# In a House of Lies > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/In_a_House_of_Lies > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/In_a_House_of_Lies.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_a_House_of_Lies > Source revision: 1355479910 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) 2018 book by Ian Rankin In a House of Lies First edition Author Ian Rankin Language English Series Inspector Rebus Release number 22 Genre Detective fiction Set in Scotland Publisher Orion Books Publication place Scotland Published in English October 2018 Media type Hardback Pages 372 ISBN 9781409176886 Preceded by Rather Be the Devil Followed by A Song for the Dark Times Website Author's webpage **In a House of Lies** is the 22nd novel in the [Inspector Rebus](/source/Inspector_Rebus) series written by [Ian Rankin](/source/Ian_Rankin).[1] Rebus, now retired and in poor health, is called in to revisit a cold case in which the body of an investigator is discovered in the boot of a car, secured with police-issue handcuffs. ## Plot Some boys discover a car with a long-dead body in the boot, in a woodland which has been the subject of a property dispute. Rebus, now retired, worked the badly-handled 2006 missing-persons case. He had tried to protect the missing man's lover, the son of a detective inspector in the old [Strathclyde Police](/source/Strathclyde_Police), and had also been hoping to tie in ['Big Ger' Cafferty](/source/'Big_Ger'_Cafferty). The murder inquiry now is handled by a team from [Police Scotland](/source/Police_Scotland), but [Detective Inspector Siobhan Clarke](/source/Detective_Inspector_Siobhan_Clarke) and [Detective Inspector Malcolm Fox](/source/Malcolm_Fox_(detective)) are included. Clarke has recently been investigated by a corrupt pair of [Anti-Corruption Unit](/source/Police_Scotland#National_Anti_Corruption_Unit) officers for leaking information to a reporter, and she is being harassed by a mysterious person over a recent case. Rebus, at her request, re-investigates that case; he tangles with the ACU team, and hopes again to see Cafferty connected to the body-in-the-boot murder.[2][3] Rebus is suffering from [COPD](/source/COPD) and has given up cigarettes and almost stopped drinking alcohol.[4][5] The book gives some attention to modern media and its potential for both public and private bullying. ## Background Ian Rankin has stated that inspiration for the novel in part came from the [murder of Daniel Morgan](/source/Murder_of_Daniel_Morgan),[6] who was a private detective in South London in the late 1980s.[7] He died of axe wounds to his head in a pub car park in [Sydenham](/source/Sydenham%2C_London), [South London](/source/South_London) in 1987.[8] He was investigating alleged police corruption at the time.[9] ## Reception The book was a bestseller, entering the hardback chart at No. 1 on the first week of its release.[10] Reception was largely positive; [Barry Forshaw](/source/Barry_Forshaw), writing in *[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)*, said, "How has Rankin kept the series fresh for 22 novels? Deft characterisation. Readers must keep up with a lengthy dramatis personae, but there’s nothing wrong with making us work a little."[11] Likewise, Mark Sanderson, writing in the *[Evening Standard](/source/Evening_Standard)*, called the book "A brilliantly twisted case for Rebus" and said that "..no one in Britain writes better crime novels today."[12] Paul Connolly (*[The Metro](/source/Metro_(British_newspaper))*) gave the novel four stars out of five and said that the novel had: a plot so complex it will elude anything other than total concentration, Rankin crafts one of the great Rebus novels, a vibrant slab of a book as gripping as it is intoxicating.[13] Julian Cole, writing in the *[Northern Echo](/source/Northern_Echo)*, gave the book four stars out of five, and called it "...[a] good rattling read, let down only by too many unnecessary dialogue modifiers."[14] ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Donoghue, Steve (7 January 2019). ["In a House of Lies by Ian Rankin"](https://openlettersreview.com/posts/in-a-house-of-lies-by-ian-rankin). *Open Letters Review*. Retrieved 30 April 2025. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** McCann, Michael J. ["A book review by Michael J. McCann: In a House of Lies (A Rebus Novel)"](https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/house-lies). *www.nyjournalofbooks.com*. Retrieved 20 December 2019. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Cogdill, Oline H. ["Ian Rankin and John Rebus return in 'House of Lies'"](https://www.inquirer.com/arts/books/ian-rankin-house-lies-20190315.html). *inquirer.com*. Retrieved 20 December 2019. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Davies, Paul (25 October 2019). ["BOOK REVIEW: 'In a House of Lies'"](https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/oct/25/book-review-in-a-house-of-lies/). *The Washington Times*. Retrieved 20 December 2019. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Massie, Alan (6 October 2018). ["Book review: In A House Of Lies, by Ian Rankin"](https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/books/book-review-in-a-house-of-lies-by-ian-rankin-1-4810637). *The Scotsman*. Retrieved 20 December 2019. