Dead Men’s Bones: An Inspector McLean Novel

In Oswald’s solid fourth procedural to feature Edinburgh-based Det. Insp. Tony McLean (after 2015’s The Hangman’s Song), a dead man is found at the bottom of a cliff, naked and covered in tattoos, and a prominent politician kills his wife and two little girls before committing suicide. McLean is surprised that he’s asked to investigate the murder/suicide since it’s not his turf, but he eventually discovers the two cases are connected. As the cases get stranger, it becomes obvious that McLean is dealing with a very different kind of evil. The narrative lags in the middle but regains its feet when McLean finds out that a long-abandoned psychiatric hospital may be an important part of the case, as is Jane Louise Dee, a beautiful and diabolical woman who insinuates herself into the investigation. Fans who enjoy their procedurals with a hint of the supernatural, as well as a cold and gloomy setting, will find much to enjoy. Agent: Juliet Mushens, Agency Group (U.K.). (Sept.)