Inspector McLean 1 (Inspector Mclean Mystery) - Natural Causes

Started reading this on vacation and was sad to put it down for the drive back home! If only I could read and drive at the same time. Tony was a joy to get to know. Can't wait to start the 2nd book!

Good read, fast paced and exciting. The author shows the dark side of several characters, but I would have liked more back story on these characters.

I will read more of this author in the future.

A mostly well-written and engaging thriller; a real page-turner. Well-developed characters with good interplay between Inspector McLean and his colleagues, notably his pathologist pal Angus Cadwallader, his younger sidekick Detective Constable McBride, his friend and fellow officer Grumpy Bob Laird, crime scene photographer and romantic interest Emma Baird, and McLean's boss Superintendent Jayne McIntyre. A realistic sense of the police scene in Scotland. Not so great: the supernatural element that was a real let-down in the end. This book is not advertised as a horror novel, and it seemed like a cop-out to use this as the way to explain the evil in the bad guys. Also not so great was the juvenile behavior and cartoonish portrayal of the lead character's superior officer, "Dagwood". Otherwise, a fine read.

Well written, with engaging characters. A bit gorey, but I've seen worse on television. Good plot and plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing. I would recommend this book to mystery and CSI lovers.

I can't believe the puritanical bend of those who found this mystery offensive. It's like they're in the dark ages. What a great read this was. Terrific plot, sub-plots, great characterization, and overall great read. What a bore to take offense at the opening rape. Get it-rape is a fact of life.

Natural Causes was a very huge surprise. I never knew what was going to happen next. Loved that it was written so that you could see every street, bldg and his grandmothers house inside and out. I purchased The Book of Souls today and can't wait to get started. Wonderful book !!!!

The book was a bit slow. I could see the attempt at the occult but thought it was too loosely a part of the subject of the book. Overall, it was a decent read but if it was going to end in a supernatural way I wish there had been more focus on that subject.

I really enjoy "flash back" mysteries and this one brought great intrigue. The connections between the present day murders and the cold case was very well done and as the murder mysteries unfolded I couldn't connect the dots but at the end the stories were seamless and came together with the revelation and then the tease at the end. The title seemed out of place until the very end which is one element of a great mystery. I really enjoyed it!

I REALLY wanted to like this book. It had a lot going for it. I liked that it was set in Scotland, not a place where many of these crime novels are set. The main character was believable and pretty likable. The writing was pretty good, although there was a lot of Scotland-specific terminology that was hard to follow and Kindle didn't have any of it in its dictionary, so that was no help. But in the end, I just didn't like the book. The plot had far too many strands going simultaneously for my taste. There was a sidebar about the character's cell phone that just annoyed me more every time it was brought up - and it was a lot. (Maybe it was supposed to be funny, but it was repeated too many times to be humorous.) Characters introduced for no apparent reason, then quickly disappeared. And then it morphed from a crime procedural into some sort of occult story with an ending that was unfulfilling and not well set-up at all. For me, it was just a messy read and I didn't enjoy it.

Love a good mystery - Natural Causes delivered. I found myself going back to it every chance I got - kept me wanting for more. Will look forward to other reads by James Oswald - really liked Inspector McLean.

WOW! Could not put my Kindle down! I love mysteries, all kinds... Not only can James Oswald write, but he can tell a story that holds you spell bound. When I read the final page of Natural Causes, I only wanted more! Some might say it (the story) is gruesome, but I could hardly wait for the next shoe to drop. With every "event" the clues just kept piling up. Can hardly wait for the next episode in the life of "Inspector McLean"! Again I went searching for the next book, only to be disappointed. Will keep searching..

Natural Causes (The Inspector McLean Mysteries) I've grown up over the last half century enjoying police procedurals and Natural Causes fits the bill. To be honest, I only downloaded the Kindle version because it was free. But the hook is set and I look forward to continuing books in the series. The characters are believable, dialogue is well done and the scenes have a natural flow to them. My personal tastes would like slightly more exposition of people and places to get a better mental image. I am very much looking forward to Dark Souls and a continuing relationship with Inspector McLean and Grumpy Bob (who I think has an evil twin here in the US).

