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Ian Rankin Trivia

Ian Rankin Trivia Quizzes

Detective Inspector John Rebus, based in Edinburgh, features in many of Ian Rankin's novels, and has also been the focal character in a television series based on the novels.

20 Ian Rankin quizzes and 250 Ian Rankin trivia questions.

Ian Rankin's John Rebus: The Trivia Trail great trivia quiz

Multiple Choice

15 Qns

If you have read the Rebus novels of Ian Rankin (and were paying attention) or if you have played the Rebus quizzes on this site (and were paying attention) you should be able to answer this series of Rebus trivia questions.

Average, 15 Qns, darksplash, Mar 12 10

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325 plays

Ian Rankin's "Fleshmarket Close" great trivia quiz

Multiple Choice

10 Qns

"Fleshmarket Close" (published as "Fleshmarket Alley" in the U.S.) was the fifteenth book in the series of Inspector Rebus novels by Ian Rankin. What do you remember about the story?

Average, 10 Qns, PDAZ, Dec 28 09

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206 plays

Rebus: "The Black Book" by Ian Rankin popular trivia quiz

Multiple Choice

15 Qns

Things turned very personal for Detective Inspector John Rebus when he reopened an old investigation in 'The Black Book' - an investigation that some people wanted halted, at any cost.

Average, 15 Qns, darksplash, Mar 19 17

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269 plays

Rebus: 'Mortal Causes' by Ian Rankin popular trivia quiz

Multiple Choice

15 Qns

Links between Northern Ireland terrorists and their Scottish supporters provided the background to 'Mortal Causes', the sixth case for Ian Rankin's Edinburgh-based detective, John Rebus.

Average, 15 Qns, darksplash, Mar 19 08

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244 plays

Rebus: 'Hide & Seek' by Ian Rankin great trivia quiz

Multiple Choice

15 Qns

Another murder and another mystery for Ian Rankin's Edinburgh-based detective John Rebus. 'Hide & Seek' was the second novel in the series.

Average, 15 Qns, darksplash, Feb 19 08

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310 plays

Ian Rankin's "A Question of Blood"

Multiple Choice

10 Qns

"A Question of Blood" was the fourteenth book in the series of Inspector Rebus novels by Ian Rankin. What do you remember about the story?

Average, 10 Qns, PDAZ, Nov 10 09

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133 plays

Rebus: 'Black and Blue' by Ian Rankin

Multiple Choice

15 Qns

A man ends up dead in one of Edinburgh's meanest estates and that should be plenty of work for D/I John Rebus, yet he can't stop poking his nose into the hunt for a serial killer.

Average, 15 Qns, darksplash, Jul 24 08

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222 plays

Rebus: 'Dead Souls' by Ian Rankin

Multiple Choice

20 Qns

A missing youth, a serial killer on the loose and an unexplained death were all puzzles for John Rebus, the Edinburgh-based detective, in 'Dead Souls'.

Average, 20 Qns, darksplash, Oct 19 08

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188 plays

Rebus: "Set In Darkness" by Ian Rankin

Multiple Choice

15 Qns

The more things are changing, the more they're the same is a thought that crossed John Rebus's mind. As Scotland prepared for a new Parliament - and a new future - he was faced with the same old vices: murder and greed.

Tough, 15 Qns, darksplash, May 27 09

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195 plays

10.

Rebus: "Strip Jack" by Ian Rankin

Multiple Choice

10 Qns

A routine operation was followed by a murder enquiry for Detective Inspector John Rebus in 'Strip Jack', the fourth book in the series by Ian Rankin about the Edinburgh-based policeman.

Tough, 10 Qns, darksplash, Feb 28 08

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220 plays

Quick Question

John Rebus was nothing, if not devious. Which character did he use to set up Big Ger Cafferty for a fall in 'The Black Book'?

From Quiz "Rebus: "The Black Book" by Ian Rankin"

11.

"Rebus": "Knots & Crosses" by Ian Rankin popular trivia quiz

Multiple Choice

10 Qns

British crime fiction has produced a long line of detective heroes and the tradition was well maintained in Ian Rankin's 20-book "Rebus" series, which was based in Edinburgh. These questions are about the first book.

