In the notes AGH indicates that the story was first published in A Good Hanging and Other Stories in 1992. BB indicates that the story was included in Beggars Banquet (2002), but these stories had been previously published elsewhere in magazines or newspapers. Overall a good read. There were some stories after halfway, which were kind of a drag and not much interesting as the stories in the first half, partly the reason why the excitement kind of waned off towards the end. But despite it being 21 days, I finally read it all, save for the last chapter which I don’t quite care about - yes I appreciate the short stories but I don’t want to know about your life. It seems mediocre. I prefer fiction.

Also I loved his sense of humour as well as the casual, subtle sarcasm (Scottish humour, you say?) which definitely made this read doubly enjoyable. Well, these are short stories that, due to their brevity, can neither reach the complexity nor the depth of a novel. And as in any short story collection, the quality of the stories is not at the same level. Another disadvantage for me is that I don't like reading short stories that much. The detective instinct of John Rebus is quite entertaining, as is with any detective that you come across. The most mundane crime scene and he could smell it like a police dog from a mile away; as if the crime was just playing in front of him. The author does a great job in portraying his innate abilites, while also not making him look like someone possessing supernatural powers. Rather creating a typically normal character who is unusually perceptive and not easily missing out on the tiny details unseen to the common eye.There is no detective like DI Rebus. Brilliant, irascible and endlessly frustrating to both his friends and his long-suffering bosses, he has made the dark places of Edinburgh his comfort and his home for over two decades. From his beginnings as a young Detective Constable in 'Dead and Buried', right up to his dramatic - but as it turns out, not quite final - retirement in 'The Very Last Drop', we see one of the most compelling, brilliant and mesmeric characters of modern times in his every guise and very much in his element. Brilliant, irascible and frequently frustrating to both his friends and his long-suffering bosses, John Rebus has made the dark places of Edinburgh his home for over two decades. The Beat Goes On collects all of Ian Rankin's Rebus short stories for the first time, including two never-before published tales written specifically for this collection. Officers from other cities, people Rebus met from time to time, would remark how cushy he had it in Edinburgh. Such a beautiful place, and prosperous. So little crime. They thought a dangerous city had to look dangerous.

Gut es sind Kurzgeschichten, die schon aufgrund ihrer Kürze weder die Komplexität noch die Tiefe eines Romans erreichen können. Und wie in jeder Kurzgeschichtensammlung ist die Qualität der Geschichten nicht auf gleichbleibendem Niveau. Als weiterer Nachteil für mich konnt hinzu, dass ich nicht so sehr gerne Kurzgeschichten lese. Brilliant, irascible and frequently frustrating to both his friends and his long-suffering bosses, John Rebus has made the dark places of Edinburgh his home for over two decades. THE BEAT GOES ON collects all of Ian Rankin's Rebus short stories for the first time, including two never-before published tales written specifically for this collection.The title The Beat Goes On seems to be a bit of a humorous pun too. "Beat" as in the beat that coppers walk or "beat" as in the tempo of life (not forgetting that Rebus is a bit of a music aficionado, particularly of the Stones, and underground indie bands and musos).

The Beat Goes On: The Complete Rebus Short Stories is an anthology of all the Inspector Rebus short stories (30) by Scottish crime writer Ian Rankin, plus the novella Death Is Not the End; though the Rebus short story "Well Shot" published in 2nd Culprit (1993) is not included. It is Rankin's third collection of short stories I'm now looking forward to reading the latest Rebus installment A Song for The Dark Times. I got my copy the other day...looking forward to it. Soon. Soon. The moments of humour provide a sharp contrast to some of the grittier stories. There's some heavy stuff dealt with here. The detritus and pain of people's lives. They all sort of run together after a while, as usually happens with these things, and the only story that really stands out isn't really a story at all, let alone a mystery. It's the usual boring meditation on the lost spirit of the sixties that Baby Boomers feel a need to write, and we've all read a thousand times over. Still, I liked this anthology exceptionally well. For one thing, because I'm a big fan of Inspector Rebus. And secondly, because almost all stories contain a good dose of humor. As a result, the atmosphere is much less gloomy than in the novels and I was able to smile a lot while reading.This collection of short stories was just the tonic, and so easy to get comfortable with. Get snug, put my feet up, and peep over Rebus' shoulder.

The stories include all kinds of mysteries, from shop-lifting to murder, and the occasional one is really more an observation of a particular aspect of Edinburgh life than a crime story. In total, they left me in no doubt that Rankin is just as much a master of the short story as the novel. I found this a completely satisfying collection, and one that I'm sure to dip in and out of many times again.What a delightful collection of Rebus stories! This volume collects all of Ian Rankin's short stories featuring cranky but brilliant Inspector Rebus, and nearly all of them are gems. Whether you're yet to be introduced to Rebus, or have crossed paths many times, this is a thoroughly enjoyable read. Edinburgh is also a formidable presence and Rankin draws on the history and literature of his adopted city, as well as portraying the lives of its wealthy and destitute. Castle Dangerous focuses on the death of a retired QC who shares a name and knighthood with the Scottish historical novelist Sir Walter Scott. The old lawyer’s body is even found by the Scott Monument. Being Frank is a touching tale about a gentleman of the road. The Passenger, a new story, is inspired by Muriel Spark and is one of the more sinister in this collection. However, this particular Audible book is superbly narrated by James Macpherson who, you may remember, took over as the lead in Taggart after Mark McManus died. Not only is he an excellent narrator, but his voice and accent are ideally suited for the character of Rebus and as a skilled actor he also creates different personas for all the other many characters who appear in the stories. I thought it was a first rate recording, and thoroughly enjoyed splitting the book between reading and listening. It's something I would do again – especially for short stories. A good narration can definitely add something to the original. On the audiobook version, too, the essay Rankin on Rebus is narrated by Ian Rankin himself, which made it a little bit extra-special (especially since he has a lovely voice too). I'd happily recommend the book, the audiobook or both to all Rebus fans out there, or even perhaps as an introduction for new readers to the grand old man of Tartan Noir. I'm not sure I can explain.' There were words - community, history, memory - but Rebus didn't think they'd be enough."