James Oswald – författare

ANDRA BOKEN i succéserien om kommissarie McLean.»Suggestiv skräck och ruskigt spännande realism i en ovanligt lyckad kombination.« | LOTTA OLSSON, DNDe döda är begravda, men ondskan är inte glömd...Varje jul under tio år hittas en ung kvinnas kropp i Edinburgh. Mördarens tillvägagångssätt är identiskt från jul till jul: De döda kvinnorna placeras ut i olika vattendrag, nakna, noggrant rengjorda och med ett rakt snitt över halsen. Tio år, tio kvinnor.Det sista offret, Kirsty Summers, var den dåvarande kriminalassistenten Tony McLeans fästmö. Men detta år, 1999, begick julmördaren ett misstag; i källaren under ett antikvariat fann McLean den makabra tortyrkammare där kvinnorna bragts om livet och kunde till sist sätta stopp för Donald Andersons blodiga framfart.Tio år senare blir Anderson mördad i fängelset. Men när julen börjar närma sig hittas ännu ett kvinnolik och mordet bär alla julmördarens kännetecken. McLean är övertygad om att han har att göra med en copycat-mördare, men kan samtidigt inte värja sig för den oundvikliga frågan: Satte han dit fel man?Motvilligt måste McLean återvända till sitt livs mest plågsamma fall och försöka få klarhet i vad han missat tio år tidigare.JAMES OSWALD är en brittisk författare vars kriminalromaner om kommissarie McLean har hyllats av såväl kritiker som läsare. På fritiden driver han en boskapsfarm i North East Fife i Skottland.»Kriminallitteraturens next big thing.« | SUNDAY TELEGRAPH»En litterär sensation!« | DAILY MAIL»James Oswald är den nye Ian Rankin. En stjärna på Skottlands växande deckarscen.« | DAILY RECORDSagt om Flickoffret, första boken om kommissarie McLean:»En väldigt välskriven och otroligt spännande deckare som man bör läsa!« | MAGNUS UTVIK, GOMORRON SVERIGE, SVT»Lysande inledning på serien om den skotske kommissarien Tony McLean i Edinburgh.« | LOTTA OLSSON, DN»En ypperlig början på en deckarserie.« | THE GUARDIAN»Flickoffret är som gjord för att kura upp med framför en brasa, alldeles lagom mörk, mystisk och otäck.« | BOKFROSSA»Vill man läsa en riktigt spännande deckare skriven i bästa brittiska anda tycker jag absolut att man ska läsa Flickoffret.« | JOHANNAS DECKARHÖRNA

Första boken i succéserien om kommissarie McLean! »En litterär sensation!« | DAILY MAIL»Lysande inledning på serien om den skotske kommissarien Tony McLean i Edinburgh.« | LOTTA OLSSON, DNEn ung flickas vanställda kropp hittas i ett igenbommat källarrum. Runt kroppen har sex inre organ placerats ut i en cirkel, och allt tyder på att flickan har offrats i någon form av makaber ritual. Händelsen tycks ha ägt rum för närmare sextio år sedan.För den nytillsatte kriminalkommissarien Tony McLean i Edinburgh är detta ett »cold case« som borde ges låg prioritet men McLean kan inte sluta tänka på offret och hennes ohyggliga död.Samtidigt plågas Edinburgh av en hel rad bestialiska mord. Det är dödsfall som inte uppvisar någon rimlig logik, och Edinburghpolisen står handfallen.Till sin förvåning upptäcker McLean att de nya morden på något sätt tycks vara kopplade till det ceremoniella mordet i källaren. En egendomlig, till synes irrationell teori börjar sakta ta form. JAMES OSWALD är en brittisk författare vars kriminalromaner om kommissarie McLean har hyllats av såväl kritiker som läsare. På fritiden driver han en boskapsfarm i North East Fife i Skottland.»En väldigt välskriven och otroligt spännande deckare som man bör läsa!« | MAGNUS UTVIK, GOMORRON, SVT»Flickoffret är som gjord för att kura upp med framför en brasa, alldeles lagom mörk, mystisk och otäck.« | BOKFROSSA»Den nye Ian Rankin. En stjärna på Skottlands växande deckarscen.« | DAILY RECORD

