That kind of macabre epithet that serves as the title of this book already gives you a chill before you sit down to read. Beneath the unusual cold that plagues Edinburgh in the winter in which the plot takes place, we find sordid aspects of a true crime novel.
Because John Rebus, the detective created by this author so many years ago, keeps pending cases without lace or closure possible. Some of them, like the one in the death of María, know that they are facing deep enigmas and dangers, those that are sponsored by a corrupt political power, tempted or intimidated by mafias and circles that close on the old mobster Bill Ger Cafferty.
But what nobody knows is that Inspector Rebus he does not like unfinished business, no matter how old and entrenched they may be. It may be that the murderer or murderers of María consider themselves outside of Justice. It may even be that Justice itself is elusive in the face of the prosecution of certain criminals.
Great obstacles torpedo any attempt to resolve this pending issue. But John Rebus is clear about it, the truth has to come out yes or yes. And where justice does not reach, alternatives can always be found for the guilty to assume their sentence.
Already emblematic literary figures, such as Inspector Rebus, who appeared back in 1987, consolidate literary genres like this one, the purest black genre. In a frigid setting, with the scarcity of light typical of the Scottish capital, everything takes place wrapped in a feeling of darkness, a leaden atmosphere. Only Rebus can bring some light, even in figurative expression, so that the truth filters through like a blessed ray of light. After so many years on the job, turned into an ex-smoker in his sixties, Rebus never gives up.
You can buy the book Frozen Death, the latest novel by Ian Rankin, here: