered and it is up to Inspector John Rebus to unravel why, amidst being given the hints for retirement.

Turns out the victim was a journalist who threatened to expose the evil practices of some big men in society. He was killed to keep him quiet. These evil big men are running a slavery system, keeping illegal immigrants in apartments obtained under false pretenses, and then carting them off to do different sorts of manual labor for peanuts.

Mixed in with this is the plot of a much-disliked rapist who on being released from jail is soon found dead in his bedroom. John Rebus’ colleague Siobahn is the one that helps untangle the mystery of his killer—his victim’s sister and/or her club manager boyfriend.

March 13, 2015. Review initially written in 2006. Novel first published in 2004. Picture source: Yahoo (Images).