Average, 10 Qns, darksplash, Feb 19 08

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316 plays

12.

Rebus: 'Tooth & Nail' by Ian Rankin

Multiple Choice

10 Qns

Another case, and another serial serial killer on the loose. John Rebus was in strange pastures for 'Tooth & Nail', the third book in the series.

Average, 10 Qns, darksplash, Feb 19 08

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211 plays

13.

Rebus: "Exit Music" by Ian Rankin

Multiple Choice

15 Qns

The end was near for John Rebus, Edinburgh's best-known detective. Ten days from retirement and another murder came across his desk. Everyone else thought it was a simple mugging gone wrong, but not Rebus...

Average, 15 Qns, darksplash, Mar 06 10

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175 plays

14.

Rebus: "Let It Bleed" by Ian Rankin

Multiple Choice

15 Qns

Detective Inspector John Rebus was a man who saw things in black and white, but could he learn to accept that 'a greater public good' could outweigh a crime - even murder? 'Let It Bleed' was the seventh Rebus case.

Tough, 15 Qns, darksplash, May 01 08

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221 plays

15.

Rebus: "The Naming Of The Dead", by Ian Rankin

Multiple Choice

10 Qns

Murder and suicide featured in this John Rebus novel. With his authorities intent on keeping the Edinburgh-based detective well away from the main events of the 2005 G8 conference, Rebus made a chilling discovery; a killer was on the loose.

Tough, 10 Qns, darksplash, Jan 24 10

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162 plays

16.

Rebus: "The Hanging Garden" by Ian Rankin

Multiple Choice

10 Qns

A turf war was being fought between two criminal gangs in Edinburgh and as usual Detective Inspector John Rebus was in the thick of it.

Average, 10 Qns, darksplash, Aug 12 08

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210 plays

17.

Rebus: "The Falls" by Ian Rankin

Multiple Choice

10 Qns

What was the connection between an internet role-playing game and the disappearance of a young student? That was what D/I John Rebus and his CID colleagues were trying to establish in 'The Falls".

Average, 10 Qns, darksplash, Jun 07 17

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157 plays

18.

Rebus: "Resurrection Men", by Ian Rankin

Multiple Choice

10 Qns

Detective Inspector John Rebus had a complex mind. He saw details where others saw only shadows. In "Resurrection Men" he had to deal with murder, drugs and corruption - and hope to come out of the other end in one piece.

Tough, 10 Qns, darksplash, Nov 15 09

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151 plays

19.

Ian Rankin Novels

Multiple Choice

10 Qns

My favourite author. I thought it was about time he had a quiz.

Average, 10 Qns, snad, Aug 16 14

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snad
616 plays

20.

Ian Rankin's Rebus

Multiple Choice

10 Qns

A quiz to test your knowledge on the Ian Rankin police character Inspector Rebus. Have fun!

Tough, 10 Qns, frankie19, Feb 19 08

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442 plays

Ian Rankin Trivia Questions

1. In which UK capital city were the Rebus novels of Ian Rankin set?

From Quiz Ian Rankin's John Rebus: The Trivia Trail

Answer: Edinburgh

The Edinburgh of John Rebus was a small place, but he saw a side of the city that its millions of tourists never encountered. In his police career, he dealt with between 30 and 40 murders. The first Rebus novel was "Knots & Crosses" and was published in 1987. Sixteen more novels and a novella followed. "Black and Blue", the eighth Rebus (1997) won the Macallan Gold Dagger for Fiction and "Resurrection Men", the 13th Rebus (2002) won The Edgar Award. They made Ian Rankin a best-selling author.

2. "Exit Music" was set in November 2006 with Detective Inspector John Rebus just 10 days from retirement. What kind of car did Rebus use to drive to the scene of a murder - the car that he used throughout all of cases?

From Quiz Rebus: "Exit Music" by Ian Rankin

Answer: Saab

Like Rebus, the car was battered and a little frayed around the edges.

