18 crime novels Scotland

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18 top crime novels set in Scotland

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Inspector McLean 7

Written in Bones

DI Tony McLean of the Lothian and Borders Police knows Edinburgh like the back of his hand - an invaluable advantage when simultaneously pursuing depraved and dangerous criminals, and dodging overbearing superiors. Alongside a few trusted colleagues like DS 'Grumpy Bob' Laird and DS Kirsty Ritchie, McLean is an unorthodox force to be reckoned with . . .

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

Inspector McLean returns in the seventh instalment of James Oswald's gritty, compelling crime series, for his most mysterious murder investigation yet . . . 
 
The roots of murder run deep . . . 
 
When a body is found in a tree in The Meadows, Edinburgh's scenic parkland, the forensics suggest the corpse has fallen from a great height. 
 
Detective Inspector Tony McLean wonders whether it was an accident, or a murder designed to send a chilling message?

Unsettling atmosphere, strong sense of place and a canny twist: Oswald easily outstrips the formulaic work of bigger names

This is the seventh gripping instalment in a series that just keeps getting better

The hallmarks of Val McDermid or Ian Rankin: it's dark, violent, noirish

Oswald is among the leaders in the new batch of excellent Scottish crime writers

James Oswald is the author of the Inspector McLean series of crime novels. The first seven, Natural Causes, The Book of Souls, The Hangman's Song, Dead Men's Bones, Prayer for the Dead, The Damage Done and Written in Bones are available as Penguin paperbacks and ebooks. He has also written an epic fantasy series, The Ballad of Sir Benfro, which is published by Penguin, as well as comic scripts and short stories. 
 
In his spare time he runs a 350-acre livestock farm in north-east Fife, where he raises pedigree Highland Cattle and New Zealand Romney sheep.

Inspector McLean is back in the next gripping instalment in James Oswald's bestselling crime series.

Inspector McLean Ebook Bundle: Books 1-6

The first six books in the bestselling Inspector Tony McLean series 
 
The first six novels of James Oswald's hugely loved and highly-acclaimed crime series featuring Inspector Tony McLean are collected together in this ebook bundle. 
 
In this gripping series of investigations McLean faces serial killers, dark conspiracies and uncanny mysteries, as Oswald brings the eerie streets of Edinburgh to hauntingly well-realised life. 
 
Inspector McLean: Books 1-6 contains the following chilling novels from the Tony McLean series: 
 
Natural Causes 
The Book of Souls 
The Hangman's Song 
Dead Men's Bones 
Prayer for the Dead 
The Damage Done 
 
 
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

The first six novels of James Oswald's hugely loved and highly-acclaimed crime series featuring Inspector Tony McLean are collected together in this ebook bundle. 
 
In this gripping series of investigations McLean faces serial killers, dark conspiracies and uncanny mysteries, as Oswald brings the eerie streets of Edinburgh to hauntingly well-realised life. 
 
Inspector McLean: Books 1-6 contains the following chilling novels from the Tony McLean series: 
 
Natural Causes 
The Book of Souls 
The Hangman's Song 
Dead Men's Bones 
Prayer for the Dead 
The Damage Done 
 
 
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

Inspector McLean 1

Natural Causes

The dead don't always rest in peace . . . Discover the gripping Richard and Judy pick, and first thriller in the bestselling Inspector McLean series 
 
From the Sunday Times bestseller comes an electrifying crime thriller for fans of Ian Rankin, Peter James and Stuart MacBride 
 
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

Literary sensation...James' overnight success has drawn comparisons with the  meteoric rise of EL James and her Fifty Shades of Grey series

A star of Scotland's burgeoning crime fiction  scene

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 . . .

Inspector McLean 2

The Book of Souls

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

A star of Scotland's burgeoning crime fiction scene

Every year for ten years, a young woman's body was found in Edinburgh at Christmas time: naked, throat slit, body washed clean. 
 
The final victim, Kirsty Summers, was Detective Constable Tony McLean's fiancée. But the Christmas Killer made a mistake and McLean put an end to the brutal killing spree. 
 
Twelve years later, and a fellow prisoner has murdered the Christmas Killer. But with the festive season comes a body; 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 explanation? 
 
McLean must revisit his most disturbing case and discover what he missed before the killer strikes again . . .

Inspector McLean 3

The Hangman's Song

Discover the gripping thriller from the author of Richard &amp; Judy pick Natural Causes 
 
From 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

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 and McLean - his rich, idealistic and all-too-human detective - is the perfect counterpoint to Ian Rankin's cynical Inspector Rebus

The body of a man is found hanging in an empty house. To the Edinburgh police force this appears to be a simple suicide case. 
 