»Den nye Ian Rankin. En stjärna på Skottlands deckarscen.« | DAILY MAILEn ung man hittas hängd i sitt hem i Edinburgh. Det ser ut som ett simpelt, sorgligt självmord, men kriminalkommissarie Tony McLean blir förbryllad av det egendomliga självmordsbrevet. En andra hängd man och ytterligare ett underligt meddelande pekar mot ett olycksbådande mönster.McLean är mitt uppe i en utredning om prostitution och trafficking, och kämpar samtidigt med att försöka koppla ihop de två självmorden. Upptäckten av ett tredje självmord övertygar honom om att det ligger ont uppsåt bakom. När han gräver djupare finner McLean svar som kommer honom närmare inpå livet än han kunnat föreställa sig. Något skräckinjagande stryker omkring på stadens gator och jakten på det riskerar att förgöra allt som McLean håller kärt.Bödelns sång är den tredje, fristående boken om kommissarie McLean.JAMES OSWALD är en brittisk författare vars två första kriminalromaner om kommissarie McLean Flickoffret och Själarnas bok har hyllats av såväl kritiker som läsare. När han inte skriver driver han en boskapsfarm i North East Fife i Skottland. Bödelns sång är den tredje, fristående boken om kommissarie McLean.Om Flickoffret:»En väldigt välskriven och otroligt spännande deckare som man bör läsa!« | Magnus Utvik, Gomorron Sverige, SVTOm Själarnas bok:»Suggestiv skräck och ruskigt spännande realism i en ovanligt lyckad kombination.« | Lotta Olsson, DN

The gripping new thriller in the brilliant Constance Fairchild series, from one of Scotland's foremost crime writers.'I powered through this book. The perfect blend of intense investigation, memorable characters, witty dialogue.' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ READER REVIEW'Every single one of these books are so good' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ READER REVIEW'I devoured this far too quickly - I just couldn't put it down!' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ READER REVIEWOn compassionate leave following the death of her mother, Detective Constable Constance Fairchild thought renting a cottage near Aberystwyth, Wales would get her far enough from London to finally relax. But trouble always seems to find Con, and it's not long before she is cooling off in a police station cell after defending herself from two would-be rapists.In custody she meets a young Ukrainian woman, Lila, who confides in Con that she's been forced by her manipulative boyfriend into prostitution and running drugs. Fearing for her life, she has run away from him, only to end up in the cells.Con offers to help, but when her cottage is ransacked, and Lila subsequently disappears, she realises she's stumbled into very dangerous company. International drug smugglers and ruthless people traffickers - those who will stop at nothing to protect their secrets. Out here at the end of the line, will Con find that there's nowhere left to run? Praise for James Oswald:'The new Ian Rankin' Daily Record'Creepy, gritty and gruesome' Sunday Mirror'Crime fiction's next big thing' Sunday Telegraph

No good deed goes unpunished...When a police raid in Edinburgh goes horribly wrong, the only silver lining for Inspector Tony McLean is a discovery that could lead to a long-lost girl from his early days on the beat.Haunted by the mystery of what happened to her, McLean begins to dig into a case he thought long buried.But the shadows of the past are soon eclipsed by crimes in the present as a series of strange and gruesome deaths shock the city.As McLean's investigation draws him ever deeper into the upper echelons of Edinburgh society, it will not only be his career on the line - but his life as well...Praise for James Oswald'The new Ian Rankin'Daily Record'Oswald's writing is in a class above'Express'Creepy gritty and gruesome'Sunday Mirror

A macabre ancient artefact. An innovative bio tech company connected to the highest levels of government. And the trail of bloodshed in its wake.'Finally got my Tony McLean fix' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ READER REVIEW'Darkly gripping' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ READER REVIEW'Do yourself a favour and read James Oswald's series. I can almost guarantee you won't stop at one' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ READER REVIEWInspector Tony McLean is called to a routine break-in at Drake BioTech, a trendsetting Edinburgh start-up at the cutting edge of DNA re-engineering. It's well below McLean's pay-grade, but given the extensive political connections of its eccentric owner Nathaniel Drake, he doesn't have a choice. Even if nothing appears to have been stolen. A missing person soon turns up dead with no signs of trauma or suggested cause of death, and still the police can find no connection between the strange events at play in the city. But when another victim is discovered cradling a small wooden box, McLean and DI Janie Harrison realise that this might be just the beginning of something even more sinister.What will those responsible do to finally get their hands on it? Or, more terrifying still, how much death and ruin might this unassuming object have in store? Praise for James Oswald:'The new Ian Rankin' Daily Record'Creepy, gritty and gruesome' Sunday Mirror'Oswald's writing is in a class above most' Daily Express

ENTER THE DARKEST CORNERS OF EDINBURGH IN THIS GRITTY, MYSTERIOUS AND SPINE-TINGLING MURDER INVESTIGATION . . .'Full to the brim with intrigue. You will not be disappointed' 5***** Reader Review'Grips you from the beginning and doesn't let go' 5***** Reader Review'Unsettling atmosphere, strong sense of place and a canny twist: Oswald easily outstrips the formulaic work of bigger names' GUARDIAN_______The roots of murder run deep . . .When a body is found in a tree in The Meadows, Edinburgh's scenic parkland, forensics suggest the corpse has fallen from a great height.Which makes Detective Inspector Tony McLean ask the question: was it an accident, or a murder designed to send a chilling message? . . .As McLean traces the victim's journey, it takes him back to Edinburgh's past, and through its underworld - crossing paths with some of its most dangerous and most vulnerable people.And waiting at the end of it all, is the truth behind a crime that cuts to the very heart of the city . . ._______PRAISE FOR THE INSPECTOR McLEAN SERIES'Oswald's writing is in a class above most' Daily Express'Creepy, gritty and gruesome' Sunday Mirror'Hugely enjoyable' Mirror'Oswald is among the leaders of excellent Scottish crime writers' Daily Mail

The dead demand vengeance . . . Discover the gripping crime thriller in the bestselling Inspector McLean series'Chilling, harrowing, extremely well written and absolutely addictive' 5***** Reader Review_______A truck driver loses control in central Edinburgh, ploughing into a crowded bus stop and spilling his vehicle's toxic load. The consequences are devastating.DI Tony McLean witnesses the carnage.Taking control of the investigation, he soon realises there is much that is deeply amiss - and everyone involved seems to have something to hide.But as McLean struggles to uncover who caused the tragedy, a greater crisis develops:The new Chief Superintendent's son is missing, last seen in the area of the crash . . ._______PRAISE FOR THE INSPECTOR McLEAN SERIES'Crime fiction's next big thing' Sunday Telegraph'Oswald's writing is in a class above most' Daily Express'Creepy, gritty and gruesome' Sunday Mirror'The new Ian Rankin' Daily Record'Hugely enjoyable' Mirror'Oswald is among the leaders in the new batch of excellent Scottish crime writers' Daily Mail

