Detective Inspector John Rebus is the protagonist who plays an active role in the novels written by the Scottish writer Ian Rankin. Most of the stories of Ian’s novels take place in Edinburg and the areas around it. John Rebus was born in the year 1947, and later he was raised in the Craigmead Terrace, Cardenden, Fife. John’s father migrated from Poland, and during the initial years of growth of his life. He abandoned the school at an early age of fifteen only to join the Army.

John grew up with his brother Michael in a terraced house. While John had liking for serving defence forces, his brother continued to be associated with his father’s profession. In the days when John took up his career with Army, there were only very few options available to the youngsters from the area. Other common professions available to people during those days were the coal mining and Rosyth Dockyard.

Detective Inspector John Rebus served for few years in Northern Ireland, and thereafter, applied for SAS selection. John successfully passed in the examination and was judged amongst the best and the finest. Later, John and his colleague are selected for advanced training on secretive elite programme. As the result of this, John resigns from SAS, and later suffers from chronic nervous breakdown. Later, Rebus was provided the option to work for Lothian and Borders Police, so that he get over his trauma and return to normal and healthy life style.

In the initial series, when Rebus first comes in the series of Knots and Crosses his physical disposition comprises brown hair and green eyes, matching similar to his brother’s phenotype. He shows a rough disposition, and this becomes quite clear on seeing his attire. He married Rhona, but soon became divorce. His marriage consummates into Samantha- the beautiful daughter. Her daughter is popular in the series. As the series progress, Samantha becomes matured in her thoughts and actions.

In Knots and Crosses, John is a mere a Detective Sergeant, and is later promoted to Detective Inspector, before Hide and Seek. Later he was not promoted to higher designations, though, on one of the occasions he has also ignored the promotion. As he is growing old and fast approaching his retirement age, it is less likely to find another promotion now.

John lacks political interest and you can see that in the show – in Strip Jack you see that he has only voted three times in his whole life, once for Labour, once for the Conservatives and once for the SNP. During one of the conversations, John also shows that he refrains from Scottish devolution referendum in 1979, when he suffers through guilty wrench during his friendship with independence advocate.

John ideally belongs to the long and good tradition of paternal Scottish hard men. Rebus is a heavy drinker, though he cannot be called a drunkard. He’s used to ordering pint of beer and whisky, but with control and maintaining the etiquettes.

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