A Question of Blood is a Scottish crime novel by Ian Rankin, part of the John Rebus series.   Rebus is a bit of an incorrigible character that gets the job done, but he can be hard-to-get-along with and prone to repeated bad habits and poor communications.    The plot involves a school shooting and the suspect seems obvious, but the motive is not understood.   Rebus and his colleague Siobhan are brought in to help.     There are a number of sub-plots too, which adds to  character development and provides  some interest to readers.   The story works well enough, but I was bothered by the dialogue.    Rebus and others use a “wisecrack” style and it doesn’t feel natural or sustainable.    In addition, Rebus comes up with insights that move the case along, but we are not always provided with the reasoning.    It is an easy-to-read book, but that also may be its downfall.     The whole tone seems flippant and the story is not memorable.    The ending seemed contrived and not clever.

In the end I am looking for a good story, one that is well-told, using strong craftsmanship, with some insights into the human condition.   A Question of Blood is okay, but it is a C+ entry among many better books. 3.8 out of 5.0 stars3.8