James Oswald

Dreamwalker is the first spellbinding novel in the new epic fantasy series from J. D. Oswald - The Ballad of Sir Benfro. In a small village, miles from the great cities of the Twin Kingdoms, a young boy called Errol tries to find his way in the world. He's an outsider - he looks different from other children and has never known his father. No one, not even himself, has any knowledge of his true lineage. Deep in the forest, Benfro, the young male dragon begins his training in the subtle arts. Like his mother, Morgwm the Green, he is destined to be a great Mage. No one could imagine that the future of all life in the Twin Kingdoms rests in the hands of these two unlikely heroes. But it is a destiny that will change the lives of boy and dragon forever ... And so begins The Ballad of Sir Benfro - the unputdownable tale of the great dragons returning to the kingdom of men. Breathtakingly compulsive and beautifully written, The Ballad of Sir Benfro is for readers hooked to the world of George R. R. Martin's Game of Thrones and those longing for the next Tolkien film adaptation. Dreamwalker is followed by The Rose Cord and The Golden Cage. J. D. Oswald is the author of the epic fantasy series, The Ballad of Sir Benfro. Currently, Dreamwalker, The Rose Cord and The Golden Cage are all available as Penguin eBooks. He is also the author of the Detective Inspector McLean series of crime novels under the name James Oswald. In his spare time James runs a 350-acre livestock farm in North East Fife, where he raises pedigree Highland Cattle and New Zealand Romney Sheep.

Dreamwalker

Twelve years after Detective Constable Tom McLean caught and imprisoned a serial killer, the body of a young woman turns up murdered in a manner similar to that used by the Christmas Killer and McLean must decide whether this is a copycat or he caught the wrong man.

The Book of Souls

The eleventh book in the Sunday Times-bestselling Inspector McLean series, from one of Scotland's most celebrated crime writers. The charred remains of an elderly woman are discovered in a burned-out game-keepers cottage, hidden away in woodland to the west of Edinburgh. Clearly no accidental fire, Detective Inspector Tony McLean suspects that neither is this simply a grim arson attack. There is far more to the victim than her humble surroundings might suggest, and something ritualistic to her horrific murder. Nor will it be the only case of death by fire that Tony and his team will be faced with. This is only the beginning, and with such evil clouding the air, Tony begins to wonder what else will burn . . . Praise for James Oswald: 'The new Ian Rankin' Daily Record 'Creepy, gritty and gruesome' Sunday Mirror 'Crime fiction's next big thing' Sunday Telegraph

What Will Burn

The body of a missing journalist is found in a sealed chamber of the mysterious catacombs at Gilmerton Cove. He appears to have been the victim of a macabre Masonic ceremony, his throat cut and arcane symbols scrawled on the walls in his blood. The occult nature of the case lands it squarely on Inspector Tony McLean's desk. But when another body turns up with a similarly baffling lack of forensics, McLean begins to suspect darker forces at work. Teamed up with the most unlikely and unwelcome allies, McLean struggles to solve this case before the killer can strike again.

Prayer for the Dead

The new book in the brilliant Constance Fairchild series, from one of Scotland's foremost crime writers. 'THE NEW IAN RANKIN' Daily Record 'OSWALD'S WRITING IS A CLASS ABOVE' Express Suspended from duty after her last case ended in the high-profile arrest of one of Britain's wealthiest men, DC Constance Fairchild is trying to stay away from the limelight. Fate has other ideas . . . Coming home to her London flat, Constance stumbles across a young man, bloodied, mutilated and barely alive. She calls it in and is quickly thrown into the middle of a nationwide investigation . . . It seems that the victim is just the latest in a string of similar ritualistic attacks. No matter that she is off-duty, no matter that there are those in the Met who would gladly see the back of her, Con can't shake her innate determination to bring the monsters responsible for this brutality to justice. Trouble always seems to find her, and even if she has nothing to hide, perhaps she has everything to lose . . . 'CRIME FICTION'S NEXT BIG THING' Sunday Telegraph 'A WONDERFUL, FAST-PACED THRILLER' Michael Wood

