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jimbowen0306's review against another edition
4.0
The Complaints, like most Rankin books, is set in Edinburgh's police force. Instead of watching John Rebus, his usual character, he watches Macolm Fox, a policeman who investigates other policemen and the serious crimes they commit. Fox is an alcoholic, but in most other ways he isn't Rebus. He's an inspector, so he's a shrewd operator, but he's a more straight forward cop who cherishes his career more than I suspect Rebus does.
In this book Fox starts to investigate a cop, only to discover that his sister's abusive boyfriend has been murdered. Like most people, he can't help himself, and starts to investigate the crime himself. This bring him face to face with the complaints department himself and for the rest of the book he has to deal with them and their threat to his career, while still investigating the crime himself.
It's also worth noting that Edinburgh feels different to Rebus' Edinburgh. Fox's investigation leeds him to the "new shiny" Edinburgh that was built off borrowed money. Rebus's Edinburgh has always felt slightly grimier than this does.
In short, this book is a good read, but don't expect it to be like a Rebus read, or even recognise the Edinburgh it occupies.
In this book Fox starts to investigate a cop, only to discover that his sister's abusive boyfriend has been murdered. Like most people, he can't help himself, and starts to investigate the crime himself. This bring him face to face with the complaints department himself and for the rest of the book he has to deal with them and their threat to his career, while still investigating the crime himself.
It's also worth noting that Edinburgh feels different to Rebus' Edinburgh. Fox's investigation leeds him to the "new shiny" Edinburgh that was built off borrowed money. Rebus's Edinburgh has always felt slightly grimier than this does.
In short, this book is a good read, but don't expect it to be like a Rebus read, or even recognise the Edinburgh it occupies.
knittingchaos's review against another edition
3.0
It was a pretty good book, but like so many other Rankin books there ends up being too many characters. So at the end I felt like "who the hell is this guy again?" and that always bothers me.
kathydavie's review against another edition
5.0
First in the Inspector Malcolm Fox detective series, a spin-off from his Detective Inspector Rebus series set in Edinburgh, Scotland.
My Take
It was odd reading a story about policemen in Edinburgh. I kept expecting Inspector Rebus and Siobhan to show up. It was like going home for a family reunion and none of the family showed up.
It did take me a bit to take get into it…and I suspect this is why. But once I did, oh lordy, it was excellent. Rankin had me on the edge of my chair dying to know how Fox and Breck get out of the mess they've gotten themselves into. All with the best of intentions of course. I couldn't help but wonder if McEwan had maneuvered the two of them together for precisely the reasons why they uncovered the entire mess. I think if the bent coppers had left it alone, they'd'a been safer.
It's Vince's murder where it feels a bit manufactured. Fox is such a law-abiding man and he hated Vince, yet he insists on poking his nose into an investigation revolving around his sister where it is reasonable to consider him a possible suspect. Yet it does provide each man the opportunity to understand the other giving them that mutual support they'll need when they both end up suspended.
Support they'll need as they start to uncover the depth of the anger against them.
There's a bit of the Hitler-esque in this…"just doing what I'm told".
The Story
The Complaints opens with Malcolm Fox closing a case against a dirty cop, Glen Heaton, followed by a visit to Child Protection (CEOP) where DS Inglis enlists his aid in investigating a cop, Jamie Breck, accused of pedophilia.
Then the unexpected hits — Vince, Jude's boyfriend, is found murdered and DS Breck is in charge giving Fox the opportunity to get to know his target. And Breck to learn more about his suspect.
The Characters
Malcolm Fox comes across as a steady, patient cop dedicated to exposing corruption. And, as Breck puts it, not easily roused to action. Divorced, he lives a very quiet life and takes care of the bills for his dad's nursing home and worries about the beatings his sister's boyfriend gives her.
Jamie Breck is a detective sergeant fascinated by role-playing games and on the fast track to becoming something more.
Jude Fox is Malcolm's sister and the murder of her boyfriend is one of the catalysts for Malcolm rousing to action.
Joe Naysmith and Tony Kaye are colleagues of Fox's with Bob McEwan their boss.
Annie Inglis is a detective sergeant in CEOP, a division which investigates pedophiles. Attractive, interesting, Fox is interested until he discovers the truth about Annie.
