Rankin, Ian: *1960

The Naming of the Dead, 2006 - Thematic Parallels: Crime

Crime denotes a behavior that violates the law, harms individuals or society, and is punishable by the government.
Rankin, Ian: The Naming of the Dead, 2006
The novel’s main topic centers on crime, politics, and justice in contemporary Scotland, set against the backdrop of real historical events.
The following books are thematically simliar. They lend themselves well to being read in groups, compared with one another, or used to teach a similar topic over an extended period with a class:
- Cain, James M.: The Postman Always Rings Twice, 1934, ~100pp
  This crime novel centers around murder and moral ambiguity.
  - Both authors treat crime not as puzzle-solving but as a moral and psychological investigation — showing how people rationalize wrongdoing and live with its consequences. They are infused with existential fatalism: once the characters step into moral compromise, there’s no way back.
- Harris, Robert: Imperium, 2006, ~400pp
  While not contemporary crime, it involves political intrigue and justice themes.
  - Both novels depict societies where politics is morally compromised and truth is manipulated for personal or political gain. They rely on a narrative of uncovering truth amid lies, making them intellectually and morally investigative.
- Mason, Bobbie Ann: In Country, 1985, ~240pp
  This novel explores personal and social themes tied to war aftermath or familial impact.
  - Both novels show how national or global conflict infiltrates private lives and distorts personal identity and morality. Both protagonists grapple with the collapse of idealism — Sam’s patriotic myths vs. Rebus’s fading faith in justice and truth. Both novels critique the failure of authority — whether the state’s treatment of veterans or the police/political system’s failure to protect justice.
- Thomas, Angie: The Hate U Give, 2017, ~440pp
  This novel focuses on racial injustice, police brutality, and social activism, paralleling the social critique found in "The Naming of the Dead" during politically charged times.
  - Both works use the conventions of social realism and crime narrative to expose the moral failures of institutions and to show how individuals navigate systems of power in pursuit of justice. They question whether justice can ever be achieved through official means when the system itself is compromised.
List of general discussion questions on Crime (pdf)
List of essay prompts on Crime (pdf)