I haven't read any of the Rebus books and it appears that was an advantage, as I was enthralled by this series. After I'd watched three episodes which I'd recorded, I couldn't wait for the rest and watched them on iPlayer. Richard Rankin was superb in the leading role and I hope another series is planned. By the way, I rarely find any production better than the book it's based on and tend to read the novel after watching the televised/filmed version.