What Will Burn

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 . . .

"A gritty police procedural with incredible twists." — Robert Dugoni, #1 Amazon and New York Times bestselling author of My Sisters Grave on Dead Men's Bones

"Readers who stay the course will be rewarded with an explosive ending and will agree with McLean that the best part of the job is ‘the hunt for clues, the slow puzzling out of just what had happened.'" — Booklist on Dead Men's Bones

"Oswald's fourth is a house of horrors that adds an above-par mystery to the usual supernatural touches." — Kirkus Reviews on Dead Men's Bones

"Oswald's detective gives John Rebus a run for his money." — Kirkus Reviews on The Book of Souls

"Engrossing...Readers will eagerly await the next installment." — Publishers Weekly on The Book of Souls

"McLean is a reluctant, empathetic hero who refuses to quit until he's solved the case." — Publishers Weekly on The Hangman's Song

"Readers who like character-driven murder mysteries such as those by John Connolly or Val MacDermid will enjoy McLean's debut outing and clamor for more."
— Library Journal Xpress Reviews on Natural Causes

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