46x Ian Rankin First Editions. All Rebus First Editions Including Signed & Doodled Knots & Crosses

46x Ian Rankin First Editions. All Rebus First Editions Including Signed & Doodled Knots & Crosses. Fantastic collection for sale.

All these books 46 of them are first editions including rare & signed eg Knots & Crosses signed & doodled.

Ian Rankin Bibliography

A. Standalone & Early Works

1. The Flood (1986) – First published

Synopsis: Rankin’s debut novel—a standalone thriller that led into his later crime writing, although less connected thematically to his Rebus universe.   One of only 200 published as hardback.  Very rare

2. Watchman (9 June 1988) – First edition released

Synopsis: Follows MI5 surveillance officer Miles Flint, who uncovers a deadly conspiracy involving an assassination in Belfast and must flee for his life.  Included in full price sale but includes first US edition and reprint First from 2003.

3. Westwind (1990) – First edition released

Synopsis: A techno-thriller involving a spy satellite’s computer system failing and two protagonists racing to unravel the mystery before disaster strikes.  Also includes signed first edition reprint with black sprayed edges.

4. Doors Open (2008) – First edition released

Synopsis: Innocent art-lover Mike Mackenzie is roped into a clever heist of the National Gallery’s stored paintings, orchestrated to look like theft—but with a cunning twist.

B. Inspector Rebus Novels

(Only listing novels with reliable first-edition years)

1. Knots and Crosses (1987) – First edition released

Synopsis: The debut of Detective Inspector John Rebus as he investigates chilling murders entwined with his own family’s past in Edinburgh.   Signed with doodle one of only 60 Ian Rankin signed like this.

2. Hide and Seek (1991) – First edition released

Synopsis: Rebus hunts a serial killer in Edinburgh’s underworld after a junkie’s body is found arranged with occult symbolism; his own past comes under scrutiny.   Sale includes signed American first edition as well.

3. Wolfman (1992) – First edition released

Synopsis: Rebus chases a killer in London, facing moral dilemmas and evidence that binds back to old scars. (Also titled Tooth & Nail in America.)   

4. Strip Jack (1992) – First edition released

Synopsis: When a brothel raid snares a local MP and his wife vanishes, Rebus must navigate political scandal, a missing spouse, and buried secrets.

5. The Black Book (1993) – First edition released

Synopsis: A violent fire, a hidden notebook, and a colleague’s near-fatal attack draw Rebus into a labyrinth of Edinburgh’s criminal past.   

6. Mortal Causes (1994) – First edition released

Synopsis: During the Edinburgh Festival, Rebus uncovers the brutal killing of a body in the underground vaults, linked to sectarian murder decades prior.   

7. Let It Bleed (1995) – First edition released

Synopsis: Rebus tackles multiple deaths—from suicides to prison fatalities—ultimately exposing a tangled web of conspiracy.   

8. Black & Blue (1997) – First edition released

Synopsis: Rebus is targeted by a serial killer and is simultaneously scrutinized by internal affairs, amidst violent confrontations across Scotland. Winner of the Gold Dagger award.

9. The Hanging Garden (1998) – First edition released

Synopsis: Rebus investigates a missing gangster’s son and territorial turf wars in Edinburgh’s underbelly.   

10. Dead Souls (1999) – First edition released

Synopsis: Haunted by a past abduction case, Rebus revisits old ghosts, uncovering corruption and a missing child.   

11. Set in Darkness (2000) – First edition released

Synopsis: Rebus investigates a murder tied to a deadly secret buried since the Troubles in Northern Ireland.   Signed copy.

12. The Falls (2001) – First edition released

Synopsis: A missing woman leads Rebus toward forgotten cults and New Age philosophies in Edinburgh.   

13. Resurrection Men (2002) – First edition released

Synopsis: Rebus is sent to a high school reunion of corrupt cops—the so-called “Resurrection Men”—where past sins resurface.   Signed Copy

14. A Question of Blood (2003) – First edition released

Synopsis: Personal connections become deadly when Rebus’s family is involved in a rural murder case close to his home.   Includes very rare Press Pack promoting the book signed picture etc.

15. Fleshmarket Close (2004) – First edition released

Synopsis: Rebus and a team probe a disappearance in a contentious housing estate, revealing prejudice and tense local politics.  Signed copy

16. The Naming of the Dead (2006) – First edition released

Synopsis: Set against the 2005 G8 Summit, a murder during police operations thrusts Rebus into the heart of global politics and protest. Signed Copy 

17. Exit Music (2007) – First edition released

Synopsis: In Rebus’s final official outing before retirement, a chilling revenge plot forces him to confront his past and legacy.

18. Standing in Another Man’s Grave (2012) – First edition released

Synopsis: Rebus, now retired, teams up with Malcolm Fox to revisit cold missing-person cases—haunted by unfinished business.   

19. Saints of the Shadow Bible (2013) – First edition released

Synopsis: Rebus is drawn back into Edinburgh’s murky underworld when colleagues he trusts vanish and dark forces stir.

20. Even Dogs in the Wild (2015) – First edition released

Synopsis: Rebus aids in investigating the brutal death of a lawyer—triggering reflections on age, regret, and justice.

21. Rather Be the Devil (2016) – First edition released

Synopsis: A cold case from 1978 sends Rebus back into the shadows—blurring the line between memory and mystery. Signed copy 

22. In a House of Lies (2018) – First edition released

Synopsis: The discovery of a body from 2008 drags Rebus back into a tangled web of long-buried crimes.

23. A Song for the Dark Times (2020) – First edition released

Synopsis: Rebus faces a pandemic, new threats, and aged reflection—balancing personal loss with the pursuit of justice.

24. A Heart Full of Headstones (2022) – First edition released

Synopsis: Rebus is embroiled in his most controversial case yet: corruption accusations within the police force and moral fractures.

25. Midnight and Blue (2024) – First edition released

Synopsis: Imprisoned, Rebus solves a murder from behind bars—an innovative return to the character under extreme circumstances.  Signed copy with certificate of authenticity. Also included ultra rare H.M.P. Edinburgh prisoner booklet given to prisoners like Rebus on their arrival.

C. Malcolm Fox Series (a.k.a. “The Complaints” series)

1. The Complaints (3 September 2009)

Synopsis: Inspector Malcolm Fox investigates Detective Sergeant Jamie Breck, suspected of being involved in child pornography. But as Fox digs deeper, he uncovers a web of corruption that may involve his own department, leaving him uncertain who to trust.

2. The Impossible Dead (13 October 2011)

Synopsis: Fox and his colleagues investigate allegations against a group of police officers accused of misconduct. Their inquiry leads them back into Scotland’s past, unearthing secrets involving political corruption, cover-ups, and a decades-old murder. Fox begins to question whether justice can truly be impartial.

Beggar’s Banquet *1st* Signed copy

2021*1st Signed* The Dark Remains - William McIlvanney & Ian Rankin(Canongate)

2007*Special Collectors Ed* Knots & Crosses - Ian Rankin(Orion)

"Death is Not the End" (1998) (novella later expanded into Dead Souls) signed first edition

Long Shadows *1st* Ian Rankin & Rona Munro