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The Impossible Dead Audiobook
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(3.01) - 2,388 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
The Complaints: that's the name given to the Internal Affairs department who seek out dirty and compromised cops, the ones who've made deals with the devil. And sometimes The Complaints must travel.
A major inquiry into a neighboring police force sees Malcolm Fox and his colleagues cast adrift, unsure of territory, protocol, or who they can trust. An entire station-house looks to have been compromised, but as Fox digs deeper he finds the trail leads him back in time to the suicide of a prominent politician and activist. There are secrets buried in the past, and reputations on the line.
In his newest pulse-pounding thriller, Ian Rankin holds up a mirror to an age of fear and paranoia, and shows us something of our own lives reflected there.
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"I enjoyed this one, but I'm not sure how much I was influenced by the main setting of the book being Kirkcaldy, the town I live in, he got it spot on. I'm getting to like Malcolm Fox now, I wasn't too sure of him in the first book of the series, The Complaints."
— Katrina (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“Always inspired when he’s writing about social outcasts and professional rejects, Rankin does well by these pariah cops—especially Fox, who’s looking good for the long haul.”
— New York Times Book Review -
“Expertly crafted…Fox and friends are compelling enough to preserve Rankin’s rep as one of the great spinners of brainy crime fiction.”
— Entertainment Weekly -
“Rankin juggles all of these plots with consummate ease and brings the whole thing to a truly exciting conclusion. This is lean, addictive stuff.”
— Washington Post -
“It is our interest in this supremely ordinary man and his family that keeps us reading The Impossible Dead—which is in itself something that Rankin can be proud of.”
— Financial Times -
“The Impossible Dead is taut, compulsive and hugely satisfying, with plenty to say about the limits of memory and the dangers of historical idealism.”
— Guardian (London) -
“Malcolm Fox proves a worthy successor to John Rebus…satisfyingly layered…Rankin elegantly weaves together the two story lines.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“Rankin has created a wonderfully rounded character who only stands to become more compelling in future installments.”
— Booklist
The Impossible Dead Listener Reviews
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" An enjoyable read, but lacks the punch of character development of Rankin's Rebus series. Well plotted and political but a little flat. Interesting that the author never gives much physical description of his characters. Some nice family interplay. "
— Alice, 2/20/2014 -
" I like Malcolm Fox and the story of Scots nationalists from agitators in the 1970s to administrators in the 1990s is interesting. I didn't appreciate the 'thriller' aspects tho. "
— Mary, 2/17/2014 -
" Loved the Rebus books and was a bit nervous that this new series wouldn't live up to those high standards. Needn't have worried though another great book and character from Rankin! He never disappoints! "
— Dolores, 2/16/2014 -
" I truly love Ian Rankin's writing but I felt this particular story was a bit pedestrian and possibly a little contrived given the current political climate in Scotland. I felt his characters over reacted to situations for the sake for dramatic effect, which was really the only drama to be found in the tale. I'm a little disappointed in this one. "
— Mandy, 2/11/2014 -
" good charachters - easy read "
— Jean, 2/6/2014 -
" It toom me ages to get into this book. It wasn,t a bad book but nothing like the easy reads of the rebus series. "
— Lisa, 1/27/2014 -
" The first Malcolm Fox book I've read. I enjoyed the story and the characters, although it will take some time before I'm able to get over Fox not being John Rebus. I hope as the series continues he'll grow to be as rich and compelling a character. "
— Autumn, 1/24/2014 -
" Love his new characters, love the new issues, love this man's writing (almost all) "
— Kelly, 1/18/2014 -
" Rankin knocks it out of the park again. A sprawling plot whose connections lie just out of reach, a bad guy I didn't get (always good) and personal demons (fewer than Rebus) abound. Very good. "
— Dave, 1/3/2014 -
" At first I thought Malcolm Fox couldn't compare to John Rebus, but he's definitely growing on me in this second book! "
— Jessica, 12/25/2013 -
" I'm beginning to warm to Malcolm Fox and I loved the descriptions of Kirkcaldy!! "
— Graham, 12/17/2013 -
" I hope there will be another Malcolm Fox book very soon. "
— Honey, 12/7/2013 -
" the Malcolm Fox character doesn't grab me the way Rebus did. Some story machinations re familiar to the longtime Rankin reader. "
— Lisa, 11/30/2013 -
" Oh, my, I do like Rankin's new hero Malcolm Fox and his team. (I haven't read The Complaints yet, but I will, I will.) Good interplay between current investigation and history-mystery. As usual with Rankin, lovely feel for geography and history of Scottish places and people. "
— Fernande, 10/5/2013 -
" Started off an excellent read but lost interest half way through. Shame really. "
— Dignan107, 8/1/2013 -
" Love Rankin, and am beginning to really like Fox "
— Dino63, 5/10/2013 -
" This features Inspector Fox and is a real page turner. I just could not put it down until I had finished it. I am not sure that I found the ending entirely satisfying but it was certainly not a disappointment. "
— Rog, 3/24/2013 -
" Ian Rankin has definitely master this story type. One glaringly bad POV error, but other than that, a very enjoyable read. "
— Meg, 3/8/2013 -
" Ahhh yes, Rankin at his finest! I still miss Rebus but Mr Fox fits right into the void. "
— Breda, 2/13/2013 -
" This was an enjoyable book with great characters and a punchy story. It was a pain in a way because it kept me up way beyond bedtime. "
— Mo, 1/13/2012 -
" An intelligently written thriller. At times it dragged, especially when the author describes Fox's relationship with his father and sister, but overall a good entertaining read. "
— Marie, 12/19/2011
About Ian Rankin
Ian Rankin, a New York Times bestselling author, is the recipient of an Edgar Award, a Gold Dagger for fiction, and a Chandler-Fulbright Fellowship.
About Peter Forbes
Peter Forbes is an audiobook narrator and actor. He studied English in the same year as Ian Rankin at Edinburgh University. His credits include Berkeley Square (BBC), Peter Kosminsky’s The Government Inspector (Channel 4 UK), the award-winning Black Watch, Never So Good, Afterlife, and Mamma Mia! (London West End). He was nominated in the 2011 Critics’ Awards for Theatre in Scotland for his performance in Liz Lochhead’s Educating Agnes.