Natural Causes

Inspector McLean, Book 1

By: James Oswald

Narrated by: Ian Hanmore

Natural Causes is the first novel in the Detective Inspector McLean series, from Sunday Times best-selling author James Oswald.

A young girl's mutilated body is discovered in a sealed room. Her remains are carefully arranged, in what seems to have been a cruel and macabre ritual, which appears to have taken place over 60 years ago.

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, almost supernatural theory.

And one which will lead McLean closer to the heart of a terrifying and ancient evil . . .

Natural Causes is the opening to an electrifying series, for fans of Ian Rankin, Peter James and Stuart McBride.

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

Read well by Ian Hanmore

Waiting on Audible to release 'dead men's bones' . book4.

There are a couple of stories running through this series and they can be read or heard separately.
Not brilliant 5 stars at this time, though I expect that if the series continue with the same reader, the series may rank high 4 or 5.

Forget any Ian Rankin references from the reviewers/publishers.I am beginning to think quite a few reviewers are illiterate. (And have no idea why there will only ever be one Ian Rankin.) I get a tad sus whenever I read silly remarks like,,the new ,, etc.
On the surface there is a fairly preictable plot, a current day Batman with an Alpha and a few good fellas and girls. Then read on.
No shrinking rooms or damsels tied to railway tracks yet,