Natural Causes

By James Oswald

Edinburgh Detective Inspector Tony McLean is drawn into a set of cases separated by six decades, but connected by a macabre and brutal ritual killing in the first entry of the Detective Inspector MacLean mystery series.

A young girl's mutilated body is discovered in a room that has lain sealed for the last sixty years. Her remains are carefully arranged in what seems to have been a macabre ritual. 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 theory. And one that will lead McLean closer to the heart of a terrifying and ancient evil . . .

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Oct 8, 2013
• ISBN: 9780544317871

James Oswald

JAMES OSWALD is the author of the Detective Inspector McLean series of crime novels by night. During the day he runs a 350 acre livestock farm in North East Fife, Scotland where he raises Highland cattle and sheep.

Reviews for Natural Causes

[icolford · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In the first entry in James Oswald’s Inspector McLean series of crime novels, recently promoted Detective Inspector Tony MacLean of the Edinburgh Division of Lothian and Borders Police encounters a series of grisly high-profile murders. The murders quickly become the department’s primary focus, with the investigation overseen by haughty and officious Detective Chief Inspector Charles Duguid. Despite a combative history between the two, MacLean is assigned to Duguid’s team. But shortly after this MacLean is called to a building site where, in a house under renovation, workers have uncovered a concealed room in the basement containing the mummified corpse of a young woman. The meticulous staging and grotesque nature of the injuries to the uncannily preserved body suggest a ritual murder, which, as MacLean learns once the body has been examined, would have taken place roughly 60 years earlier. MacLean, ostensibly working on Duguid’s murder investigation, is deeply troubled by the unidentified young female victim’s horrible fate and finds one excuse after another to divert his energies and attention to the cold case, ultimately concluding that this case and Duguid’s murder cases are linked. In the meantime, MacLean is distracted by developments in his personal life. The deaths of both his parents when he was very young left responsibility for raising him to his grandmother, and she has recently passed away after lingering in a coma for months following a stroke. MacLean, the only heir, is left with the task of sorting out her estate, which, as he discovers when consulting with her lawyer, is quite valuable. But then, in another development, while in his grandmother’s house late one evening despairing over how he’s going to get everything done, he encounters—and, after a brief struggle arrests—a thief in the act of carrying out a burglary. The intricately structured plot follows a multitude of threads through a complex storyline that brings everything together in a surprising conclusion, and in the process offers up red herrings galore and plenty of action sequences. Oswald proves adept at characterization, using backstory to flesh out DI MacLean and his colleagues on the police force as well as the various lawyers, perpetrators and witnesses he encounters, drawing us into their lives and eliciting our sympathy or disdain. Tony MacLean is a man haunted by a tragic past and numerous regrets whose impulsive and obsessive nature often lands him in hot water with his superiors. He disregards orders and his behaviour sometimes borders on insolence, but they tolerate him because of sleuthing skills that enable him to spot connections that escape everyone else. Oswald’s sharply detailed, carefully crafted prose is refreshing and makes Natural Causes interesting on multiple levels, as does his effective use of light and shadow and the vividly drawn Edinburgh setting. Natural Causes is an auspicious inaugural volume in a highly successful and popular Scottish noir series. It is also a novel that stands on its own as a sophisticated entertainment.

[olivermagnus · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

James Oswald makes his writing debut with Natural Causes, introducing Edinburgh-based Detective Inspector Tony McLean. The novel opens with the discovery of a young woman who has been tortured and murdered in what appears to be a ritualistic manner. Evidence shows she died approximately sixty years ago. In a parallel story line, the city is horrified by a series of robberies and murders where no motive is apparent. McLean is convinced that these deaths are somehow connected to the sixty year old ritualistic killing.

The story is complex and interesting, but I found it hard to keep track of some of the details that were vital to the case. The cast of characters is large and diverse. The author struggled a bit in deciding whether he was writing a paranormal suspense book or a police procedural. Overall, this book was an enjoyable read. The next book in the series looks promising and I hope to read it soon.