The Cover and Title
At first I thought the cover with our looking up at the floating drowned man was rather obscure as the incident it represents was such a minute part. I came to realize that it was really a metaphor for the hidden depths of the corruption within, floating about in its sea of lawfulness.
The title was certainly appropriate. The entire story circled around Malcolm Fox, a cop who had just successfully wrapped up a case of a bent copper, Heaton. A cop with friends in some very low places. The Complaints being the Scottish version of our Internal Affairs.
My Take
It was odd reading a story about policemen in Edinburgh. I kept expecting Inspector Rebus and Siobhan to show up. It was like going home for a family reunion and none of the family showed up.
It did take me a bit to take get into it…and I suspect this is why. But once I did, oh lordy, it was excellent. Rankin had me on the edge of my chair dying to know how Fox and Breck get out of the mess they've gotten themselves into. All with the best of intentions of course. I couldn't help but wonder if McEwan had maneuvered the two of them together for precisely the reasons why they uncovered the entire mess. I think if the bent coppers had left it alone, they'd'a been safer.
It's Vince's murder where it feels a bit manufactured. Fox is such a law-abiding man and he hated Vince, yet he insists on poking his nose into an investigation revolving around his sister where it is reasonable to consider him a possible suspect. Yet it does provide each man the opportunity to understand the other giving them that mutual support they'll need when they both end up suspended.
Support they'll need as they start to uncover the depth of the anger against them.
There's a bit of the Hitler-esque in this…"just doing what I'm told".
The Story
The Complaints opens with Malcolm Fox closing a case against a dirty cop, Glen Heaton, followed by a visit to Child Protection (CEOP) where DS Inglis enlists his aid in investigating a cop, Jamie Breck, accused of pedophilia.
Then the unexpected hits — Vince, Jude's boyfriend, is found murdered and DS Breck is in charge giving Fox the opportunity to get to know his target. And Breck to learn more about his suspect.
The Characters
Malcolm Fox comes across as a steady, patient cop dedicated to exposing corruption. And, as Breck puts it, not easily roused to action. Divorced, he lives a very quiet life and takes care of the bills for his dad's nursing home and worries about the beatings his sister's boyfriend gives her.
Jamie Breck is a detective sergeant fascinated by role-playing games and on the fast track to becoming something more.
Jude Fox is Malcolm's sister and the murder of her boyfriend is one of the catalysts for Malcolm rousing to action.
Joe Naysmith and Tony Kaye are colleagues of Fox's with Bob McEwan their boss.
Annie Inglis is a detective sergeant in CEOP, a division which investigates pedophiles. Attractive, interesting, Fox is interested until he discovers the truth about Annie.
The Cover and Title
At first I thought the cover with our looking up at the floating drowned man was rather obscure as the incident it represents was such a minute part. I came to realize that it was really a metaphor for the hidden depths of the corruption within, floating about in its sea of lawfulness.
The title was certainly appropriate. The entire story circled around Malcolm Fox, a cop who had just successfully wrapped up a case of a bent copper, Heaton. A cop with friends in some very low places. The Complaints being the Scottish version of our Internal Affairs.
coleycole's review against another edition
1.0
This book ticked me off. I thought the main character started acting in ways that were completely inexplicable for the character -- and that were much more in line with the behavior of this author's other, prolifically written-about main character...
naaadine's review
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
sonicboylee's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 Stars
Rankin is on form as ever but although it is interesting to see the city and the force from a new perspective Fox is no Rebus
Rankin is on form as ever but although it is interesting to see the city and the force from a new perspective Fox is no Rebus
michcee68's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Easy beach read, formulaic
juliardye's review against another edition
3.0
not my typical genre, but we started listening to it on a long drive to ohio. i am not sure i would have stuck with it had i not been trapped in the car, but by the end of the trip i wanted to find out the scoop. ended up borrowing the book from the library to finish reading the final 70 pages.
jwoodsum's review against another edition
4.0
For some reason it took me quite a while to get into this book. But once I did I really enjoyed it. The main characters are police similar to internal affiars - they investigate police corruption. I'll be interested to read the next book in the series.