Strip Jack (Inspector Rebus series Book 4)

Inspector John Rebus investigates the disappearance of a young woman near Edinburgh, Scotland. Though her wealthy father has set a large inquiry in motion, Rebus struggles as one member of a vast investigative team while battling his own inner demons and the bureaucratic obstacles of the process. Rebus uncovers two significant leads: a carved wooden doll found inside a small casket, and evidence that the missing girl may have been involved in an Internet-based role-playing game. He works with DC Siobhan Clarke, a younger officer with technical expertise, to explore the online angle. Simultaneously, Rebus discovers historical records of similar caskets and dolls appearing throughout Edinburgh's past, some dating back to an era of body-snatchers and brutal killers. As Rebus and Clarke investigate both modern and historical threads, they encounter a complex web of secrets, lies, and danger. Ancient and contemporary evils intersect, leaving Rebus to untangle the case alone.