Her lifeless body is hidden in the dark corner of a basement room, a room which seems to have been left untouched for decades. A room which feels as cold as the grave.'Thrilling right to the end' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ READER REVIEW'Hats off to James Oswald' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ READER REVIEW'One of my favourite crime series' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ READER REVIEWAs a rowdy demonstration makes its slow and vocal way along Edinburgh's Royal Mile, Detective Chief Inspector Tony McLean's team are on stand-by for any trouble. The newly promoted McLean is distracted, inexplicably drawn to a dead-end mews street . . . and a door, slightly ajar, which leads to this poor girl's final resting place.But how long has she been there, in her sleep of death? The answers are far from what McLean or anyone else could expect. The truth far more chilling than a simple cold case . . .Praise for James Oswald:'The new Ian Rankin' Daily Record'Creepy, gritty and gruesome' Sunday Mirror'Crime fiction's next big thing' Sunday Telegraph

A BURNT-OUT CAR | A VANISHED BODY | CORRUPTION IN THE RANKS'Best Scottish crime writer' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ READER REVIEW'The further into this series I delve, the more I love it' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ READER REVIEW'I've enjoyed all of Oswald's books and this is up there with the best of them' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ READER REVIEWWhen a member of the Police Scotland team fails to clock-in for work, concern for her whereabouts is immediate . . . and the discovery of her burnt-out car in remote woodland to the south of Edinburgh sets off a desperate search for the missing woman.Meanwhile, DCI Tony McLean and the team are preparing for a major anti-corruption operation - one which may raise the ire of more than a few powerful people in the city. Is Anya Renfrew's disappearance a co-incidence or related to the case?McLean's investigations suggest that perhaps that Anya isn't the first woman to have mysteriously vanished in these ancient hills. Once again, McLean can't shake the feeling that there is a far greater evil at work here . . .Praise for James Oswald:'The new Ian Rankin' Daily Record'Creepy, gritty and gruesome' Sunday Mirror'Crime fiction's next big thing' Sunday Telegraph

Two victims. Nothing connects them, except that someone buried them in the exact same way.Seven hundred years apart.'Oh my goodness, what a rollercoaster of a ride.' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ READER REVIEW'Every page draws you in.' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ READER REVIEW'Do yourself a favour and read James Oswald's series. I can almost guarantee you won't stop at one.' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ READER REVIEWAn archaeological dig at the old South Leith parish kirkyard has turned up a mysterious body dating from around seven hundred years ago. Some suspect that this gruesome discovery is a sacrifice, placed there for a specific purpose.Then a second body is unearthed. This victim went missing only thirty years ago - but the similarities between her death and the ancient woman's suggest something even more disturbing.Drawn into the investigation, Inspector McLean finds himself torn between a worrying trend of violent drug-related deaths and uncovering what truly connects these bodies. When a third body is discovered, and too close for comfort, he begins to suspect dark purpose at play - and that whoever put them there is far from finished.Praise for James Oswald:'The new Ian Rankin' Daily Record'Creepy, gritty and gruesome' Sunday Mirror'Crime fiction's next big thing' Sunday Telegraph

THE WAGES OF SIN . . . IS DEATH'I love this brilliant cast of characters' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ READER REVIEW'Another page-turner in a great series!' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ READER REVIEW'As usual, a brilliant read from James Oswald' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ READER REVIEWThe partial collapse of a disused Edinburgh church reveals a dead body in the rubble, his head badly smashed by falling masonry. Soon identified as an old ex-con - Kenny Morgan - his death is put down to a heart attack and deemed non-suspicious.Tony McLean is approached by a notorious crime lord who suggests the police should be looking into Morgan's death more closely. Despite struggling with his recent retirement, he is reluctant to involve himself.But when a second man is found dead in another disused church, his forehead branded with a cross, this time it is clearly murder.There's a killer stalking the streets of Edinburgh. Is it time for McLean to get back to doing what he does best?Praise for James Oswald:'The new Ian Rankin' Daily Record'Creepy, gritty and gruesome' Sunday Mirror'Crime fiction's next big thing' Sunday Telegraph

