{
  "id": 8131413,
  "title": "‘Mortal Causes’ Tales of Mystery and Suspense 20",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/mortal-causes-tales-of-mystery-and-suspense-20",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-17T23:45:45.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Island Sri Lanka",
    "slug": "the-island-sri-lanka",
    "url": "http://island.lk/mortal-causes-tales-of-mystery-and-suspense-20/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Tales of Mystery and Suspense 20 by Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha introduces readers to the Edinburgh-based detective John Rebus in his latest novel, Mortal Causes. The story revolves around the ongoing tension between Catholics and Protestants in Scotland, which is exacerbated by events in Northern Ireland. The novel follows Rebus as he investigates a brutal murder at a youth club in Edinburgh, sparked by a failed attempt at reconciliation between the two communities. As Rebus digs deeper into the case, he uncovers connections to an underground criminal organization called Sword and Shield, led by a Protestant youth named David Soutar. Rebus works closely with a Scottish Crime Squad inspector, Kilpatrick, and together they uncover a web of criminal activity that spans Europe and America. The novel sheds light on the deep-rooted issues of religious division and the role of organized crime in fueling the violence.",
  "summary": "Tales of Mystery and Suspense 20 by Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha After the elegance of Agatha Christie and Hercule Poirot, I revert to one of the least elegant detectives I have looked at. The first John Rebus novel by Ian Rankin I discussed here was Set in Darkness, though I think I failed to mention the […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}