'Big Ger' Cafferty

Morris Gerald 'Big Ger' Cafferty is a notorious Edinburgh crimelord in the Inspector Rebus series of novels by Scottish author Ian Rankin. Although he has a brief cameo in the third novel "Tooth and Nail", he first appears as a main character in "The Black Book". Physically intimidating, as well as being ruthless and manipulative, he is one of Scotland's most powerful gangsters. Whilst he prefers to rely on intimidation, coercion and bribery to achieve his goals, particularly in the later novels, he is also quite willing to personally execute his enemies.

Character's background

He was born in October 18th of 1946.

His relationship with Rebus is enormously complex, ranging from outright hostility to an uneasy partnership. At one point, Rebus puts him in jail, but he later relies on the Inspector to find the killer of his son. As a result of their relationship, Rebus is often accused of being 'in Cafferty's pocket'.

Cafferty always refers to Rebus as 'Strawman', a reference to a mix-up by a court official in a trial.

In later novels, he was a near-permanent figure, released from jail and claiming to have gone straight while still controlling Edinburgh from behind-the-scenes. He is often linked to cases Rebus and Siobhan Clarke are dealing with, but there is never enough evidence to bring him in.

In the final book "Exit Music", he is unknowingly being investigated by the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency, who are ready to bring him down for financial crimes. Before this can happen, he is assaulted by rogue Police Constable Todd Goodyear and put in a coma. On the final page, his heart flatlines and Rebus desperately tries to revive him, not wanting him to have a clean end - it is left ambiguous as to whether Rebus succeeds or if Cafferty is dead.