Sunday Times bestseller Prayer for the Dead is the fifth novel in the bestselling Inspector McLean series by author James Oswald.'The hallmarks of Val McDermid or Ian Rankin: it's dark, violent, noirish' The Herald***'Are you ready to be reborn?'The search for a missing journalist is called off as a body is found at the scene of a carefully staged murder.In a sealed chamber, deep in the heart of Gilmerton Cove, a mysterious network of caves and passages sprawling beneath Edinburgh, the victim has undergone a macabre ritual of purification.Inspector Tony McLean knew the dead man, and can't shake off the suspicion that there is far more to this case than meets the eye. The baffling lack of forensics at the crime scene seems impossible. But it is not the only thing about this case that McLean will find beyond belief.Teamed with the most unlikely and unwelcome of allies, he must track down a killer driven by the darkest compulsions, who will answer only to a higher power...'Are you ready for the mysteries to be revealed?'Praise for James Oswald:'A star of Scotland's burgeoning crime fiction scene' Daily Record'Crime fiction's next big thing' The Sunday Telegraph'Literary sensation . . .James' overnight success has drawn comparisons with the meteoric rise of E L James and her Fifty Shades of Grey series' Daily Mail'Fifty Shades of Hay' The Times'Oswald is among the leaders in the new batch of excellent Scottish crime writers' Daily Mail'The new Ian Rankin' Daily Record'An excellent start to what promises to be a fine series' Guardian'Classy, occasionally brutal, and with the odd suggestion of the supernatural, this will doubtless be another deserved hit. Oswald's writing is in a class above most in this genre' Daily Express

Edinburgh Detective Inspector Tony McLean is drawn into a set of cases separated by six decades, but connected by a macabre and brutal ritual killing in the first entry of the Detective Inspector MacLean mystery series.A young girl''s mutilated body is discovered in a room that has lain sealed for the last sixty years. Her remains are carefully arranged in what seems to have been a macabre ritual. For newly appointed Edinburgh Detective Inspector Tony McLean, this baffling cold case ought to be a low priority, but he is haunted by the young victim and her grisly death. Meanwhile, the city is horrified by a series of bloody killings—deaths for which there appears to be neither rhyme nor reason, and which leave Edinburgh''s police at a loss. McLean is convinced that these deaths are somehow connected to the terrible ceremonial killing of the girl, all those years ago. It is an irrational theory. And one that will lead McLean closer to the heart of a terrifying and ancient evil . . .

The dead don't always rest in peace . . . Discover the gripping Richard and Judy pick, and first thriller in the bestselling Inspector McLean seriesFrom the Sunday Times bestseller comes an electrifying crime thriller for fans of Ian Rankin, Peter James and Stuart MacBrideEdinburgh is horrified by a series of bloody killings.Deaths for which there appears to be neither rhyme nor reason, and which leave the city's police stumped.DI Tony McLean is focused on the investigation, but his attention is drawn by a chilling cold case:A young girl, ritualistically murdered.Her remains hidden for sixty years.It seems impossible that there could be any connection between the cases, but McLean starts to wonder . . .Because if it's true, they might be facing an evil beyond anything they ever imagined.Praise for James Oswald:'Crime fiction's next big thing' Sunday Telegraph'Oswald is among the leaders in the new batch of excellent Scottish crime writers' Daily Mail'The hallmarks of Val McDermid or Ian Rankin: it's dark, violent, noirish' Herald'An excellent start to what promises to be a fine series' Guardian'The new Ian Rankin' Daily Record

The dead don't always rest in peace . . . Discover the gripping first thriller in the Inspector McLean seriesFor fans of Ian Rankin, Peter James and Stuart MacBride'A gripping, captivating page-turner' 5***** READER REVIEW'Murder, malevolence and great detection' 5***** READER REVIEW'Grips you from the very beginning' 5***** READER REVIEW_______Edinburgh is horrified by a series of bloody killings.Deaths for which there appears to be neither rhyme nor reason, and which leave the city's police stumped.DI Tony McLean is focused on the investigation, but his attention is drawn by a chilling cold case:A young girl, ritualistically murdered.Her remains hidden for sixty years.It seems impossible that there could be any connection between the cases, but McLean starts to wonder . . .Because if it's true, they might be facing an evil beyond anything they ever imagined._______Praise for James Oswald:'Crime fiction's next big thing' Sunday Telegraph'Oswald is among the leaders in the new batch of excellent Scottish crime writers' Daily Mail'The hallmarks of Val McDermid or Ian Rankin: it's dark, violent, noirish' Herald'An excellent start to what promises to be a fine series' Guardian'The new Ian Rankin' Daily Record