Days later another body is found. 
 
The body is hanging from an identical rope and the noose has been tied using the same knot. 
 
Then a third body is found. 
 
As Inspector McLean digs deeper he descends into a world where the lines of reality are blurred and where the most irrational answers become the only explanations.

Inspector McLean 4

Dead Men's Bones

THE TWISTY FOURTH NOVEL AND SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER, FROM THE GRIPPING INSPECTOR MCLEAN SERIES SET IN EDINBURGH 
 
 A 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

There's a timely feel to this macabre police procedural, which also has shade of the supernatural. After a top politician shoots his family, Detective Tony McLean uncovers an establishment sex-abuse ring, operated at a mental hospital. Creepy, gritty and gruesome

Literary sensation . . . James' overnight success has drawn comparisons with the meteoric rise of E L James and her Fifty Shades of Grey series

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 realises 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 . . .

Inspector McLean 5

Prayer for the Dead

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

A body is found at the scene of a carefully staged murder. In a sealed chamber deep in the heart of Gilmerton Cove the victim has undergone a macabre ritual of purification. 
 
Inspector Tony McLean knew the dead man, and can't shake the suspicion that there is more to this case thanmeets the eye. The lack of forensics at the crime scene is not the only thing that McLean will find beyond belief. 
 
Teamed with the most unlikely and unwelcome of allies, McLean must track down a killer with the darkest compulsions, who answers only to a higher power.

Inspector McLean 6

The Damage Done

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

Oswald's writing is in a class above most in this genre

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...

#ChooseThePlot

A choose your own adventure from the top names in crime fiction!

Christopher Fowler (Author) Christopher Fowler was the multiple award-winning author of almost fifty novels and short story collections, including the celebrated Bryant &amp; May mysteries. His other novels include Roofworld, Spanky, The Sand Men and Hot Water. He has also written two acclaimed memoirs, Paperboy (winner of the Green Carnation Prize) and Film Freak, plus The Book of Forgotten Authors and Peculiar London, Bryant and May's singular and eccentric guide to the city. In 2015 Chris was awarded the Crime Writers Association's coveted 'Dagger in the Library' for his body of work. He lived in London and Barcelona. Diagnosed with cancer just as the UK went into lockdown in 2020, Chris died on 2nd March 2023. Jane Casey (Author) Jane Casey was born and brought up in Dublin. A former editor, she has written twelve crime novels for adults and three for teenagers. Her books have been international bestsellers, critically acclaimed for their realism and accuracy. The Maeve Kerrigan series has been nominated for many awards: in 2015 Jane won the Mary Higgins Clark Award for The Stranger You Know and Irish Crime Novel of the Year for After the Fire. In 2019, Cruel Acts was chosen as Irish Crime Novel of the Year at the Irish Book Awards. It was a Sunday Times bestseller. The Killing Kind was a Richard and Judy Book Club pick in 2021 and has been adapted for television by Eleventh Hour and Paramount+, releasing September 2023 and broadcast on ITV in the UK and Hulu in America. The Close has been shortlisted for the E-Dunnit award at the 2024 CrimeFest Awards. Her most recent novel, A Stranger in the Family, spent 6 weeks on the Irish Times bestseller list and was named one of The Times 10 Best Crime &amp; Thrillers of 2024. It won Crime Fiction Book of the Year and was shortlisted for the overall Book of the Year Award at the 2024 An Post Irish Book Awards. 
 
Jane lives in southwest London with her husband, who is a criminal barrister, and their two children.

There is a murder. 
There is a victim. 
But are you ready to be complicit in the crime? 
 
Three top crime authors teamed up to tell a story, but one vital contributor was missing: you. Christopher Fowler, James Oswald and Jane Casey had the challenge of unraveling a tale of murder and vengeance, but they weren’t making all the decisions. Vital story elements and plot developments were decided by those reading the story and following the action. When they came to the cliffhangers would they make the right choice? 
 
#ChooseThePlot 
 
Ian, a three-time loser, is suddenly offered a chance to leave all his troubles behind. But is the deal too good to be true? One character won’t make it out of the first chapter alive. Who did the readers decide would live… and who would die? And how will their choices alter the destiny of the story? 
If lives were in your hands, would you make the right choice?

James Oswald

A master of his material . . . an unusually competent and humane police procedural

Inspector McLean 8

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 second crisis develops: the new Chief Superintendent's son is missing, last seen in the area of the crash...

James Oswald

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