I thought this was a particularly good book in the Rebus series (which I am already almost halfway through). There are several plot lines, involving the oil industry, Glasgow gangs, serial killers old and new, and Rebus's own career problems. It is rather longer than the previous books, but I found it very hard to put down. I also appreciated the visits to Aberdeen, Shetland and the oil rigs (as well as Glasgow), taking us out of the usual Edinburgh beat. The ending is satisfactory for the reader, though not really for Rebus. I think I'd recommend Black and Blue as a good novel to start reading Rankin with; there is no real need to read them in chronological order as I am doing.