content: STRIP JACK is not one of the stronger books in the "Rebus" series. In this one, Rebus becomes interested in the trials and tribulations of an MP who is caught during a raid on a brothel. This leads to a couple of murders that may or may not be related and Rebus getting involved just out of curiosity. Rankin just seems to be going through the motions on this one, the mysteries are not very interesting and relatively straight forward, Rebus's usual emotional response seems distant and he seems to be in a state of befuddlement about life, career, and even the politics involved in the case. STRIP JACK lacks the laser-like focus of Rankin's other episodes and while I don't think Rankin has written a bad Rebus novel, this one is just a filler.