Inspector Rebus span a broad spectrum of Scotland, including council estates, tenements, business districts, nightclubs, prisons, dying mining towns, secluded villages and desolate hillsides, as well as the better-known pubs and streets of Edinburgh. Some of these locations are fictional, although they may be based on real places. For example, the Pilmuir estate is a conflation of the two real Edinburgh locations Pilton and Muirhouse. Other locations, such as the Oxford Bar, Arden Street, and St Leonards police station, are real. Frequent references to real places, or local politics firmly ground the Rebus series in the real world. Another strong feature of
Dead Souls (Rankin novel) with Rebus in trying to find out what Oakes’ real object is in Edinburgh. When he succeeds, Oakes stabs him to death and then goes after Rebus. But Oakes has consistently underestimated Rebus, who kicks him into the path of a speeding car while he is intent on his attack. Those left alive must continue to cope with their problems. Knowing some answers does not really resolve the divisions and imperfections in society which it is the job of Rebus and his colleagues to police. "Dead Souls" was adapted as the third episode in the "Rebus" television series, airing in