Ian Rankin

Ian Rankin (born 1960) is a British crime writer from Fife, Scotland. He is best known for his novels featuring detective John Rebus, who first appeared in 1987. Rankin has also written novels about Inspector Malcolm Fox and several standalone thrillers. After studying English literature, he abandoned his doctoral dissertation to write the first Rebus novels. His work has received, among other distinctions, the Gold Dagger, the Edgar Allan Poe Award, the British Book Award, the German Crime Prize and the Diamond Dagger. In 2002, he was appointed to the Order of the British Empire for his services to literature.