I'm not quite finished with the book, but like the main character and supporting characters -- there's some weird interludes of different people assume they are somehow victims that I don't like. But for the most part a good read.

Once start it a difficult habit to stop. Looking forward to the second book. A great addition to your must read list, the author mixes the occult and police work in just the right portions so you have to keep going oink out what happens next

mixing police procedural with a ghost story seems to me a waste. Oswald writes well and could actually write something that makes some sense, but for me mashing together Ed McBain with cheap supernatural gothic produces pure junk.

Too many murders, confusing, liked it overall but seemed a little far-fetched. Strecthing from a murder decades before to fit with existing murders. Too far apart to make believable or make sense, even for supernatural base plot.

Average read for this type of material. Plot was interesting but difficult to follow because I have a slight drinking problem and sometimes forget just what the main plot was. Try it yourself but leave off the gin and tonic's.

I read The Damage Done, the latest book in the Inspector McLean series a while back and I was a bit confused over the book story. However, after the "interesting" ending did I check up the book and that confirmed my suspicion that this series has a paranormal angle to the stories. And, suddenly the story in The Damage Done made much more sense. So, when I started to read this the first book in this series was I expecting the paranormal angel.

I was impressed with the story in this book, with the weird murders and the dead girl in the basement. I especially like the mix of paranormal in this crime novel. That makes this series a bit more unusual than an ordinary crime series. The main character Tony was raised after his parent's death by his grandmother that's now in the hospital following a stroke. And, 10 years ago his fiancee Kirsty Summers was murdered. So, he hasn't had an easy life and he hasn't much of a private life. Basically, he lives for his job and that's good because he has much to do in this book. He must solve the murders, find out the truth about the girl in the basement, and stop a cat burglar that targets houses of recently deceased people.

It's a dark book, but with humorous banters the characters. I especially like the coroner Angus Cadwallader, he brightens up the book, despite his job. Angus and Tony's scenes are always fun to read, despite the fact that they often met when someone has died.

I found this book, the first in the series to be an excellent book, with an intriguing and thrilling story!

Before writing down my own review of Natural Causes, I browsed through some of the reviews on Goodreads, and noticed that other reviewers complained about the supernatural aspect of the book, claiming it’s used as a deus ex machina. To each their own, but the supernatural tidbits of this book were actually my favorite, and had they not been included, I probably would’ve rated the book a four. Either way, don’t just ditch the book because it mentions the supernatural. Hardly enough police procedurals do this, and do it in a way as convincing as in this book.

On to the plot. Coinciding with the murder of prominent society members, DI Anthony McLean’s police department stumbles upon a cold case in the form of a young girl’s body tied to the basement floor of a dilipidated building with her organs removed and placed into alcoves around her body. That alone had me hooked. From the start there are clues to some kind of devil worship, and it’s up to McLean and his team to find out what’s going on, to connect the dots and solve this young girl’s murder. But on top of that, McLean has to deal with his grandma’s passing, classify some violent suicides that may or may not be linked to the murders, and solve the recent string of murders haunting town.

Tony, or Anthony, is brilliant. He’s the kind of flawed protagonist who manages to walk the line between flawed and too flawed. The entire police department is filled with colorful figures who bring something different to the table. The plot is fast-paced, the writing is solid, and if I didn’t need at least some hours of sleep, I would’ve read this book in one sitting: even if it meant staying up all night. I also loved it when the characters talked Scottish, and when some Scottish customs were discussed and added.

Fans of supernatural thrillers and police procedurals will love this. It’s the kind of book I’ve been waiting ages for, one that successfully merges these two genres.

I'd heard good things about this author for both this series and his newer fantasy series, so I'd been keeping an eye out for the books. I knew the author was Scottish and the books were set in and around Edinburgh, so that boded well for it painting Scotland & Edinburgh accurately - not something that always happens. I was right - James Oswald begins the story with Inspector Tony McLean stopping at a violent crime scene in one of the affluent areas of the city. Right from the start, Oswald brings Edinburgh to life - or rather death, as Inspector McLean goes from one crime scene to another, interspersed with time at the frantic police station and several visits to the morgue. While at first each crime seems straightforward and isolated, with a killer being found soon afterwards, Tony knows it isn't that simple and tries to untangle all the threads before someone else becomes a victim.

