8: Ian Rankin: Gangs, Panic Attacks & The Dark Nights of the Soul

Crime, chaos, and the fight to stay afloat.

No One UK crime writer. Bestselling Inspector Rebus creator Ian Rankin reveals the personal battles that shaped his life and career—from growing up in gangs in tough Fife to battling panic attacks, family tragedy, and financial insecurity. He opens up about the three things that stopped him from veering off the cliff, and how writing saved him.
Rankin shares the lesser-known parts of his world: his secret diaries, a lifelong love of Edinburgh, and his decades-long marriage. He reflects on the terror of his son's serious illness, the dark nights of the soul that followed, and how he found comfort in music, mates, and unshakable loyalties—from old-school bands to cult icons like Alex Harvey and Jackie Leven.

From his days in punk rock bands The Dancing Pigs and The New Germs to his rise as one of the UK’s greatest crime writers, this is a raw and revealing look at the man behind the books.

And one more thing—which book has Ian Rankin read over 20 times? Find out in this special bonus clip: https://youtu.be/Bd5WH0EvOZM