Rankin renews his appetite for Rebus

SCOTLAND'S most famous literary detective could be making a return to his Edinburgh beat, according to creator Ian Rankin.

The Scots writer has told fans that although the hard-living Rebus collected his gold watch after solving his last crime in Exit Music, the 17th novel featuring the character, there was every chance he would be brought out of retirement.

Rankin said he had rediscovered his love for Rebus and his fictional partner Siobhan Clarke while writing a short story about them earlier this year.

He explained: "It was for a charity night at the Caledonian Brewery, and I decided to set it there. It features Rebus and Siobhan, and starts them on a brewery tour. Their guide tells them a ghost story, and this starts Rebus on yet another adventure. It was fun to write about the pair of them again, and strengthened my feeling that we probably haven't seen the last of either of them."

The Edinburgh-based writer has also said that the he wants to take a more hands-on role in casting for the television adaptations of his books.

The author wants to be closely consulted on the scripts and casting for two new dramatisations of his work to make sure they remain true to the source material.

The original television series of the Rebus novels was mauled by critics after Four Weddings And A Funeral actor John Hannah was chosen to play the lead role.

The series subsequently enjoyed a revival when he was replaced in the role by Ken Stott, but was cancelled by ITV in 2008.

Writing in a fan newsletter, the writer revealed that two of his most recent books The Complaints and Doors Open, neither of which feature Rebus, are planned as film adaptations by the BBC and ITV respectively, but said he wanted closer involvement in their adaptation: "I should have a bit of say in the casting and the way the scripts pan out – lessons have been learned from the TV versions of Rebus."