Happy birthday, Ian Rankin.

John Rebus creator Ian Rankin turns 50 today (born in Cardenden, Fife, Scotland, in 1960). One of his past occupations? Swineherd.

BBC Radio 7 airs an episode of Rankin's The Falls this Saturday; one can usually catch it for a week online after broadcast.

About the image: Clues 26.2 (2008), theme issue on Scottish crime fiction, guest edited by Gill Plain (University of St. Andrews)