Recommendations based on The Black Bookby Ian Rankin

* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans

  1. Let It Bleed

    by Ian Rankin
    Detective John Rebus investigates a murder case that leads him to the seedy underbelly of Edinburgh's music scene.

    Detective Inspector John Rebus and Frank Lauderdale start the book with a car chase across Edinburgh to apprehend kidnappers, culminating with the two youths they are chasing throwing themselves off ... (Wikipedia)

  2. Strip Jack

    by Ian Rankin
    Detective John Rebus investigates a political scandal with deadly consequences.

    A police raid on an Edinburgh brothel captures (seemingly by accident) popular young local MP Gregor Jack. When Jack's fiery wife Elizabeth disappears, and two bodies are found, suspicion falls on a ... (Wikipedia)

  3. Black and Blue

    by Ian Rankin
    Detective John Rebus investigates a mysterious death while navigating the police politics of Edinburgh.

    Detective Inspector John Rebus is working on four cases at once trying to catch a killer he suspects of being the infamous Bible John . He has to do it while under an internal inquiry led by a man he ... (Wikipedia)

  4. The Sailor on the Seas of Fate

    by Michael Moorcock
    Elric, a sorcerer and last emperor of Melniboné, travels through time and space to fulfill his destiny.

    The book is divided into three parts. The story begins with Elric lost somewhere in the Young Kingdoms and near the sea. A mysterious ship appears and he is welcomed aboard by its captain and ... (Wikipedia)

  5. Against a Dark Background

    by Iain M. Banks
    A journey of self-discovery as a female mercenary embarks on a quest to find an ancient weapon.

    The main protagonist is Lady Sharrow, a former military pilot and antiquities thief. She lives on Golter, a planet orbiting a star in an isolated planetary system with no nearby galaxies . A cult ... (Wikipedia)

  6. Ship of Destiny

    by Robin Hobb
    Epic fantasy adventure with a loyal crew of adventurers on a daring mission.

    Ship of Destiny continues where, The Mad Ship, left off and reveals some of the secrets that were hinted at in the first book and second books. Bingtown lies smoldering, the strata of its citizens as ... (Wikipedia)

  7. Nemesis

    by Jo Nesbø
    A detective attempts to uncover the truth behind a series of child murders and the mysterious figure behind them.

    Detective Harry Hole must use his maverick methods once again as he investigates a slew of brutal bank robberies and the suspicious suicide of a female artist in this clever and harrowing installment ... (Goodreads)

  8. Making History

    by Stephen Fry
    An exploration of the past, present, and future, and the power of human choice.

    The story is told in first person by Michael "Puppy" Young, a young history student at Cambridge University on the verge of completing his doctoral thesis on the early life of Adolf Hitler and his ... (Wikipedia)

  9. The Redbreast

    by Jo Nesbø
    Detective searches for clues to an elusive crime to find a killer terrorizing Oslo.

    The Redbreast is a fabulous introduction to Nesbø’s tough-as-nails series protagonist, Oslo police detective Harry Hole. A brilliant and epic novel, breathtaking in its scope and design—winner of The ... (Goodreads)

  10. A Fatal Grace

    by Louise Penny
    An intricate murder mystery set in a small Canadian town, as the investigating detective unravels truth and justice.

    Inspector Gamache investigates after CC de Poitiers, a sadistic socialite, is fatally electrocuted at a Christmas curling competition in the small Québécois town of Three Pines. CC, who had a ... (Wikipedia)

  11. The Far Side of the World

    by Patrick O'Brian
    A thrilling journey of naval warfare and exploration in the early 19th century.

    Aubrey meets Admiral Ives, now in Gibraltar, who is pleased with the last mission of HMS Surprise , despite Aubrey's negative report. Mr Yarrow will rephrase it to make the success clearer to the ... (Wikipedia)

  12. Regeneration

    by Pat Barker
    Story of WWI soldiers & their experiences of trauma, set amidst the backdrop of a psychiatric hospital.

    The novel begins as Dr W. H. R. Rivers , an army psychiatrist at Craiglockhart War Hospital , learns of poet Siegfried Sassoon 's declaration against the continuation of the war. A government board ... (Wikipedia)

  13. The Player of Games

    by Iain M. Banks
    A game-player embarks on a journey to win a tournament in a distant world, uncovering secrets along the way.

    The Culture - a humanoid/machine symbiotic society - has thrown up many great Game Players. One of the best is Jernau Morat Gurgeh, Player of Games, master of every board, computer and strategy. ... (Goodreads)

  14. City of Thieves

    by David Benioff
    Two young men embark on a perilous mission in the besieged Leningrad of WWII.

    The story is introduced as the recollections of the narrator's grandfather Lev Beniov, a contemporary Russian Jewish émigré. It is set in the first week of 1942, with the 17-years-old Lev trying to ... (Wikipedia)

  15. Compulsion

    by Jonathan Kellerman
    A psychologist and detective team up to solve a murder case involving a wealthy family with dark secrets.

    Once again, the depths of the criminal mind and the darkest side of a glittering city fuel #1 New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Kellerman’s brilliant storytelling. And no one conducts a more ... (Goodreads)

  16. Out of the Dark

    by Gregg Andrew Hurwitz
    A retired soldier is forced back into action when his daughter is kidnapped by a dangerous group. He must use his skills to save her.

