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The first of the REBUS programs introduces the Scottish Detective Inspector John Rebus as he untangles the various strands of the interwoven web of criminal intrigues from Leith, Edinburgh to Aberdeen and Glasgow and points between. A serial killer of young women of the past, known as 'The Preacher' appears to have a copycat murderer dubbed 'The Disciple', who is repeating the modus operandi. But is it 'The Preacher' who has returned to continue his work of death? Or it is truly another serial killer at work? Intermingled with the workings of the CID Edinburgh to solve these problems, Rebus is pulled off the case to pursue a strange death of what appears to be unintentional suicide. This strand of the web takes Rebus through more suicides, murders, drug trafficking, money laundering, exposure of dirty cops and questionable liaisons between a couple of the suspects. The stressed-out Rebus manages to reach the centre of the web and skillfully gets the tangles sorted out in this fast-paced presentation.

A pharmaceutical factory appears to be the major supply source of cocaine over which a gun battle is being planned by the upstart gang leader and his group of thugs. Rebus' old friend and workmate, DI Jack Morton is on an undercover assignment at the drugs plant when the attack is made, and he receives fatal gunshot wounds. Another victim of these criminals is a young mother, Candice, who was kidnapped from Bosnia to work as a prostitute, and time is of the essence if Rebus going to help her see her young son again. Sammy, Rebus' 19-year-old daughter, provides a safe-house for Candice. Then shortly after the young refugee moves in, Sammy becomes the victim of a hit-and-run accident and is in a coma in hospital. Her father is convinced that she was a deliberate target because of his efforts to keep Candice safe and bring down the two gangs. Rebus and his ex-wife spell each other keeping watch over Sammy at the hospital. This story line offers the viewer better insight into Rebus as a man and father, and the softer side of the tough crime-fighting police officer.

Rebus is devastated by the death of a close colleague, which appears to be suicide until he takes a closer look. But he's distracted by an unexpected visit from an ex-girlfriend with an offer he cannot refuse.

The motto of the Scottish kings - Nemo mi impune lacessit ("Don't Mess With Me") sets the tone for this story. It's payback time for DI John Rebus in his pact with the crime under-lord Morris Gerald Cafferty for his finding the person who put Rebus' daughter in a life-threatening coma, the result of a hit-and-run accident. This time, it's Cafferty's illegitimate son who was "six-packed" and killed, and Cafferty is calling in his chips from Rebus. Rebus has to cope with a backdrop of gun running, jailbreaks, left- and right-wing extremists, nationalists and other splinter groups who are spouting racist philosophies, and imported white-power fanatics who are perpetrating hate crimes.

DI Rebus investigates the murder of Dr. Joseph Devlin, a retired obstetrician. The man is found in his home, tied to a chair with his wrists slit. On his lap is a miniature coffin, similar to those found in a local museum, with the smiling effigy of a child inside. Devlin had dined the previous evening with Sir James Hogarth, his closest friend. Rebus and DS Siobhan Clarke get on the trail of David Costello when Phillipa Balfour, a university student working at a local museum, tells them she has once again started to receive threatening e-mails from Costello, who has stalked her in the past. When Sir James' ex-wife is found murdered in exactly the same way as Devlin, it becomes apparent that Costello is seeking some type of revenge. Rebus suspects Sir James has had an incestuous relationship with his daughter but is having difficulty finding the evidence.

A man from Kosovo is killed in a seedy Edinburgh slum. Considered by some to be a hate crime, due largely to the racist slur painted on the victim's head -- Rebus is unconvinced. Clues lead to the dirty underworld of gangland bosses, and their control over the local underprivileged. Fingerprints, blood stains, odd looks, dramatic music cues -- even unused tickets to a soccer match -- all lead Rebus to another corpse. Rebus sees the killer's motivation not as racist, but rather of sibling rivalry, hidden passion, or something much more devious... Or maybe not.

A past case returns to haunt Rebus when he is called to a local landmark where a prostitute has been buried alive. The inspector is convinced a member of the Scottish Parliament is responsible - but his efforts to secure a conviction are hampered by the arrival of a high-flying copper drafted in by his superior.

Detective Inspector John Rebus and his sidekick DS Siobhan Clarke are called to investigate a shooting at a local college. At the scene, the spattered blood and bullet holes that litter the room tell a tale of a frantic shooting, and the bodies of two dead schoolboys and a sports supervisor are revealed. One of the victims is the son of Rebus' cousin. Faced with the loss of a family member, Rebus strays across the police boundaries.

Rebus is called to an investment bank after a man shoots himself in front of the bank's owner. In his wallet the dead man has a photo of a young child along with the words Alto Chicampa. At the man's funeral, Rebus finds out that he was working for a chemical company, about to set up a new plant at a local estate to manufacture a new pesticide for the third world. Investigations lead Rebus to Amanda Morrison, a former employee of the bank about to sue the firm for sexual discrimination, but who soon turns up dead. Can Rebus prove that the suicide shooter and Amanda both died because of what they knew? Will the rich and powerful go to any lengths to protect their investments?

On the eve of a conference on African poverty, the Chair - millionaire philanthropist and people's champion Gregor Jack - is found with a hooker during a brothel raid. Then his wife Liz is discovered dead in a river and he becomes a murder suspect. Rebus embarks on a journey into the mind and murky past of her super rich husband.

Dissolute art gallery owner Eddie Marber is murdered, suspicion falling on an artist whose work he refused to exhibit though a valuable painting has also gone missing from his flat. Rebus,after throwing a tantrum in public, is sent on a rehabilitation course at police school, though in fact he has been sent there to expose two corrupt officers, Grey and McCulloch, who run a protection racket,'clients' numbering a sauna frequented by Marber, and who are suspected of murdering and robbing an uncooperative drug dealer. Powerless to stop them killing again, officially off the Marber case and unable to reveal his undercover role to Siobhan, Rebus must pull all the strands together to find out to what extent the bent couple were responsible for Eddie's death.

Rebus is drawn into church politics when the naked body of the Moderator-elect of the Church of Scotland is found in a local cruising spot, hours before the General Assembly is due to open

Drug pusher Daniel Carr is acquitted of murder on a technicality. Rebus is blamed and investigated by Clive Dawson, once his best friend, now anything but. Carr and his obnoxious brother are murdered and chief suspect is Brian Robertson, another pusher, whose estranged son was Carr's victim. To complicate matters Carr's sister and Robertson's law-abiding son are in love and, whilst Dawson is honorable, his female assistant has been primed by the slimy prosecutor who really messed up the case to discredit Rebus. Fortunately Siobhan's loyalty and a series of anonymous letters come to the aid of Rebus and the investigation.

As Edinburgh prepares to play host to the World Trade Summit, an unidentified body is found in the grounds of the conference hotel. And soon after development minister Ben Webster is found dead beneath the ramparts of Edinburgh Castle. As Rebus begins preliminary investigations, he is warned off the case by the special branch commander.