Rebus was compared with Raymond Chandler's fictional detective Philip Marlowe and the book described as "dark, murky and less immediate than his other novels, but still zinging with wit and his inimitable gift for plot.
Rebus was likened to Raymond Chandler's fictional detective Philip Marlowe, and the novel was characterized as "dark, murky and less immediate compared to his other works, yet still bursting with wit and his distinctive ability to craft plots."