John Rebus - 14: Een kwestie van bloed

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Given his contempt for authority and habitually ornery manner, John Rebus's position as an Edinburgh cop is always in jeopardy. In this 14th installment, he and his partner, Detective Sergeant Siobhan Clarke, investigate the case of Lee Herdman, a withdrawn ex-soldier who allegedly shot three teenage boys at a private school, killing two before turning the gun on himself. While Siobhan believes the case is straightforward—Herdman simply lost his mind—Rebus suspects deeper motives behind the tragedy. His instincts lead him to consider Herdman's past involvement in a military mission and his connection to Teri Cotter, a 15-year-old "Goth" who shares her life online but keeps her relationship with Herdman private. Complications arise with the arrival of two army investigators and the behavior of James Bell, the sole survivor of the shooting, whose politician father seeks to exploit the incident for an anti-gun campaign. Rebus's focus is further challenged by an internal police inquiry into his past actions and his personal ties to one of the victims. As he grapples with his own demons and the changing landscape of policing, Rebus's struggles highlight the complexities of his character and the series's ambition.