“Hardship bred a bitter, quickfire humour and resilience to all but the most terminal of life's tragedies.”
Ian Rankin“Witches never existed, except in people’s minds. All there was in the olden days was women and some men who believed in herbal cures and in folklore and in the wish to fly. Witches? We’re all witches in one way or another. Witches was the invention of mankind, son. We’re all witches beneath the skin.”
Ian Rankin, The Flood“This was the winter of 2008/9. Work was ongoing to reinstate a tram system in the city. A lot of people couldn’t see the point of trams and many more disliked the disruption. Streets were closed off. There was almost a sense of ‘apartheid’ as the roadworks made it difficult to move from New Town to Old Town and vice versa. Added to which, the weather was fairly grim. And the banks looked ready to implode.”
Ian Rankin, The Complaints“The man nodded and brought a bottle from the glass-fronted fridge,”
Ian Rankin, The Complaints“This man had something to hide, some shame in his past, and those with a past can always be bought.”
Ian Rankin, Blood Hunt“It was the laughter of birthdays, of money found in an old pocket.”
Ian Rankin, Knots and Crosses“...trapped in limbo, believing in a lack of belief, but not necessarily lacking the belief to believe.”
Ian Rankin, Knots and Crosses“And little girls went to charm schools. Now you've all got degrees from the University of Sarcasm.”
Ian Rankin, Set in Darkness“You wouldn't think you could kill an ocean, would you? But we'll do it one day. That's how negligent we are.”
Ian Rankin, Blood Hunt“Hardship bred a bitter, quickfire humour and resilience to all but the most terminal of life's tragedies.”
Ian Rankin, The Black Book