The Falls

Ian Rankin

4/10/2003

Phillipa "Flip" Balfour was a college student at the university in Edinborough. Now she is missing. The obvious, and only, suspect for her disappearance is her ex-boyfriend. Yet he said he hadn't seen her since she kicked him out earlier that day. Inspector John Rebus of the Edinborough police doesn't want to believe him. But Flip's neighbor, a retired pathologist, vouches for David Costello.

When Flip's computer is checked by DS Siobhan Clarke, she discovers Flip was involved in some sort of role playing game run by the Quizmaster. The clues are puzzling and somewhat obscure. Clarke starts following through with the game. The Quizmaster appears to know what may have happened to Flip.

Then another strange clue is found. A small coffin with a doll in it is found by the small waterfall by Flip's parents' home. As Rebus follows that clue, over the past 20 years there have been at least 4 other coffins found in areas of missing or dead women. Now they are investigating a possible serial killer and an Internet stalker. The deeper Clarke and Rebus look, the more information they find, and the less it hangs together. Will they find Flip Balfour? Who may have abducted her?

This is the first book I've read by Rankin and I was totally engrossed. The story is intricate and current. Since I live in the United States, the Quizmaster's geographical clues were unsolveable by me. It wouldn't have mattered, I don't think I could have solved them anyway. This is part of a series of police detective novels with Inspector Rebus. It is a intense, yet readable. I'll watch for more of these.

You can find more about this book at .

Knots and Crosses
Hide and Seek
Tooth and Nail
Strip Jack
A Good Hanging
The Black Book
Mortal Causes
Let It Bleed
Black and Blue
The Hanging Garden
Dead Souls
Death is Not the End
Set in Darkness
The Falls
Resurrection Man
A Question of Blood
Fleshmarket Alley