MICRO-REVIEW: "The Rise"- A Short Story by Ian Rankin

In less than 90 pages, veteran Scottish crime writer Ian Rankin, known to the masses as the creator of the iconic Inspector John Rebus, packs the perfect punch: an engaging plot, well-developed characters and a mystery that is solved with a bang in the gratifying climax. Detective Sergeant Gillian Gish investigates the murder of a concierge which takes place in a lavish 12-story apartment complex, the titular "Rise". The circle of suspects is limited to the few people living in the apartments of the building and a game of elimination commences. Despite its short length, The Rise delivers plausible twists and keeps the reader entertained throughout the one and a half hour that takes to complete reading this enticing short story. The mood is not at all reminiscent of the Rebus novels -24 installments so far and counting- so my suggestion is to dive into the story forgetting Rankin's other works. This is an Amazon Original, so it's available only as a Kindle e-book or audiobook. A solid 4/5 star sounds about right.