The Hanging Garden (48 page)

Initially Rebus’s instincts tell him that Lintz and Linzstek are one and the same person, but not whether it matters. Does this change as the plot unfolds?

Similarly to Big Ger Cafferty, Lintz has the ability to connect on a deep emotional level with Rebus. Is this a good thing as far as Rebus is concerned?

‘
Never get personally involved: it was
the
golden rule. And practically every case he worked, Rebus broke it. He sometimes felt that the reason he became so involved in his cases was that he had no life of his own. He could only live
through
other people
.’ Does this characteristic make Rebus a good policeman?

Is Rebus selling his soul to the devil when he does a deal with Cafferty?

Rebus thinks of himself, in some senses, as a religious man, yet he doesn’t seek solace in that way when Sammy is hurt. Why might that be?

When Jack Morton is killed does Rebus lose his emotional ballast? And does he blame himself?

There are lots of musical references; does it matter if the reader isn’t familiar with them? What sort of extra dimension do they add to the narrative?