Le Livre de Poche: Cicatrices

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Given his contempt for authority and tendency to pursue his own investigative paths, John Rebus remains an unlikely fixture in the Edinburgh police force. In this 14th installment, he and his partner, Detective Sergeant Siobhan Clarke, investigate the case of Lee Herdman, a withdrawn ex-soldier who allegedly shot three teenage boys at a private school, resulting in two deaths before turning the gun on himself. While Siobhan believes the case is straightforward—Herdman simply lost his mind—Rebus suspects deeper motives may be at play, possibly linked to a past military mission or the enigmatic Teri Cotter, a 15-year-old who shares her life online but keeps her connection to Herdman secret. Complicating matters are two secretive army investigators and the behavior of James Bell, a survivor whose politician father seeks to exploit the tragedy for anti-gun advocacy. As Rebus delves into the case, he faces internal scrutiny over a past incident involving a crook stalking Siobhan and grapples with personal connections to one of the victims. Now middle-aged, Rebus’s understanding of criminals often surpasses that of his colleagues, and his willingness to fight others' battles, especially for Siobhan, jeopardizes his career. This exploration of Rebus's struggles against police conventions and personal demons makes for a compelling read.