Natural causes (Penguin Books)

Natural Causes is the first novel from James Oswald in the Detective Inspector McLean series. 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 żeby the young victim and her grisly death. Meanwhile, the city is horrified żeby 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...James Oswald's Detective Inspector McLean appears here for the first time. Natural Causes is the opening to an electrifying new series. Subsequent titles include The Book of Souls and The Hangman's Song. Fans of Ian Rankin, Peter James and Stuart McBride will love James Oswald's work.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). James Oswald is the author of the Detective Inspector McLean series of crime novels. The first two in the series, Natural Causes and The Book of Souls, are available from Penguin, with the third title, The Hangman's Song, forthcoming for 2014. He has also written an epic fantasy series, The Ballad of Sir Benfro as well as comic scripts and short stories. 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.