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Roy, David (15 November 2018). ["Ian Rankin on In A House of Lies, Rebus: Long Shadows & his favourite Irish writers"](https://www.irishnews.com/arts/2018/11/15/news/ian-rankin-on-in-a-house-of-lies-rebus-long-shadows-his-favourite-irish-writers-1484175/). *The Irish News*. Retrieved 20 December 2019. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Gibb, Frances (6 July 2018). ["Met facing payout for framing trio for axe murder of Daniel Morgan"](https://www.thetimes.com/uk/law/article/metropolitan-police-facing-payout-for-framing-trio-for-axe-murder-of-daniel-morgan-xz6wh6939). *[The Times](/source/The_Times)*. Retrieved 20 December 2019. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Dodd, Vikram (28 May 2018). ["Daniel Morgan murder: new delays hit inquiry into 31-year-old case"](https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/may/28/daniel-morgan-new-delays-hit-inquiry-into-31-year-old-case). *The Guardian*. Retrieved 20 December 2019. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Hamilton, Fiona (2 November 2017). ["Behind the story of the Daniel Morgan murder case"](https://www.thetimes.com/uk/article/behind-the-story-of-the-daniel-morgan-murder-case-jnxx5zz28). *[The Times](/source/The_Times)*. Retrieved 20 December 2019. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Beckerman, Hannah (3 November 2018). ["Ian Rankin: 'I couldn't get on with War and Peace'"](https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/nov/03/ian-rankin-books-q-and-a-in-a-house-lies). *The Guardian*. Retrieved 20 December 2019. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Forshaw, Barry (5 October 2018). ["The best recent thrillers – review roundup"](https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/oct/05/best-recent-thrillers-review-roundup-barry-forshaw). *The Guardian*. Retrieved 20 December 2019. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Sanderson, Mark (4 October 2018). ["In a House of Lies by Ian Rankin - review"](https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/books/in-a-house-of-lies-by-ian-rankin-review-a3953786.html). *Evening Standard*. Retrieved 20 December 2019. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** Connolly, Paul (21 October 2018). ["Book Reviews: In A House Of Lies, Bright Young Dead, Milkman"](https://www.metro.news/book-reviews-in-a-house-of-lies-bright-young-dead-milkman/1278594/). *Metro Newspaper UK*. Retrieved 20 December 2019. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** Cole, Julian (15 October 2018). ["Book releases including In A House Of Lies by Ian Rankin"](https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/culture/16983457.book-releases-including-in-a-house-of-lies-by-ian-rankin/). *The Northern Echo*. Retrieved 20 December 2019. ## External links - [Ian Rankin being interviewed on BBC Breakfast](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRxGILjSInc) v t e Ian Rankin's Inspector Rebus series Novels Knots and Crosses Hide and Seek Tooth and Nail Strip Jack The Black Book Mortal Causes Let it Bleed Black & Blue The Hanging Garden Dead Souls Set in Darkness The Falls Resurrection Men A Question of Blood Fleshmarket Close The Naming of the Dead Exit Music Standing in Another Man's Grave Saints of the Shadow Bible Even Dogs in the Wild Rather Be the Devil In a House of Lies A Song for the Dark Times A Heart Full of Headstones Midnight and Blue Short story collections A Good Hanging and Other Stories The Beat Goes On Characters John Rebus Television Rebus (2000–07) "Strip Jack" "Resurrection Men" "The First Stone" "The Naming of the Dead" Rebus (2024–present) Stage Long Shadows v t e Works by Ian Rankin Novels The Flood (1986) Knots and Crosses (1987) Watchman (1988) Westwind (1990) Hide and Seek (1991) Tooth and Nail (1992) Strip Jack (1992) The Black Book (1993) Witch Hunt (1993) Mortal Causes (1994) Bleeding Hearts (1994) Let It Bleed (1995) Blood Hunt (1995) Black & Blue (1997) The Hanging Garden (1998) Dead Souls (1999) Set in Darkness (2000) The Falls (2001) Resurrection Men (2002) A Question of Blood (2003) Fleshmarket Close (2004) The Naming of the Dead (2006) Exit Music (2007) Doors Open (2008) A Cool Head (2009, Quick Reads) The Complaints (2009) The Impossible Dead (2011) Standing in Another Man's Grave (2012) Saints of the Shadow Bible (2013) Even Dogs in the Wild (2015) Rather Be the Devil (2016) In a House of Lies (2018) A Song for the Dark Times (2020) The Dark Remains (2021; with William McIlvanney) A Heart Full of Headstones (2022) Midnight and Blue (2024) Short story collections A Good Hanging and Other Stories (1992) Beggars Banquet (2002) The Beat Goes On (2014) Plays Dark Road (2013) Long Shadows (2018) Short stories Death is Not the End (1998) Related articles Inspector Rebus Authority control databases MusicBrainz work Open Library --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [In a House of Lies](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_a_House_of_Lies) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_a_House_of_Lies?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.