Ian Rankin is a Scottish author of crime fiction. Rankin’s goal in life was not always to write crime fiction. He originally thought he would be compared to the likes of Robert Louis Stevenson rather than to be considered part of the Tartan Noir genre. He is best known for his Inspector Rebus novels, which are set in Edinburgh. Many of the books have been adapted to a television series on the British channel ITV, starring John Hannah and later Ken Stott as Inspector Rebus.

Ian Rankin became a published author in 1986 when The Flood was released. His next novel, Knots and Crosses was the beginning of the Inspector Rebus character. Since then, most of his work has been in the Rebus series, although he has also written some standalone books and a new series featuring Malcolm Fox. Below is a list of all of Ian Rankin’s novels in publication order and in chronological order (when necessary):

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Publication Order of Inspector Rebus Books

Knots and Crosses (1987)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Hide and Seek (1991)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Tooth and Nail / Wolfman (1992)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Strip Jack (1992)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Black Book (1993)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Mortal Causes (1994)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Let It Bleed (1995)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Black and Blue (1997)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Hanging Garden (1998)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Dead Souls (1999)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Set in Darkness (2000)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Falls (2001)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Resurrection Men (2002)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
A Question of Blood (2003)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Fleshmarket Alley / Fleshmarket Close (2004)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Naming of the Dead (2006)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Exit Music (2007)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Standing in Another Man's Grave (2012)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Saints of the Shadow Bible (2013)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Even Dogs in the Wild (2015)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Rather Be the Devil (2016)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
In a House of Lies (2018)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
A Song for the Dark Times (2020)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
A Heart Full of Headstones (2022)Description / Buy at Amazon.com

Publication Order of Inspector Rebus Short Stories/Novellas

A Good Hanging (1992)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Death is Not the End (1998)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
A Good Hanging and Other Stories (2003)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
In the Nick of Time (With: Peter James) (2014)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Beat Goes On (2014)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Long Shadows (Play) (2019)Description / Buy at Amazon.com

Publication Order of Jack Harvey Books

Publication Order of Malcolm Fox Books

The Complaints (2009)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Impossible Dead (2011)Description / Buy at Amazon.com

Publication Order of Jack Laidlaw Books

(with William McIlvanney)

Laidlaw (By: William McIlvanney) (1977)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Papers of Tony Veitch (By: William McIlvanney) (1983)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Strange Loyalties (By: William McIlvanney) (1991)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Dark Remains (With: William McIlvanney) (2021)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Dark Remains is a prequel.

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Short Stories/Novellas

Publication Order of Plays

Publication Order of Short Story Collections

Beggars Banquet (2002)Description / Buy at Amazon.com

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Rebus's Scotland (2005)Description / Buy at Amazon.com

Publication Order of Bibliomysteries Books

The Book of Virtue (By: Ken Bruen) (2012)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Pronghorns of the Third Reich (By: C.J. Box) (2012)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Book Thing (By: Laura Lippman) (2012)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Book Case (By: Nelson DeMille) (2012)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
An Acceptable Sacrifice (By: Jeffery Deaver) (2012)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Death Leaves a Bookmark (By: William Link) (2012)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Final Testament (By: Peter Blauner) (2013)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Rides a Stranger (By: David Bell) (2013)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Long Sonata of the Dead (By: Andrew Taylor) (2013)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Book of Ghosts (By: Reed Farrel Coleman) (2013)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Compendium of Srem (By: F. Paul Wilson) (2014)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
What's in a Name? (By: Thomas H. Cook) (2014)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Remaindered (By: Peter Lovesey) (2014)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Sequel (By: R.L. Stine) (2014)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Gospel of Sheba (By: Lyndsay Faye) (2014)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Book Club (By: Loren D. Estleman) (2014)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Nature of My Inheritance (By: Bradford Morrow) (2014)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
It's in the Book (By: Mickey Spillane) (2014)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Scroll (By: Anne Perry) (2014)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Book of the Lion (By: Thomas Perry) (2015)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Little Men (By: Megan Abbott) (2015)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Condor in the Stacks (By: James Grady) (2015)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Mystery, Inc. (By: Joyce Carol Oates) (2015)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Every Seven Years (By: Denise Mina) (2015)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
From the Queen (By: Carolyn Hart) (2015)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
From the Queen (By: Carolyn Hart) (2015)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Travelling Companion (2016)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Citadel (By: Stephen Hunter) (2016)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Reconciliation Day (By: Christopher Fowler) (2016)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Dead Dames Don't Sing (By: John Harvey) (2016)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Haze (By: James W. Hall) (2016)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Hoodoo Harry (By: Joe R. Lansdale) (2017)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Pretty Little Box (By: Charles Todd) (2018)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Seven Years (By: Peter Robinson) (2018)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Hemingway Valise (By: Robert Olen Butler) (2018)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Last Honest Horse Thief (By: Michael Koryta) (2018)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Caxton Private Lending Library & Book Depository (By: John Connolly) (2018)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Girl Who Did Say No (By: David Handler) (2020)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Traitor (By: Martin Edwards) (2022)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Dark Door (By: Lisa Unger) (2022)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Honeymoon Trap (By: Peter Swanson) (2022)Description / Buy at Amazon.com