[bhabeck-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the first book in the DI Anthony McLean series. There are several cases in which McLean is involved but the primary one - the ritualistic murder of a young girl from 60 years ago but newly discovered - seems to have connections to current crimes. Tony has to conduct his investigation with limited resources and very little help as most of the personnel in the precinct are assigned to a high-profile murder.Natural Causes is a new genre for James Oswald who is primarily known for fantasy. However, he does a very good job on his first crime/mystery book by giving us characters that are likable (most, anyway), cases that are interesting and just enough information to potentially allow the reader to have a chance of solving the case along with McLean.Tony McLean is an interesting guy. He's a new Detective Inspector who has already had run-ins with the Chief Inspector when he was working his cases as a sergeant. His fiancee was horribly murdered a few years ago and he has not yet fully recovered from that loss. His grandmother, who raised him from age 4 after the death of his parents, has been in a stroke-induced coma for the past 18 months. Despite all of these challenges (or maybe because of them?) he puts his all into solving crimes and getting answers/closure for the loved ones.I really liked the characters - Tony, Emma, McBride, even Grumpy Bob - and enjoyed Oswald's writing style. I definitely intend to continue with the series - especially as it appears the next book will give us more insight into Tony's past. A note - this book does contain a supernatural aspect but it, ultimately, did not detract from the story though I was initially concerned that it would.Rating: 4 Stars

[andrew1theqm · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I read this as a Group Read and as an author new to me, based around a newly promoted detective in Edinburgh. I have to say I think I have found a new and good author who put together an excellent story, with bodies dropping all over the place based on events in the past. It had all the markings of a 4.5 star rating or higher, and halfway through the last section of the book I still wasn't totally clear what was going on. However the ending with it's supernatural element just let it down a touch for me. I don't mind supernatural but the book wasn't really advertised as such so this cost it half a star for me. However it was still a very good read and I will be continuing with the series.

[carol420 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Natural Causes by James OswaldInspector McLean series Book #14 starsFrom The Book:A young girl's mutilated body is discovered in a room that has lain sealed for the last sixty years. Her remains are carefully arranged in what seems to have been a macabre ritual.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 theory. And one that will lead McLean closer to the heart of a terrifying and ancient evil My Thoughts:This story of crime and mystery, set in Edinburgh, reminds us that the city has some dark deeds in its past. This story adds one more element of “dark” and “evil” to the mix.The story moves very quickly for the most part and the bodies keep piling up, Detective Inspector McLean meets with resistance from some team members, however the scenes in the police station are well done, and the variety of characters throughout are well portrayed. Of course Oswald throws in one for us to hate. There is a hint... almost like a small dusting... of a supernatural element... that allows the reader to form their own opinion as to it’s authenticity. Over all a great first book and I look forward to the second one.

[ecw0647 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Newly minted Inspector McLean is assigned a ridiculously difficult case. A girl, dead for at least fifty years, has been found walled up and ritually disemboweled in the basement of a house being renovated. Another case involves an important local man and some recent burglaries. And to top it off, McLean’s grandmother dies leaving him 5 million pounds.It’s a moderately interesting story although some of the events, like the inheritance, seem superfluous unless intended to be relevant in future series title. Fortunately, the hint of supernatural involvement remained just that, but even the mere suggestion was a bit off-putting. The author says in a note that the novel was fleshed out from a short-story and it does have a bloated feel sometimes. Nevertheless, it was enjoyable and I’ll continue with the series.N.B. The publisher’s blurb is stupid.

[stevebishop-3 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Very disappointed with this. Violates rule 2 of Ronald Knox's Ten rules of detective fiction: All supernatural or preternatural agencies are ruled out as a matter of course.

