Rankin tells fans: Rebus to return in new novel

IAN Rankin last night gave his fans the news they have been desperate to hear – Rebus is being lined up for a comeback.

Scotland's best-known crime writer also disclosed how Big Brother had helped inspire his long-awaited debut as a comic book writer.

He told a sell-out crowd at the Edinburgh International Book Festival that his grizzled detective is likely to reappear in a forthcoming novel – after being called out of retirement to crack "cold cases."

Rebus is lurking in the background of his new Edinburgh-set crime novel, which lifts the lid on the complaints department at Lothian and Borders Police, even though he does not rate a mention in the book.

Rebus's character retired at the climax of Rankin's novel Exit Music, which was released to huge acclaim two years ago.

Rankin will be back at the book festival tomorrow to unveil Dark Entries, a graphic novel he has created with the legendary outfit DC Comics, creator of Batman and Superman. But he gave a sneak preview last night, revealing it was about a "paranormal private eye" called in to investigate strange goings-on in a reality TV show – "something a bit like the Big Brother house".