Listen free for 30 days

  • Knots and Crosses

  • Written by: Ian Rankin
  • Narrated by: James Macpherson
  • Length: 6 hrs and 25 mins
  • 4.0 out of 5 stars (59 ratings)

Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo + applicable taxes after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Knots and Crosses cover art

Knots and Crosses

Written by: Ian Rankin
Narrated by: James Macpherson
Try for $0.00

$14.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $30.06

Buy Now for $30.06

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Tax where applicable.

Publisher's Summary

'And in Edinburgh of all places. I mean, you never think of that sort of thing happening in Edinburgh, do you...?' 'That sort of thing' is the brutal abduction and murder of two young girls. And now a third is missing, presumably gone to the same sad end. Detective Sergeant John Rebus, smoking and drinking too much, his own young daughter spirited away south by his disenchanted wife, is one of many policemen hunting the killer. And then the messages begin to arrive: knotted string and matchstick crosses - taunting Rebus with pieces of a puzzle only he can solve.

©2008 Ian Rankin (P)2011 Orion Publishing Limited

What listeners say about Knots and Crosses

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    24
  • 4 Stars
    18
  • 3 Stars
    11
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    2
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    36
  • 4 Stars
    10
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    4
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    20
  • 4 Stars
    19
  • 3 Stars
    13
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    1

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Amazing author great story bad narrator

Amazing story , author is great, the only reason I know this is because I had to buy a shelf copy and read it myself because this narrator simply does not speak clearly. I have no issues with narrators having heavy accents. In fact I rather enjoy some of them. But this guy just doesn't pronounce his words he slurs them together and mutters things unintelligibly to the point where even with headphones on fully focusing with volume up and the actual word in front of me in the hard copy of the book, I still can't understand what he is saying. He butchers very important parts to the point where I couldn't follow the story and important meanings were missed because he doesn't speak the entire words or he merges them together. I had to return it and give up on the entire series even though they are amazing books. I hope to find a copy with a better narrator reading it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Very decent

Definitely enjoyed this story, but would have liked some more details for the main characters. It just felt like knowing more would have given more closure at the end, but I like storybook endings, so maybe that’s an unfair criticism.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Utterly painful

I am trying to figure out how I ended up listening to this book. Maybe someone recommended it? Hard to imagine. This was the worst book I have read/listened to in a very, very long time. it started out ok, but then it rambled on and on just to fill space. It was impossible to tell the characters apart when I even cared. Towards the end I felt like I'd invested to much to give up, but then couldn't wait until it was over.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Extremely Disappointing

This book was such a disappointment. Character development was poor. Writing was surprisingly bad. I thought I had stumbled onto my next series but I won’t be reading anymore of this series. Just painful.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Classic origin story for complex noir hero

All the things I love about the noir genre… the sex moans from the narrator felt a tad awkward tho.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Good read

Considering how long ago this was written it’s still a great story. I had some personal issues with the objectification of Rebus’ 11 year old daughter but at that time, people’s ideals were different I suppose. Still disturbing and brings about the question, what is wrong with men?

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Too difficult to understand the narrator

Narrator was difficult to understand turning an enjoyable novel into a frustrating exercise in comprehension.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I listen to this one over and over

I love this story. I often fall asleep while listening to it, comfortable in the knowledge that by now I could recite most of it by heart! a must for Rebus fans

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!