Nothing to Hide

For fans of Ian Rankin, Stuart MacBride and Peter James, the first novel in a gripping new Edinburgh-based crime series that has already sold more than half a million copies. The mutilated body of a young girl is discovered in a sealed room. Her remains were carefully arranged in a cruel and macabre ritual that appears to have taken place more than sixty years ago. For Tony McLean, a newly appointed detective inspector in the Edinburgh police, 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 seems to be no rhyme or reason--and the Edinburgh police are at a loss. But McLean is convinced that these deaths are somehow connected to the ceremonial killing of the girl all those years ago. It is an irrational, almost supernatural theory, and one that will lead McLean closer to a terrifying and ancient evil . . . Natural Causes is the first book in the Inspector McLean series. It is followed by The Book of Souls and The Hangman’s Song.

An Inspector McLean Novel

Natural Causes

The gripping new crime thriller in the highly acclaimed Inspector McLean series 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... Brilliantly plotted and utterly compelling, this is the gripping new novel in the bestselling Inspector McLean series. 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

New in the series, Inspector McLean 8

The Gathering Dark

Written in Bones

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 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 . . . 'Oswald is among the leaders in the batch of excellent Scottish crime writers, whose spiritual father is Ian Rankin.' Daily Mail

Dead Men's Bones

From one of the UK's biggest crime writers - the man brought you the bestselling Inspector McLean novels - comes a phenomenal new series guaranteed to have your heart in your mouth. Undercover ops are always dangerous, but DC Constance Fairchild never expected things to go this wrong. Returning to their base of operations, an anonymous office in a shabby neighbourhood, she finds the bloodied body of her boss, and friend, DI Pete Copperthwaite. He's been executed - a single shot to the head. In the aftermath, it seems someone in the Met is determined to make sure that blame for the wrecked operation falls squarely on Con's shoulders. She is cut loose and cast out, angry and alone with her grief... right until the moment someone also tries to put a bullet through her head. There's no place to hide, and no time to cry.

Constance Fairchild Series 1

No Time to Cry

Angela Marsons

Clare Mackintosh

Mark Billingham

Harry Bingham

Jane Casey

Antonia Hodgson

C L Taylor

A woman reports a crime to the police, with unexpected results The grieving widow who finds that she's about to lose more than just her husband When a man attempts the perfect murder, it's not quite as easy as he thinks Two men in prison play a deadly game of Scrabble A young woman tries to trick an old man and gets more than she bargained for Sometimes crimes are solved in ways you can't explain A murderer about to be hanged finds that's not the worst thing that can happen You never know who's going to turn up at your door Original stories from Mark Billingham, Clare Mackintosh, James Oswald, Jane Casey, Angela Marsons, Harry Bingham, Antonia Hodgson and CL Taylor - specially written for Quick Reads.

Dead Simple

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. A second hanged man and another strange note hint at 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 much closer to home than he expects. Something terrifying stalks the city streets, and bringing it to justice may destroy all he holds dear. 'Oswald is among the leaders in the new batch of excellent Scottish crime writers.' Daily Mail

The Hangman's Song

The latest book in the Sunday Times bestselling Inspector McLean series, from one of Scotland's most celebrated crime writers. An archaeological dig at the old South Leith parish kirkyard has turned up a mysterious body dating from around 700 years ago. The experts wonder if she wasn't murdered and dumped, but 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 body's suggest something even more disturbing. Drawn into the investigation, 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

All That Lives

The ninth book in the Sunday Times-bestselling phenomenon that is the Inspector McLean series, from one of Scotland's most celebrated crime writers. 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. As 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

Inspector McLean 9

Cold as the Grave

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

Inspector McLean 6

The Damage Done

The tenth book in the Sunday Times-bestselling Inspector McLean series, from one of Scotland's most celebrated crime writers When 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

Inspector McLean 10

Bury Them Deep

Two victims. Nothing connects them, except that someone buried them in the exact same way. Seven hundred years apart. An 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 gripping new thriller from the Sunday Times bestselling author

Första boken i succéserien om kommissarie McLean! »Den nye Ian Rankin. En stjärna på Skottlands växande deckarscen.« DAILY RECORD »En litterär sensation!« DAILY MAIL »En ypperlig början på en ny deckarserie.« THE GUARDIAN En 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.

James Oswald

About

Books

Join the club