Ian Rankin: Master of Crime

Following the latest instalment of the Inspector Rebus series, Ian Rankin reflects on his career as an international bestselling author and the UK’s #1 crime writer. With Michael Williams.

Ian Rankin 

Sir Ian Rankin is author of the bestselling Inspector Rebus series, the latest of which is Midnight and Blue. He has won an array of international honours and literary prizes. He lives in Edinburgh, Scotland. 

Michael Williams 

Michael Williams is the editor of The Monthly. He was previously the Artistic Director of Sydney Writers’ Festival. He has spent the past decade at the Wheeler Centre for Books, Writing and Ideas in Melbourne as its founding Head of Programming in 2009 and then as its Director from September 2011. A regular host and interviewer for literary and ideas events around Australia – including a long-standing association with Sydney Writers’ Festival – his background is in publishing and broadcasting. He has hosted two shows on ABC Radio National – Blueprint for Living (2015–2016) and Talkfest (2017–2018) – was a regular on ABC TV’s The Book Club, and remains a regular guest on ABC radio and TV. Michael has also worked as a Breakfast presenter for Melbourne’s 3RRR, as a member of the Australia Council’s Literature Board, in publishing in Australia and New York and has written extensively for The Guardian, The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and elsewhere. He is currently also host of Guardian Australia’s monthly book club.