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Author James Oswald pens this series that stars his detective inspector, named Anthony McLean. It is set in Edinburgh, Scotland. Oswald was originally a farmer in Scotland, and has been making a name for himself for his unique brand of mystery suspense. This is also the series that Oswald is most known for.
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Order of Inspector McLean Series
| # | Read | Title | Published | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Natural Causes | 2012 | Description / Buy | |
| 2 | The Book of Souls | 2012 | Description / Buy | |
| 3 | The Hangman's Song | 2014 | Description / Buy | |
| 4 | Dead Men's Bones | 2014 | Description / Buy | |
| 5 | Prayer for the Dead | 2015 | Description / Buy | |
| 6 | The Damage Done | 2016 | Description / Buy | |
| 7 | Written in Bones | 2017 | Description / Buy | |
| 8 | The Gathering Dark | 2018 | Description / Buy | |
| 9 | Cold as the Grave | 2019 | Description / Buy | |
| 10 | Bury Them Deep | 2020 | Description / Buy | |
| 11 | What Will Burn | 2021 | Description / Buy | |
| 12 | All That Lives | 2022 | Description / Buy | |
| 13 | For Our Sins | 2024 | Description / Buy |
The series began getting published in the year 2012, when “Natural Causes” was released.
INSPECTOR MCLEAN AWARDS
“Natural Causes”, the first novel in the series, was shortlisted for a Debut Dagger prize from the CWA.
BEST INSPECTOR MCLEAN BOOKS
For those readers looking to get into the “Inspector McLean” series by James Oswald, this section will help with that. It will go over the novels “Natural Causes”, “The Book of Souls”, and “The Hangman’s Song”.
Natural Causes: This is the first novel in the “Inspector McLean” series and was released in the year 2012. The Edinburgh cops have just caught a killer, who murdered a big elder in the city just a day after the killing, and are pleased with the result. The killer killed himself, which will surely save cost and time of having a trial. A second killing happens just days later, and it is quite a bit like the first. The killer is even caught fast, quickly confesses, and kills himself.
McLean is looking into a dead female being found after being walled into a
old mansion’s basement. She has been brutally killed, and her organs
have been taken out. They have been placed into preserving jars and
are around her. Evidence points to this happening over six decades
ago, and is an attempt at trying replicate a ceremony. It involved
imprisoning a demon into the deceased girl’s body, and it would
deliver immortality on all of the men that took an organ each for themselves.
McLean’s grandma dies after being in a coma following her suffering a stroke, she is the one that raised him after his parents died. He is working a case of some violent suicides and a burglar that targets these homes. When yet another big businessman is murdered, he starts suspecting that there could be a connection in the ritual killing, the suicides, and the murders. A lot of the same names keep on coming up in his investigation. He is unable to figure out an explanation that makes sense to how that connection makes any sense.
He has to think about some kind of evil stalking this city that he is supposed to protect. How will he be at all able to put a stop to it?
The Book of Souls: This is the second novel in the “Inspector McLean” series and was released in the year 2012. During Christmastime, a young woman’s body is found in the city of Edinburgh, and it has been going on each year for the past decade. Her body has been washed, after her throat is cut and she is naked. The last victim, named Kirsty Summers, was Tony McLean’s fiancee at the time she died. McLean was able to stop the Christmas Killer’s killing spree, after the killer made a fatal mistake.
Twelve years have gone by, and a fellow inmate just killed the Christmas Killer. When Christmastime comes, there is a dead body. It is the same as the Christmas Killer’s way of killing.
Could this be a copycat? Did Tony catch the wrong guy and put him away for all this time? Or is there something much worse going on? He is going to have to go back to the case that disturbs him the most and find out just what he missed the first time around, before this killer murders anyone else.
The Hangman’s Song: This is the third novel in the “Inspector McLean” series and was released in the year 2014. There is a young male hanging from a rope, and it looks like a suicide. But Tony has a hard time not being puzzled by the odd suicide note. There is another hanged man and yet another odd note that points to an evil pattern at play. He is working another case, and has to fight to link the pair of suicides. A third suicide convinces him of evil intent.
OTHER BOOK SERIES YOU MAY LIKE
Be sure to check out the “Rebus” series by Ian Rankin. This series, penned by author Ian Rankin, stars a Detective Inspector named John Rebus. They are set in and around Edinburgh.
You’ll also enjoy the “Logan McRae” series by Stuart MacBride. Logan McRae, the star of this series penned by author Stuart MacBride, is a detective sergeant in the city of Aberdeen, Scotland.
What Is The Next Book in The Inspector Mclean Series?
There doesn't seem to be an upcoming book in The Inspector Mclean Series. The newest book is For Our Sins and was released on February, 15th 2024.
The Inspector McLean books shouldn’t be overlooked. The characters and plots fit so perfectly in the setting of Edinburgh. There is a little humor thrown in, which is really enjoyable. The only thing that I didn’t enjoy was the supernatural element. It seemed the author didn’t fully commit to it; I think they either should’ve went for it all the way, or left it out altogether. Despite that, these novels are fun and Inspector McLean shouldn’t be overlooked.