--- product_id: 8840228 title: "Saints of the Shadow Bible (A Rebus Novel, 19) Hardcover – January 14, 2014" brand: "ian rankin" price: "€ 43.49" currency: EUR in_stock: true reviews_count: 8 url: https://www.desertcart.hr/products/8840228-saints-of-the-shadow-bible-a-rebus-novel-19-hardcover store_origin: HR region: Croatia --- # Saints of the Shadow Bible (A Rebus Novel, 19) Hardcover – January 14, 2014 **Brand:** ian rankin **Price:** € 43.49 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Saints of the Shadow Bible (A Rebus Novel, 19) Hardcover – January 14, 2014 by ian rankin - **How much does it cost?** € 43.49 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.hr](https://www.desertcart.hr/products/8840228-saints-of-the-shadow-bible-a-rebus-novel-19-hardcover) ## Best For - ian rankin enthusiasts ## Why This Product - Trusted ian rankin brand quality - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Full description not available ## Images ![Saints of the Shadow Bible (A Rebus Novel, 19) Hardcover – January 14, 2014 - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51CJbRBZ4yL.jpg) ![Saints of the Shadow Bible (A Rebus Novel, 19) Hardcover – January 14, 2014 - Image 2](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/31GEKkcF2vL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Interesting -- if bleak *by A***R on Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 18, 2016* I have read some, but not all, of the Rebus series and also "The Complaints" which introduced Inspector Fox. This book brings them together investigating a modern crime which becomes entangled with the misdeeds of a police squad back in the 1980s of which Rebus was a junior member.There is a gloomy, end-of-an-era atmosphere pervading this book. Rebus has rejoined the police after an unsuccessful attempt to retire and a sojourn with the Cold Cases group -- but he had to come back at a lower rank. He's now the subordinate of his former protege, Siobhan Clarke. The younger generation of cops regard Rebus as a dinosaur -- and he also apparently looks at himself that way. -- the Last of the Mohicans so to speak. He continues to smoke at every opportunity (which to me makes him an idiot rather than a dinosaur), drinks too much and bends the rules when it suits him. But he remains a brilliant investigator, devoted to doing the hard work with feet on the ground -- method plus intellect plus instinct.We learn that Rebus was a member of a group of cops known as the Saints of the Shadow Bible -- who may have murdered a suspect and covered it up back in the early 1980s when policing was done a very different way. Fox is on the trail and originally regards Rebus as a prime suspect but the two forge a partnership based on grudging respect -- mingled with constant mutual suspicion. One of the strengths of the book is that Rebus himself is conflicted between loyalty to former colleagues and his passion for truth -- and justice. Another theme is an implied debate between the politically-correct, rules bound era the police live in now and the free-wheeling atmosphere of 30 years ago when rules were broken but they got results.The book starts slowly and takes its time getting warmed up. It's as if the author himself is a dinosaur too and like his hero he's going to tell this story his way. There's little of DNA and modern investigative techniques in this book. It's all about a man who loves what he does -- investigating crimes -- and will do whatever it takes to keep doing that as long as he can. He has no life outside of the job -- but neither do Fox or Clarke. He has a broken marriage, an estranged wife and a bunch of unhealthy habits.I'd feel better about Rebus if Rankin allowed him to try to quit smoking. He's bound to end up in the ER battling a heart attack, lung cancer or emphysema -- or all three -- in the next book in the series if there is one. I know that the smoking habit is Rebus' way of cocking a snook at modernity and saying "I'm going to do it my way or not at all" -- but there's also such a thing as reality and one might expect an intelligent investigator to realize it. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Vintage Rebus ? I don't think so.... *by K***U on Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 20, 2014* First, why the title? It refers to a nickname that a group of detectives went by 30 years ago. Their bible was the cop rule book that they literally and figuratively spat on. Fast forward to the present. Rebus and Siobhan are investigating a car crash that at first glance seems rather straight-forward. A young woman, late at night and at significant speed, drives her car off the road and survives. But evidence suggests she wasn't alone and that she may not have been driving.....Hmmmm, suspicious (tell me again why R and S are investigating this?). Concurrently, it appears that Rankin's "friend", Malcolm Fox, the Complaints guy (I doubt many readers care for this guy but Rankin seems to stubbornly keep trying to salvage this guy as a likeable character) is directed for political reasons to investigate the Saints for an unsolved murder in the 80's. There's a couple of bodies that subsequently pop up (pun), a lot of who knew whom back then etc etc. According to Fantastic Fiction (check out that website if unknown to you), this is the 19th Rebus book. I have read them all, and "Saints" is clearly one of the better ones. However, the first half of the story was rather slow, while the second half was more interesting but there I had to press my reading pause button several times and rewind to absorb what I was learning. And Rebus is still one of the most intriguing characters in crime fiction. Rebus is unmatched in discovering motive and plot as he pieces all the bits together. He is better than ever at interviewing suspects, digging up information that none of the other cops can. He's his usual charming, bumbling self in front of a new lady. He still manages to mangle his career and relationships with the big boys when it's totally unnecessary. What's new is that he seemed to be a bit more mellow in his dealings with the team. I sense he and Siobhan may be finally disengaging their relationship and that there is a new assignment sans Siobhan awaiting him in the next one. But I thought he was also too easy in his relationship with Fox. The old Rebus would never have worked with Fox as cooperatively as in this story - so that didn't seem credible to me. And my final comment is that crime fiction, excluding those dull cozies of course, seems to focus too much these days on either serial murder or a cold case of 30 years ago. So a 0.5 deduct, Mr. Rankin, for lack of plot originality. Do I recommend this and will I read the next?? Yes, yes, absolutely ! ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Not your usual saints *by A***R on Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 26, 2014* This is another of the very good John Rebus police procedurals from Edinburgh. John is getting older and on the edge of retirement, having been demoted to Detective Sargent from DCI. There are always cutbacks and changes in the constabulary and he is both highly respected for his cleverness and renowned for his ability to skirt the rules and offend people. He has too good of a relationship with drink but a very nice relationship with his protégé, Shioban Clarke, now DCI Clarke, and also his boss.This story has many parts, as usual, but lurking in the background is his association with a group of officers who 30 years previously got into trouble for breaking the rules to get arrests and convictions. The 4 of them were united in their respect for an old Scottish law book they called The Shadow Bible. Rebus was new and not yet a member when the others were brought to grief over a scandal involving a murder. One of them took the fall for the rest, resigned, and went on to become a successful real estate developer while the others continued on until retirement. Politics enters the current day scene when a solicitor decides to go back to that case and search for the answers to some old questions. Because Rebus was there at the time he is put on the case under the leadership of his old nemesis from internal affairs, Malcom Fox. Malcom has his own problems with OCD so the two of them are not a good match. Ian Rankin has developed the personas of the two men over time so that we see the pros and cons of each, with Fox usually coming off less than likeable. But he’s wanting to get into real police work and who better to learn from than John Rebus.Once again, it’s a fine story with lots of scene-setting in the Edinburgh environs. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.hr/products/8840228-saints-of-the-shadow-bible-a-rebus-novel-19-hardcover](https://www.desertcart.hr/products/8840228-saints-of-the-shadow-bible-a-rebus-novel-19-hardcover) --- *Product available on Desertcart Croatia* *Store origin: HR* *Last updated: 2026-07-22*