3. At the beginning of "A Question of Blood", Inspector Rebus was in Edinburgh's Royal Infirmary. Why was he there?

From Quiz Ian Rankin's "A Question of Blood"

Answer: He had scalded his hands.

Inspector Rebus was being treated for scalded hands, although the doctor was skeptical of his story that he had fallen into a hot bathtub. His injuries led some people to believe that he might have been involved in the death of an ex-convict who was killed in a fire.

4. At the outset of "The Falls", Detective Inspector John Rebus was working a missing persons case. The missing woman's name was Philippa Balfour. What did her friends call her?

From Quiz Rebus: "The Falls" by Ian Rankin

Answer: Flip

Philippa Balfour was a 20-year-old student who had been missing for two days when Rebus began to interview her boyfriend, David Costello. They had apparently had a row before she disappeared.

5. At the start of 'Set In Darkness', Detective Inspector John Rebus found himself on a tour of a demolition site. The building had once been one of Edinburgh's grandest houses. It shared a name with a peer of the realm. What was it called?

From Quiz Rebus: "Set In Darkness" by Ian Rankin

Answer: Queensberry House

The house had been built in the 17th century and was extended after it came into the ownership of the 1st Duke of Queensberry. It was being demolished to make way for a wing of the new Scottish parliament. Rebus was on a committee assessing security implications of the new building. Rebus believed he was on the committee as his boss wanted to keep him out of trouble.

6. At the outset of 'Dead Souls', Detective Inspector John Rebus was performing undercover duties at one of Edinburgh's top tourist attractions. Which one?

From Quiz Rebus: 'Dead Souls' by Ian Rankin

Answer: The zoo

Rebus and other officers were trying to catch someone who was poisoning the animals. The long vigil turned into a chase when Rebus spotted a criminal face from the past and it ended with both men in the sea lions' pool. While Rebus was distracted with an innocent man, the real poisoner struck.

7. In 'The Hanging Garden', Detective Inspector John Rebus was given the task of investigating an old crime. What was it?

From Quiz Rebus: "The Hanging Garden" by Ian Rankin

Answer: A Nazi massacre of French villagers

Rebus interviewed a man called Joseph Lintz, a respected university lecturer. It was alleged he had been part of an SS unit that had massacred men, women and children in a French village in WW2. He admitted he had been in the SS, but denied involvement in the massacre. Lintz was, though, vague about his early life, or how he had come to live in Scotland.

8. At the start of 'Black & Blue', the eighth Rebus case, Detective Inspector John Rebus needed to interview a murder suspect. What was the man's nickname?

From Quiz Rebus: 'Black and Blue' by Ian Rankin

Answer: Craw

William Crawford Shand had turned himself in to police to confess to a string of murders. Rebus did not believe him, all the details that Shand quoted has been culled from newspapers.

9. What kind of case led to a dramatic car pursuit, and crash, at the opening of 'Let It Bleed', the seventh John Rebus case?

From Quiz Rebus: "Let It Bleed" by Ian Rankin

Answer: Kidnapping

Police were in pursuit of two men who had picked up a ransom left after a 'kidnapping'. Their car crashed on the Forth road bridge.

10. In 'Mortal Causes', what was described as "the bane" of Detective Inspector John Rebus's life?

From Quiz Rebus: 'Mortal Causes' by Ian Rankin

Answer: The Edinburgh festival

Edinburgh's history, Ian Rankin declared, was: "full of licence and riotous behaviour. But the festival, especially the Fringe Festival, was different. Tourism was its lifeblood and where there were tourists there was trouble."

11. What kind of establishment was John Rebus in at the start of 'The Black Book'?

From Quiz Rebus: "The Black Book" by Ian Rankin

Answer: A massage parlour

The 'Organ Grinder' was a straight massage parlour and Rebus was there seeking refuge from his domestic woes. It wasn't a question of his girlfriend not understanding him that bothered Rebus; on the contrary, she knew him too well.

12. What name was given to the police raid on a "house of ill-repute" in the Rebus novel 'Strip Jack'?

From Quiz Rebus: "Strip Jack" by Ian Rankin

Answer: Operation Creeper

Rebus has not been looking forward to an operation aimed at a brothel in a posh area of Edinburgh and carried out with members of the Press looking on. The clients of what Rebus called an "Establishment establishment" were mainly-well-to-do businessmen.