[spicewalker · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I can't recall how I came upon this series but I am mighty glad that I did. Having just been back through this novel for the second time in readiness for the new release at the end of the month, I can happily say it has lost none of the appeal it had for me on our first outing,Natural Causes introduces the character of Detective Inspector Anthony McLean. It opens upon a rather grisly murder which sets the tone for the rest of the story. You can tell from the offset that McLean is an intelligent, diligent detective with a good intuition, who for some reason has fallen foul of his superior office DCI Duguid or Dagwood as he is less affectionately known. This sets us up nicely for an ongoing tension and conflict throughout the book, making McLean's job just that little bit harder than it really needs to be, and giving the reader just another reason to feel a little affection for our put upon hero.The story itself centers around the murder of several prominent business men, with no immediately apparent link between them or the people who kill them. In amongst the ongoing investigations, McLean and his team of DS 'Grumpy Bob' Laird and DC Stuart MacBride are handed the rather dubious pleasure of investigating the 60 year old murder of a young unknown woman, discovered in a house which is being renovated. Throw in a succession of burglaries and the disappearance of another teenager and stage is set for a most challenging investigation.What sets this story apart from your common or garden police procedural, and what gave it that edge for me is an undercurrent of the supernatural, the sense that all of the players in this game might not be quite who, or what, they appear to be. Visiting clairvoyant, Madame Rose, McLean is given a clear understanding that to solve these particular cases he will have to look beyond what can be seen by the naked eye and trust in his instincts that something far more sinister is afoot. It is also clear that McLean's past is not as he thought it to be, with the promise of a secret yet to be revealed. It is the element of the supernatural which I really enjoyed as I was brought up on Scottish Ghost stories and Steven King novels. Think some of the less conspiracy theory episodes of the X-Files and you have a flavour of what you might be facing. If you don't think this is what you are looking for, I'd say give it a whirl anyway. You may surprise yourself.The writing is solid, the story moves along at a fast pace and the descriptions of Edinburgh and the surrounds had me reminiscing over many a summer spent drip drying in an old tent in Mortonhall. McLean is a character who is easy to like and the supporting characters lend their own colour to the story. I have to be honest and say that after reading all five of the books, and even rereading them now, I am not entirely sure I know what it is that McLean looks like. The story is largely told from his point of view and to be fair I don't know about you but as a rule I don't go around thinking about how I look to myself much either. I know how old McLean is, I know about his past and that he looks like his father but beyond that... Maybe that's part of the appeal. This way he is whoever you want him to be.A great story and it really hooked me. If you haven't read it yet - what are you waiting for?

[4hounds · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

There were some things that bothered me a bit: the detective almost never slept - understandable, given all the was going on, but he never appeared to be impaired by it; he was so very connected to everyone involved...while this was explained in some ways, it made several of his discoveries seem to be more coincidental than otherwise; finally, the supernatural influences didn't feel like a good fit. I love a fantasy/mystery - Ben Aaronovitch's books are wonderful - but the two aspects didn't fully mesh for me in this book. But...I couldn't put it down! I'm wondering if that feeling of disconnect will go away as he writes more. Or perhaps it's just his style, and I need to adapt. Either way, I'm looking forward to reading the next one.

[daftboy1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is the first in the series of Inspector Mclean books. Set in Edinburgh he is tasked with investigating the death of a young girl whose mummified remains are discovered after 60 years. Mclean and his team get to work then more bodies start turning up these are old men who may be linked to the girls death. This book is set at a really good pace very enjoyable but without spoiling the story I was disappointed with the ending. Apart from that I still look forward to reading the next book in this series.

[eyejaybee · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

At times I struggled with this novel which seemed rather disjointed, though the plot was sufficiently compelling for me to persevere through to the end (which is quite a tribute in itself these days as I have become increasingly ruthless about ditching books recently). I found it rather chaotic, and it seemed too heavily reliant upon detective story cliches with Inspector McLean (the principal character) enduring a difficult relationship with his immediate but incompetent superior (Chief Inspector Duguid, known to one and all as "Dagwood"). McLean is, almost predictably, rather a maverick. In this particular instance his difference from the pack derives from the relative affluence of his upbringing - orphaned at four he was raised by his indomitable and wealthy grandmother.The plot is definitely incoherent and fanciful. The novel opens with the discovery of the murder of a wealthy Edinburgh luminary who had contacts at the highest level of society and officialdom. Almost immediately afterwards builders converting an old property in Edinburgh uncover a corpse in a hidden room, with six of its body parts concealed in recesses in the wall, along with inscriptions. Closer analysis shows that the murder probably took place about sixty years ago. Then there is another murder in the ranks of Edinburgh's higher society, and McLean, who has been "relegated" to investigating the old case, spots links between the historic murder and the current series of killings.McLean's grandmother has been comatose for almost eighteen months following a severe stroke, and suddenly dies. This brings McLean into contact with Jonas Carstairs, her solicitor, who is, himself, promptly murdered in a style reminiscent of the earlier two killings.I found the basic plot intriguing, though perhaps on the verges of becoming too fanciful for my prosaic tastes, but the book is drawn out unnecessarily and there are too many needless complications. I also found the characters rather poorly drawn and felt absolutely no empathy with McLean.I did persevere through to the end, and found some of the story enjoyable, but I doubt that i shall trouble to read any subsequent novels in the series.

