Resurrection Men
Author: Listening Guy
Written by Ian Rankin
read by Joe Dunlop
I was unfamilar with Ian Rankin's writings, but Resurrection Men is one in a series of "Inspector Rebus" novels (published in 2002). I wasn't sure what I was getting into, but the listener comments had been good, and I thought I'd give it a shot.
Detective Inspector John Rebus is somewhat surly and skeptical (to be expected for a cop). He's a hard drinker (as is pretty much everyone in the story...apparently common in Scotland) and he's been sent back to Police College in Scotland as punishment for acting badly toward his supervisor, who happens to be a woman. But, as it turns out, this was a concocted excuse. He's actually being sent there to try to unravel a mystery involving some possibly bad cops who are also in trouble for their attitudes...including one Francis Gray, who has a reputation for being tough and competent, and has often been compared to Rebus himself.
There's a second strong character in the story as well. Her name is Detective Sargeant Siobhan Clarke...pronounced "shuh-vawn", and she's recently been promoted and is still trying to get a handle on surviving as a woman in the boys' club of police work.
This story type is apparently referred to as a "procedural", and I'd say that's an apt title. It moves at a steady pace, has plenty of dialogue and discovery...and unfolds over time as Rebus and Clarke work on two different cases that appear more and more to have elements in common.
I loved the story. It was a nice full length (about 15 hours) and the energy never waned.
But I was REALLY pleased with the narration, performed by Joe Dunlop. I've never heard this guy before, but he's as comfortable as a well-worn shoe. His energy level never varies a great deal, but the story doesn't suffer for it one bit. He really comes off as a storyteller. Character variations are handled very nicely, and I felt that he was a guide into a world mostly unfamiliar to me. Rankin's descriptions and his delivery were picturesque and engaging all the way through.
As an American, when listening to English delivered in as heavily-affected a dialect as Scottish, I find myself considering my own language (terminology and delivery) in new ways. Phrase after phrase popped up that I may have or may not have heard before...but in working to follow the story, I found that much of it became self-explanatory over time. Truly a delightful experience!
As far as the audio itself, the recording quality was great. The editing lacked a bit. I noticed two edits that were completely missed by the editor...which I always find disappointing in a commercial product. But, overall, this was a thoroughly enjoyable story and listening experience!