13. DI John Rebus was based in Edinburgh, however after his success in catching a serial killer, he was drafted in to help catch a murderer in another city in the novel 'Tooth & Nail'. Which other city?

From Quiz Rebus: 'Tooth & Nail' by Ian Rankin

Answer: London

Rebus did not even have time to drop his cases off at the hotel after arriving by train in London and getting dragged to the scene of another murder, the fourth of its kind.

14. At the outset of 'Hide & Seek', what was unusual about the body of the murder victim when it was discovered?

From Quiz Rebus: 'Hide & Seek' by Ian Rankin

Answer: It was laid out on the floor as if crucified

The impression was given that the victim, a young male student, had been killed as part of a Satanic ritual.

15. 'Knots & Crosses' introduced a new detective hero in the shape of John Rebus. What profession had Rebus followed before joining the police?

From Quiz "Rebus": "Knots & Crosses" by Ian Rankin

Answer: He was in the Army

John Rebus joined the Army as a way of avoiding the other main outlet for Fife-born youngsters, the coalmines. His experiences, particularly during training for the SAS (Special Air Service), coloured many of his subsequent views.

16. What is the title of the first book in the series?

From Quiz Ian Rankin's Rebus

Answer: Knots and Crosses

Ian Rankin was born in 1960 in Fife. The first book of the series was published in 1987.

17. At the scene of a murder in "Exit Music", D/I John Rebus began to estimate how many murders he had investigated in his 30-year career. How many was it?

From Quiz Rebus: "Exit Music" by Ian Rankin

Answer: Thirty - forty

"Another 10 days and this poor wretch would have been somebody else's problem," he mused. In his own mind, Rebus always believed he had identified most of the killers. He knew, though, that he had not been able to bring all of them to justice.

18. On the trail of a killer in "The Naming of the Dead", Detective Sergeant Siobhan Clarke, found a clue that had been part of the victim's clothes. What had it been?

From Quiz Rebus: "The Naming Of The Dead", by Ian Rankin

Answer: A logo from his jacket

A logo 'CC Rider' had been sliced from the victim's jacket with a sharp knife. Clarke found it as part of a 'shrine' to the dead at a small town some miles from Edinburgh.

19. It all started off as just another murder case for D/I John Rebus in "Resurrection Men". What was the occupation of the murder victim?

From Quiz Rebus: "Resurrection Men", by Ian Rankin

Answer: Art dealer

Edward Marber had been found bludgeoned to death outside his home after returning from an evening sale. It looked like a mugging, but the detectives were not convinced it was.

20. In "A Question of Blood", Inspector Rebus was a suspect in the burning death of Martin Fairstone. What had the victim done which was alleged to have provoked Rebus?

From Quiz Ian Rankin's "A Question of Blood"

Answer: He had attacked Detective Clarke.

Fairstone had been stalking Clarke since she provided evidence against him in court. He had followed her home one day and punched her, leaving her with a black eye. Rebus had been seen with the victim shortly before his death, although he claimed that his motive was simply to talk to Fairstone and that he had left him alive.

21. Another plot in "Fleshmarket Close" involved a discovery at The Warlock Pub in the title location. What was uncovered in the pub?

From Quiz Ian Rankin's "Fleshmarket Close"

Answer: Two skeletons under a concrete floor

The skeletons of a woman and a child turned out to be stolen medical training tools, with the baby skeleton actually being plastic (much to the embarrassment of Rebus and Clarke and the downright humiliation of the medical examiner who had called them in). The skeletons were discovered during renovations to expand the pub, and the owner's interest in using them as a tourist lure initially led the inspectors to consider the possibility that it was a publicity stunt.

22. A young woman had been reported missing in "The Falls". Her father was an influential man. What was his occupation?

From Quiz Rebus: "The Falls" by Ian Rankin

Answer: Banker

John Balfour was the senior partner of a private bank in London. He was important enough for police headquarters to order a heightened enquiry, with officers from four stations involved.

