Ian Rankin has published 41 novels, 1 novella, 4 short story collections and 2 other books, beginning with Knots and Crosses (1987). The 2 series include Inspector Rebus (25 books, starting with Knots and Crosses) and Malcolm Fox (2 books, starting with The Complaints). The latest is Midnight and Blue (2024).
Updated September 2026
Inspector Rebus books in order (25)Series page
Reading order: 1 Knots and Crosses (1987) · 2 Hide and Seek (1991) · 3 Tooth and Nail (1992) · 4 Strip Jack (1992) · 5 The Black Book (1993) · 6 Mortal Causes (1994) · 7 Let It Bleed (1995) · 8 Black & Blue (1997) · 9 The Hanging Garden (1998) · 10 Dead Souls (1999) · … all 25 below
- 1.
Knots and Crosses (1987)
- 2.
Hide and Seek (1991)
- 3.
Tooth and Nail (1992)
- 4.
Strip Jack (1992)
- 5.
The Black Book (1993)
- 6.
Mortal Causes (1994)
- 7.
Let It Bleed (1995)
- 8.
Black & Blue (1997)
- 9.
The Hanging Garden (1998)
- 10.
Dead Souls (1999)
- 11.
Set in Darkness (2000)
- 12.
The Falls (2001)
- 13.
Resurrection Men (2002)
- 14.
A Question of Blood (2003)
- 15.
Fleshmarket Close (2004)
- 16.
The Naming of the Dead (2006)
- 17.
Exit Music (Sep 2007)
- 18.
Standing In Another Mans Grave (2012)
- 19.
Saints Of The Shadow Bible (2013)
- 20.
Even Dogs in the Wild (2015)
- 21.
Rather Be the Devil (2016)
- 22.
In a House of Lies (2017)
- 23.
A Song for the Dark Times (2020)
- 24.
A Heart Full of Headstones (Oct 2022)
- 25.
Midnight and Blue (2024)
Where to start with Ian Rankin
Start here
Knots and Crosses
Ian Rankin's most-read book and the first of the 25 Inspector Rebus books.
Newest
Midnight and Blue
Published 2024.
Standalone novels in order
Watchman (1988)
Westwind (1990)
Wolfman (1992)
Blood Hunt (Sep 1995)
Witch Hunt (Jack Harvey Novel) (A Jack Harvey Novel) (2000)
Bleeding Hearts (A Jack Harvey Novel) (2001)
Rebus - The St. Leonard's Years (2001)
Rebus's Scotland (2005)
The Flood (2005)
Doors Open (2008)
Dark Entries (2009)
Rebus: Long Shadows (2019)
Dark Remains (2021)
Grandville L'Intégrale (2021)
Novellas in order
Death Is Not the End (2000)
Short story collections in order
The Jack Harvey Novels (2000)
A Good Hanging (2002)
Beggars Banquet (2002)
The Beat Goes on (2014)
Other books in order
Tell Me Who to Kill (2003)
New John Rebus Thriller (2022)
Film and TV adaptations
- Doors Open (2012)TV · from Doors Open
About Ian Rankin
Sir Ian James Rankin is a Scottish crime writer and philanthropist, best known for his Inspector Rebus novels.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Ian Rankin FAQ
- How many books has Ian Rankin written?
- Ian Rankin has published 41 novels, 1 novella, 4 short story collections and 2 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Ian Rankin's books in?
- Read each series in its own order: start Inspector Rebus with Knots and Crosses and Malcolm Fox with The Complaints. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.
- What is Ian Rankin's latest book?
- Midnight and Blue (2024).
- What is Ian Rankin's most famous book?
- Knots and Crosses (1987) is Ian Rankin's most widely read book.
- Are Ian Rankin's books connected?
- 27 books belong to 2 series (Inspector Rebus and Malcolm Fox); the other 21 books stand alone.
- Does Ian Rankin write under a pen name?
- Yes: Ian Rankin has also published as Jack Harvey.
- Which Ian Rankin books have been adapted?
- 1 book has been adapted for film or TV, including Doors Open (TV, 2012).
Authors like Ian Rankin
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.