The creator of the legendary Rebus crime novels was warmly received by the packed Waterfront Studio audience on Saturday.

Ian Rankin is a regular visitor to Belfast, and not just for book-promoting talks.

The Scot explained that he has family ties to Northern Ireland and indeed spent last Christmas here.

He gave an engaging talk, with fascinating insights into his writing methods and research, as well as the painstaking work involved in his first graphic novel.

The hugely popular Rebus series ended in the last few years, due to the fictional Edinburgh-based detective’s retirement.

Rankin’s latest book, The Complaints, introduces a new character, Malcolm Fox, a police officer who investigates other cops.

The author reckons, with good reason, that there is the potential for more Fox books. He even floated the intriguing idea of him investigating Rebus at some point.

It was reassuring to hear that — in the author’s mind — Rebus is still busy despite his retirement, and now works on cold case reviews.

Rankin, meanwhile, is planning a year off from writing to travel.

David Gordon