    When darkness closes in―he's your last, best hope. Evan Smoak returns in Gregg Hurwitz’s #1 international bestselling Orphan X series. Taken from a group home at age twelve, Evan Smoak was raised and ... (Goodreads)

  17. Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World

    by Haruki Murakami
    A surreal exploration of two separate yet interwoven realities.

    The story is split between parallel narratives. The odd-numbered chapters take place in the 'Hard-Boiled Wonderland', although the phrase is not used anywhere in the text, only in page headers. The ... (Wikipedia)

  18. Ralph's Party

    by Lisa Jewell
    A group of young Londoners navigate love, lust, and friendship in a shared house. Secrets and surprises abound.

    Meet the residents of the London brownstone on 31 Almanac Road who together weave a tangled web of romance. Ralph, a ne'er-do-well artist, suddenly realizes he's head over heels in love with his new ... (Goodreads)

  19. An Invisible Client

    by Victor Methos
    A lawyer takes on a client who doesn't exist, leading him down a dangerous path of corruption and deceit.

    For high-powered personal injury attorney Noah Byron, the good things in life come with a price tag—cars, houses, women. That’s why he represents only cases that come with the possibility of a nice ... (Barnes & Noble)

  20. Cragside

    by L.J. Ross
    DCI Ryan investigates a murder at the historic Cragside estate, uncovering secrets and danger in the picturesque Northumberland countryside.

    Are you afraid of the dark..?, After his climactic battle with notorious serial killer The Hacker , DCI Ryan is spending the summer with his fiancée within the grounds of Cragside, a spectacular ... (Goodreads)

  21. Still Life

    by Louise Penny
    A murder investigation leads to the discovery of secrets surrounding a small Canadian town.

    Winner of the New Blood Dagger, Arthur Ellis, Barry, Anthony, and Dilys awards., Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Surêté du Québec and his team of investigators are called in to the scene of a ... (Barnes & Noble)

  22. The Pirate King

    by R.A. Salvatore
    A pirate captain seeks to become the Pirate King, but must navigate treacherous waters and face dangerous enemies to achieve his goal.

    The Arcane Brotherhood has long held the city of Luskan in their power, but when corruption eats away at their ranks, Captain Deudermont comes to the rescue of a city that has become a safe haven for ... (Wikipedia)

  23. Foundation and Empire

    by Isaac Asimov
    A quest to save the Galactic Empire from destruction, featuring advanced science and politics.

    The first half of the book, titled "The General", tells how the enterprising General Bel Riose of the Galactic Empire launches an attack against the Foundation. The Empire still retains far more ... (Wikipedia)

  24. The 5 Greatest Warriors

    by Matthew Reilly
    A thrilling adventure to find the ancient machine that can destroy the world. Fast-paced action and intense battles.

    IT BEGAN WITH SIX STONES . . . From the deserts of Israel to the tsunami-lashed coasts of Japan, from the steppes of Mongolia to the most mysterious island on Earth—this is what we have come to ... (Goodreads)

  25. Grave Goods

    by Ariana Franklin
    A medieval mystery novel following Adelia Aguilar, a female doctor, as she investigates a series of murders in a small English village.

    Combining the best of modern forensic thrillers with the drama of medieval fiction,, New York Times,' bestselling author Ariana Franklin returns with the third title in the Mistress of the Art of ... (Goodreads)

  26. Monkeewrench

    by P.J. Tracy
    A group of computer game developers become involved in a real-life murder investigation. The killer seems to be copying their game's murders.

    People are dying for the new computer game by the software company Monkeewrench. Literally. With Serial Killer Detective out in limited release, the real-life murders of a jogger and a young woman ... (Goodreads)

  27. The Black Echo

    by Michael Connelly
    A former LAPD detective is drawn into a web of mystery and crime as he investigates the death of a Vietnam vet.

    The novel centers on Harry Bosch , a Vietnam veteran who served as a " tunnel rat " (nicknamed Hari Kari Bosch), with the 1st Infantry Division — a specialized soldier whose job it was to go into the ... (Wikipedia)

  28. Better than Life

    by Grant Naylor
    A virtual reality game that becomes too real, trapping players in a world of their own desires.

    Following on from, Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers, , Lister , Rimmer and the Cat have discovered a cache of 'Better Than Life' headbands in one of the sleeping quarters. They fantasize that they ... (Wikipedia)

  29. Damia

    by Anne McCaffrey
    Damia, a powerful telepath, must navigate her way through love, loss, and the challenges of her unique abilities.

    Of all the Rowan's children, Damia was the most brilliant and the one who inherited the Talent. It was obvious that she would be a Prime. As Damia grew up, her Talent became almost too strong to ... (Goodreads)

  30. Killashandra

    by Anne McCaffrey
    A talented musician discovers a new world of crystal singing and faces challenges to prove herself worthy of the profession.

    Killashandra is a novel in which the crystal singer Killashandra is on a diplomatic mission. , Dave Langford reviewed Killashandra for, White Dwarf, #77, and stated that "the plot is candyfloss ... (Wikipedia)