DISCOVER THE GRIPPING AND ELECTRIFYING THRILLER IN THE DETECTIVE INSPECTOR MCLEAN SERIES'A gripping tale of mystery and intrigue' 5***** Reader Review'Holds your attention and builds towards an excellent climax' 5***** Reader Review'Enthralling . . . you won't be disappointed' 5***** Reader Review________Every year for ten years, a young woman's body was found in Edinburgh at Christmas time: naked, throat slit, body washed clean.Ten years, ten women.The final victim, Kirsty Summers, was Detective Constable Tony McLean's fiancée. But the Christmas Killer made a mistake. In a cellar under a shop, McLean found a torture chamber and put an end to the brutal killing spree.Twelve years later, and a fellow prisoner has just murdered the incarcerated Christmas Killer. But with the arrival of the festive season comes a body. A young woman: naked, washed, her throat cut.Is this a copycat killer?Was the wrong man behind bars all this time?Or is there a more sinister, frightening explanation?McLean must revisit the most disturbing case of his life and discover what he missed before the killer strikes again . . .________ Praise for James Oswald: 'A star of Scotland's burgeoning crime fiction scene' Daily Record 'Crime fiction's next big thing' The Sunday Telegraph 'Literary sensation...James' overnight success has drawn comparisons with the meteoric rise of EL James and her Fifty Shades of Grey series' Daily Mail 'Fifty Shades of Hay' The Times 'Oswald is among the leaders in the new batch of excellent Scottish crime writers' Daily Mail 'The new Ian Rankin' Daily Record 'The hallmarks of Val McDermid or Ian Rankin: it's dark, violent, noirish' The Herald 'A good read' The Times 'An excellent start to what promises to be a fine series' Guardian

DISCOVER THE GRIPPING AND ELECTRIFYING THRILLER IN THE DETECTIVE INSPECTOR MCLEAN SERIES'A gripping tale of mystery and intrigue' 5***** Reader Review'Holds your attention and builds towards an excellent climax' 5***** Reader Review'Enthralling . . . you won't be disappointed' 5***** Reader Review________Every year for ten years, a young woman's body was found in Edinburgh at Christmas time: naked, throat slit, body washed clean.Ten years, ten women.The final victim, Kirsty Summers, was Detective Constable Tony McLean's fiancée. But the Christmas Killer made a mistake. In a cellar under a shop, McLean found a torture chamber and put an end to the brutal killing spree.Twelve years later, and a fellow prisoner has just murdered the incarcerated Christmas Killer. But with the arrival of the festive season comes a body. A young woman: naked, washed, her throat cut.Is this a copycat killer?Was the wrong man behind bars all this time?Or is there a more sinister, frightening explanation?McLean must revisit the most disturbing case of his life and discover what he missed before the killer strikes again . . .________ Praise for James Oswald: 'A star of Scotland's burgeoning crime fiction scene' Daily Record 'Crime fiction's next big thing' The Sunday Telegraph 'Literary sensation...James' overnight success has drawn comparisons with the meteoric rise of EL James and her Fifty Shades of Grey series' Daily Mail 'Fifty Shades of Hay' The Times 'Oswald is among the leaders in the new batch of excellent Scottish crime writers' Daily Mail 'The new Ian Rankin' Daily Record 'The hallmarks of Val McDermid or Ian Rankin: it's dark, violent, noirish' The Herald 'A good read' The Times 'An excellent start to what promises to be a fine series' Guardian