There is a hint of something supernatural in the story and readers are left guessing as to whether there really are ghosts involved, or whether the 'supernatural' events are simply coincidence and imagination. I thought it was a good story and I liked the cast of characters and their developing professional and personal relationship. I do plan to read the next book in the series when I can find it. So, if you're in the mood for some Scottish crime solving with a frustrated Detective Inspector and a hint of something supernatural, I can recommend this one. I'm giving this one 7/10.

~Ailsa
Review first posted on my book review blog, link in my profile.

I was captivated by this story from the opening pages and read it through in two days amid other obligations.

Detective Inspector Anthony McLean is out walking and happens upon a police call. He enters the premise and finds himself at the gruesome murder scene of a prominent citizen. The next morning he is called to the site of a very different murder, one that occurred over fifty years ago, and this one clearly appears to have been the result of a perverse ritual. True evil is afoot.

Aided in the pursuit of the murderers are a stellar set of character whom I hope to encounter in future books in this series. Angus Cadwallader the pathologist, Grumpy Bob and DC Stuart McBride round out Tony's co-workers.

While reading this mystery within a mystery, I quickly figured out the basics of what happened and kept calling aloud, "I knew it" though I had to keep reading to find out the details. I like the character of Tony and I felt bad for the sorrows of his life. I found myself rooting for him in solving these cases.

Natural Causes by James Oswald.

File this under my favorites. The author's first in the Detective Inspector McLean series.

I am so very thankful I found this author and his series. This book has no let up ...the story has and will take precedence over anything else going on in the reader's life. Starting to read this book I discovered the magnetism of it so compelling I put all other distractions aside.

Intense Action non-stop from every angle as well as character relationships building and growing. Do you dare not to read this?

This was an exciting read, but ultimately a disappointment. The Edinburgh atmosphere was good, and it carried on for most of its length like a good police procedural with absorbing characters, frustration for the main detective, bodies piling up and up. A LOT of bodies. Then a big letdown at the end when the author used a bunch of occult nonsense to tie up loose ends and explain means and motivation. It seemed to me like an easy escape from the tangles of the plot to blame an otherworldly embodiment of evil rather than to search the depths of the human mind and heart for the source of such chaos. Apparently all the Inspector McLean novels have a touch of the paranormal. I won't be reading any more of them.

I really liked Inspector McLean, the detective who is introduced in this book, and I really wanted to like the book. It is well written and even well proofread. I very much enjoy detective stories in which the detective is this engaging and draws me into his (or her) life, which Inspector McLean certainly did. If he had not been so interesting, I would have given this book a single star. I also would probably not have finished it.

Unfortunately, the plot of this book is gruesome, trite, and wildly improbable. I figured out what was going on long before the detective did, which was irritating. At least the book held my interest sufficiently, and I liked the detective enough, so that I was tempted to start shouting at him to open his eyes, stop being so dense, and draw the obvious connections that he needed to draw to solve the whole thing. I don't want to say more about the plot to avoid giving too much away about it for readers who don't mind gore and improbability, but it is worth noting that this book is not for the faint of stomach.

This series has promise, but the plots need to improve. I'm not sure about continuing to read the series. I would like to follow the progress of this detective as he develops, but not if the stories themselves stay in the realm that this one invokes.

The opening scene is certainly not for the faint-hearted. It sets the tone for the rest of the story, which is quite comfortable in its pace and yet packs a wicked punch here and there.
The author has created a main character, who is sympathetic without being overly emotional and smart without being condescending. I really enjoyed the main characters love hate or aura induced relationship with his modes of contact.
Despite the fact victims seem to be dropping at the rate of a heartbeat the author has managed to keep the plot interesting, although some of the events are a tad too convenient.
I think the ending could have been a little more intricate due to the extended build up, a little less 'all fits into place' nicely. However it was off the wall and quirky.
AVP-UK

This was a well written and very interesting book. My only problem and the reason for the 4 star rating was that the author seemed to make the Inspector a bit of an idiot. So many times even I questioned what the hell he was thinking when he said and did some of the things in the book. I know that not all police or people are perfect, but good lord, when writing about a man who was promoted to Inspector give him a little common sense. His blatant disregard for rules and the total lack of common sense resulted in the death of a fellow officer and I felt he showed very little remorse for her death.