Chronological Order of Bibliomysteries Books

The Book of Virtue (By: Ken Bruen)(2012)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Scroll (By: Anne Perry)(2014)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Pronghorns of the Third Reich (By: C.J. Box)(2012)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
An Acceptable Sacrifice (By: Jeffery Deaver)(2012)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Death Leaves a Bookmark (By: William Link)(2012)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Seven Years (By: Peter Robinson)(2018)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Book Thing (By: Laura Lippman)(2012)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Book of Ghosts (By: Reed Farrel Coleman)(2013)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Book Club (By: Loren D. Estleman)(2014)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Long Sonata of the Dead (By: Andrew Taylor)(2013)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Final Testament (By: Peter Blauner)(2013)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Rides a Stranger (By: David Bell)(2013)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
What's in a Name? (By: Thomas H. Cook)(2014)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
It's in the Book (By: Mickey Spillane)(2014)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Nature of My Inheritance (By: Bradford Morrow)(2014)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Remaindered (By: Peter Lovesey)(2014)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Compendium of Srem (By: F. Paul Wilson)(2014)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Gospel of Sheba (By: Lyndsay Faye)(2014)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Sequel (By: R.L. Stine)(2014)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Book of the Lion (By: Thomas Perry)(2015)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Little Men (By: Megan Abbott)(2015)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
From the Queen (By: Carolyn Hart)(2015)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Every Seven Years (By: Denise Mina)(2015)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Citadel (By: Stephen Hunter)(2016)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Condor in the Stacks (By: James Grady)(2015)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Mystery, Inc. (By: Joyce Carol Oates)(2015)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Travelling Companion(2016)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Haze (By: James W. Hall)(2016)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Dead Dames Don't Sing (By: John Harvey)(2016)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Reconciliation Day (By: Christopher Fowler)(2016)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Hoodoo Harry (By: Joe R. Lansdale)(2017)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Pretty Little Box (By: Charles Todd)(2018)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Caxton Private Lending Library & Book Depository (By: John Connolly)(2018)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Hemingway Valise (By: Robert Olen Butler)(2018)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Last Honest Horse Thief (By: Michael Koryta)(2018)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Book Case (By: Nelson DeMille)(2012)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
From the Queen (By: Carolyn Hart)(2015)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Girl Who Did Say No (By: David Handler)(2020)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Traitor (By: Martin Edwards)(2022)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Dark Door (By: Lisa Unger)(2022)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Honeymoon Trap (By: Peter Swanson)(2022)Description / Buy at Amazon.com

Publication Order of Murderous Christmas Stories Books

Murder under the Christmas Tree: Ten Classic Crime Stories for the Festive Season (2016)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Murder on Christmas Eve (2017)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
A Very Murderous Christmas: Ten Classic Crime Stories for the Festive Season (2018)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Anthology series.

Publication Order of Mysterious Profiles Books

Elvis Cole and Joe Pike (By: Robert Crais) (2022)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Jack Taylor (By: Ken Bruen) (2022)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Jack Reacher (By: Lee Child) (2022)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Charlie Parker (By: John Connolly) (2022)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Hieronymus Bosch (By: Michael Connelly) (2022)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Lincoln Rhyme (By: Jeffery Deaver) (2022)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Alex Delaware (By: Jonathan Kellerman) (2022)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Tess Monaghan (By: Laura Lippman) (2022)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Charlie Resnick (By: John Harvey) (2022)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus (By: Faye Kellerman) (2022)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Inspector Morse (By: Colin Dexter) (2022)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Dismas Hardy (By: John Lescroart) (2022)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Bob Lee Swagger (By: Stephen Hunter) (2022)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Aloysius X. L. Pendergast (By: Douglas Preston) (2022)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Lou Boldt (By: Ridley Pearson) (2022)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Spenser (By: Robert B. Parker) (2022)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Charlotte and Thomas Pitt (By: Anne Perry) (2022)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
John Rebus (2022)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Mallory (By: Carol O'Connell) (2022)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Jane Whitefield (By: Thomas Perry) (2022)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Ian Rutledge: A Mysterious Profile (By: Charles Todd) (2022)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Amos Walker (By: Loren D. Estleman) (2022)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Precious Ramotswe (By: Alexander McCall Smith) (2022)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Maisie Dobbs (By: Jacqueline Winspear) (2022)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Lincoln Lawyer (By: Michael Connelly) (2022)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Ben Kincaid (By: William Bernhardt) (2023)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Repairman Jack (By: F. Paul Wilson) (2023)Description / Buy at Amazon.com

Publication Order of Anthologies

The Oxford Book of Detective Stories(2000)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Master's Choice: Mystery Stories by Today's Top Writers and the Masters Who Inspired Them(2000)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The World's Finest Mystery and Crime Stories 1(2000)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The World's Finest Mystery and Crime Stories 2(2000)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Longman Anthology of Detective Fiction(2004)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
One City(2005)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Dangerous Women(2005)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Penguin Book of Crime Stories(2007)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Ox-Tales: Earth(2009)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Crimespotting(2009)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Mammoth Book of Best British Crime 8(2011)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Best of Barcelona INK(2012)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Killer Cookbook(2012)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
OxCrimes: 27 Killer Stories from the Cream of Crimewriters(2014)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
FaceOff(2014)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Jawbreakers(2014)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Ten Year Stretch(2018)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Daggers Drawn(2021)Description / Buy at Amazon.com

Notes: Witch Hunt, Bleeding Hearts and Blood Hunt were written under the pseudonym of Jack Harvey.

One City also contains contributions by Alexander McCall Smith and Irvine Welsh. Ox-Tales: Earth also contains contributions by Kate Atkinson, Jonathan Buckley, Jonathan Coe, Hanif Kureishi, Marti Leimbach, Marina Lewycka, Vikram Seth, Nicholas Shakespeare and Rose Tremain. Dark Entries is co-authored with Werther Dell’Edera. Dark Road is co-authored by Mark Thomson.

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