[elainedav · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I thought this was a great first book in a series to come (number 2 already published and number 3 on the way). The character of DI McLean is developed well and you are introduced to a host of others, Grumpy Bob, DCI Duguid, DC MacBride and the pathologist Angus Cadwallader, to name just a few.There were a lot of dead bodies popping up in this book. But that helped both to develop the back story of DI McLean as well as the main plot line along with the supernatural element of the book. I'm looking forward to reading the second in the series. I assume the personal Tony McLean story will continue, not least to develop how he manages his inheritance and presumably continues his police career. But also to see how the author continues the supernatural theme in a new storyline. I hope the series continues to be as good as the first!

[corazie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

You can't talk about this book in any way without first mentioning the opening chapter. My toes curled, my hands were in fists, and my throat hurt. I had to suppress the urge to throw up. The first chapter of this book is powerful - the imagery is horrifying and stops just short of being too much. It is terrifying that it could even be conceivable, grotesque that it could possibly happen. But it works. This chapter serves its purpose and serves it well. If you ever forget it then you're lucky - and you will not forget it before you finish the book.

All I wanted to know for much of this book was who that poor young woman was, the girl who suffered such a fate and who did it. That you are reminded of this first, terrible act throughout the book only makes the reader more keen to finish this riveting read and solve the mystery with McLean.

The tone is not all horrifying gore. The characters bring a well needed injection of humour and mystery and a sense of realness. The reader is slowly fed information about McLean, his past does not overshadow the story at all.

This is a well rounded crime novel, with just enough of everything to make it perfect. James Oswald surely knew that to write about a Detective Inspector in Edinburgh would invite comparisons to Ian Rankin's Rebus and seemingly makes a nod to this near the very end, with a Police Constable reading one of Rankin's books.

I wasn't sure about the slight fantasy element, but it worked well with the story and resolved itself by the end. I've never read such a real crime story so well-woven with a hint of fantasy, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I won a copy of this book via Goodreads First Reads.

[jtck121166 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

From gruesome prelude to hair-raising conclusion this novel was a terrific read. DI Anthony McLean is a thoroughly likeable hero, his life at the smarter end of Edinburgh a welcome respite from the seediness of other cops' in that city. Secondary characters and plot also compel - the whole marred only by an unwelcome element of supernatural silliness now and again.

[lexieconyngham · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was very much along the lines of Stuart McBride, a police procedural with realistic and likeable leads, some wit, instant engagement in the plot, and a good deal of gore. However there are two key differences: the first, this is set in Edinburgh; the second, rather more significantly, is the substantial supernatural element to the plot. This was well interwoven in the police investigation and convincing in the circumstances. I'll be interested to see where the author goes with sequels - he's treading a dangerous path but treading it well!A footnote: given that this is not an indie production but a Penguin paperback, it was disappointing to see so many typos and grammatical mistakes which a mainline publisher ought to have edited out (or perhaps not introduced?).

[imyknott · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great - enjoyed it.

[v4758 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Actually really enjoyed this book. Main character is believable, not too much history. Good deductions and I suppose the reasoning behind the multiple deaths was sort of sorted out without resorting to witchery. Good support characters too, Grumpy Bob et al. Once I got going with it was a bit difficult to put down. Off to read the next in the series now!