Discover the gripping thriller from the author of Richard & Judy pick Natural CausesFrom the Sunday Times bestseller comes an electrifying crime thriller for fans of Ian Rankin, Peter James and Stuart MacBride'Compulsive. So many twists and turns. Chilling' 5***** READER REVIEW'Well written and expertly plotted. The tension came alive' 5***** READER REVIEW'Gripped me right from the start' 5***** READER REVIEW_______A young man is found hanging by a rope in his Edinburgh home. A simple, sad suicide, yet Detective Inspector Tony McLean is puzzled by the curious suicide note.So when a second hanged man and another strange note appear, McClean sees a sinister pattern.Investigating a brutal prostitution and human trafficking ring, McLean struggles to find time to link the two suicides. But the discovery of a third convinces him of malicious intent.Digging deeper, McLean finds answers something terrifying stalking the city streets.And it's much closer to home than he expects . . ._______Praise for James Oswald:'Crime fiction's next big thing' Sunday Telegraph'Oswald is among the leaders in the new batch of excellent Scottish crime writers' Daily Mail'The hallmarks of Val McDermid or Ian Rankin: it's dark, violent, noirish' Herald'An excellent start to what promises to be a fine series' Guardian'The new Ian Rankin' Daily Record

Discover the gripping thriller from the author of Richard & Judy pick Natural CausesFrom the Sunday Times bestseller comes an electrifying crime thriller for fans of Ian Rankin, Peter James and Stuart MacBride'Compulsive. So many twists and turns. Chilling' 5***** READER REVIEW'Well written and expertly plotted. The tension came alive' 5***** READER REVIEW'Gripped me right from the start' 5***** READER REVIEW_______A young man is found hanging by a rope in his Edinburgh home. A simple, sad suicide, yet Detective Inspector Tony McLean is puzzled by the curious suicide note.So when a second hanged man and another strange note appear, McClean sees a sinister pattern.Investigating a brutal prostitution and human trafficking ring, McLean struggles to find time to link the two suicides. But the discovery of a third convinces him of malicious intent.Digging deeper, McLean finds answers something terrifying stalking the city streets.And it's much closer to home than he expects . . ._______ Praise for James Oswald: 'Crime fiction's next big thing' Sunday Telegraph 'Oswald is among the leaders in the new batch of excellent Scottish crime writers' Daily Mail 'The hallmarks of Val McDermid or Ian Rankin: it's dark, violent, noirish' Herald 'An excellent start to what promises to be a fine series' Guardian 'The new Ian Rankin' Daily Record

THE TWISTY FOURTH NOVEL AND SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER, FROM THE GRIPPING INSPECTOR MCLEAN SERIES SET IN EDINBURGHA family lies slaughtered in an isolated house in North East Fife . . .____________Morag Weatherly and her two young daughters have been shot by husband Andrew, an influential politician, before he turned the gun on himself.But what would cause a rich, successful man to snap so suddenly?For Inspector Tony McLean, this apparently simple but high-profile case leads him into a world of power and privilege. And the deeper he digs, the more he realizes he's being manipulated by shadowy factions.Under pressure to wrap up the case, McLean instead seeks to uncover layers of truth - putting the lives of everyone he cares about at risk . . .____________PRAISE FOR JAMES OSWALD: 'A star of Scotland's burgeoning crime fiction scene' DAILY RECORD 'Crime fiction's next big thing' SUNDAY TELEGRAPH'Literary sensation' DAILY MAIL'Oswald is among the leaders in the new batch of excellent Scottish crime writers' DAILY MAIL 'The new Ian Rankin' DAILY RECORD 'The hallmarks of Val McDermid or Ian Rankin: it's dark, violent, noirish' THE HERALD 'Oswald's writing is in a class above most in this genre' DAILY EXPRESS