In the introduction to this novel, Rankin states that Rebus lives directly opposite the window in Marchmont that he looked out of while writing the book.

Journalist Jim Stevens runs his own investigation, and has uncovered Michael Rebus's drug dealing.

Taking hints from seemingly cryptic anonymous letters, John connects the murders to his own military past.

In the Exile on Princes Street foreword to Rebus: The Early Years, Rankin says he wrote this book shortly after giving his father a James Kelman book (the type of book he was studying at the time) and being shocked when his father said it wasn't "written in English" and had no story; Rankin says this made him rethink what type of writer he wanted to be.

He states he was shocked to find out later that everyone thought he'd written a crime book, as he was unfamiliar with the genre.