23. Detective Constable Siobhan Clarke did not get out much, socially. 'Set In Darkness' had her out at a singles party in a club. What was the name of the club?

From Quiz Rebus: "Set In Darkness" by Ian Rankin

Answer: The Marina Club

In fact, Clarke was working. She was in the company of a woman who had been raped after attending a singles night. Two other women had similar experiences and Clarke was with her to see if she could recognise her attacker from its male clientele.

24. What did John Rebus find odd about the photographs on the desk of Chief Superintendent Watson, his boss?

From Quiz Rebus: 'Dead Souls' by Ian Rankin

Answer: They all faced away from Watson

The photographs showed Watson's children and grandchildren at increasing ages. They were gifts passed on to Watson and he felt it necessary to display them. Rebus felt the intention was to show Watson as a man of rectitude who had achieved something in his life. They had little humanising effect, Rebus thought; rather they had all the ease of crime exhibits.

25. It seemed to D/I John Rebus that every relationship he had turned sour. Just when he was trying to mend fences with his daughter, she ended up in hospital seriously injured. What, in the book 'The Hanging Garden', had happened to her?

From Quiz Rebus: "The Hanging Garden" by Ian Rankin

Answer: She was the victim of a hit-and-run car crash

Sammy Rebus worked for a charity that sought to help ex-offenders readjust to life outside jail. After enjoying a rare meal out with her father, she left to go home but was knocked down by a speeding car. Rebus suspected it had been deliberate as a warning message to him.

26. At the start of 'Black & Blue', Detective Inspector John Rebus conducted an interview at Edinburgh's Craigmillar police station. What nickname did police officers have for the station?

From Quiz Rebus: 'Black and Blue' by Ian Rankin

Answer: Fort Apache The Bronx

"Craigmillar was about as tough an area as you could find in Scotland's capital city, and the station fully merited its nickname. Being up an alley meant a mob could cut it off from civilisation with ease, and the place had been under siege numerous times," Ian Rankin noted. Rebus had been sent there because he had upset too many people.

27. In 'Let It Bleed', two youths being chased by police jumped off the Forth road bridge but their fall was broken when they hit the deck of a navy ship. What was her name?

From Quiz Rebus: "Let It Bleed" by Ian Rankin

Answer: HMS Descant

They still ended up as dead as if they had hit the water from several hundred feet, "which, as everyone said back at the station, saved the police frogmen from a thankless sub-zero dip," Rebus noted.

28. In 'Mortal Causes', the sixth Rebus mystery, where was the first murder victim found?

From Quiz Rebus: 'Mortal Causes' by Ian Rankin

Answer: In a butcher's shop

The body of a man was found tied to the ceiling of an abandoned shop in one of Edinburgh's historic underground streets. He had been shot dead.

29. In 'The Black Book', we were introduced to a new assistant for Detective Inspector John Rebus. Detective Constable Siobhan Clarke was born and raised in England and was a fervent supporter of a certain football (soccer) club. Which club?

From Quiz Rebus: "The Black Book" by Ian Rankin

Answer: Hibs

Clarke had a university education and Rebus was impressed by her diligence and powers of recall. He was, of course, too much of a curmudgeon to give her any praise. Clarke's parents had been lecturers in Edinburgh but moved to England when she was young. She had studied at university in Edinburgh and had fallen in love with the city. She supported Hibs with a passion. Hibernian FC and Heart of Midlothian FC were the local big clubs in Edinburgh. As an aside, the television shows based on Rebus - and didn't Ken Stott hit him to a T? - suggested that he, too, supported Hibs, but that was never so crystal clear from the early books.

30. In the Rebus mystery 'Strip Jack', what was the name of a Member of Parliament discovered on the premises during a police raid on a brothel?

From Quiz Rebus: "Strip Jack" by Ian Rankin

Answer: Gregor Jack

Jack was a popular independent MP who worked hard for his constituents. Rebus admired his work; both had similar early backgrounds in Fife. Jack's wife was part of a glitzy set of people who had met at university and kept in touch afterwards.

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