I could not finish this book. The opening scene, a horrific murder and betrayal told from the point of view of the victim was more than I could stomach. There is no literary or human reason for gratuitous violence in drooling detail.

I not only wish I had my money back(and this was free) but I would love compensation for being subjected to this book. I always try to find something positive when I review, but there is nothing in what I did read that I could commend.

This book was recommended to me purportedly because I enjoy forensic pathology mysteries and forensic anthropology mysteries. This has no known link to either.

This book introduces Inspector McLean, Dagwood (his incompetent and arrogant boss), Grumpy Bob (a loyal but lazy sergeant), DC MacBride (an eager young officer), Cadwallader (the pathologist) and others connected with the Lothian and Borders Police (Edinburgh, Scotland). The mummified corpse of a young girl opens a case that is almost sixty years old. Several gruesome murders and unlikely suicides follow in a case that leaves the reader wondering if demons actually exist or if they exist only in men's minds. A stunning debut to a series that now contains three intriguing mysteries. I recommend it highly.

this is the first of hopefully of many James Oswald books of Inspector Mc Lean . I have not read any more but I notice that already some more have been published. As it is the first one the characters are a wooden and the supernatural element did not work.There were too man dead bodies. Bt tt
the pathologist Cadwallader and his assistant Tracy look interesting. if developed

Natural Causes by James Oswald is the first of his Inspector McLean Mysteries and is a very good opener to a series that promises to reveal extremely dark deeds afoot in Edinburgh.

Detective Inspector Anthony McLean is called upon to investigate the murder of a young woman whose body has been found walled up in the basement of an Edinburgh mansion. The woman had been brutally murdered many years ago and her internal organs had been removed and stored in jars alongside her body. The killing has all the marking of a disturbing occult ritual.

While Inspector McLean puzzles through the killing, there are other foul doings taking place. A prominent Edinburgh figure has been killed and, even though the apparent murderer confessed and then killed himself, it seems like the solution to the murder is far from simple. McLean fear that there might be a link to the death of the young woman and that some kind of ancient evil might actually be stalking the streets he has sworn to protect.

I almost didn't buy Natural Causes but I'm very glad that I did in the end. I'm usually a fan of more straightforward hardboiled crime stories and so the supernatural sounding elements in the plot summary made me weary. However, James Oswald has done a good job of mixing the paranormal in with the mundane aspects of Inspector McLean's investigation and so there is still a very satisfying hunt for a killer at the heart of the story.

The other thing that almost prevented me from purchasing Natural Causes was the sample chapter that I read. I couldn't get into it at all, the style just didn't grip me, and so even though the developing plot seemed like something I would actually enjoy, I wasn't sure I wanted to read the book. Fortunately curiosity won out and I have to say that that first chapter is actually quite different from the rest of the book. Once it had passed I felt like I was able to relax into the story and I ended up really enjoying Oswald's style.

Inspector McLean is a great detective of the classic school. He has a troubled home life and he's rather grumpy but he's still all about solving the case. However dangerous things get, McLean wants to get justice for the victims. All of the people that he interacts with seem very real and believable and Edinburgh, as conceived by James Oswald, provides an excellent setting for this kind of crime story. There are plenty of plot strands involved in Natural Causes but they all come together well to create a tight, plausible tale of murder and deception.

Inspector McLean has a hard time getting any time off. He is always called back to work because another dead body is found. His nemesis in the department refuses to see that they are all connected but our hard working inspector can't leave a mystery alone. Do you believe in demons. Read this story and see all the twists and turns that happen as he connects all the dots and finally has a person die of natural causes. Very good read. Gives a real like depiction of the Scottish day to day police action.

The police aspect seems patterned on Rankin's, whose book is actually mentioned in this one.
The story line is intriguing and qualifies as a "page turner."
The defect is a remarkable ignorance of medical and hospital procedures despite these being prominent in the descriptions. He should get some professional advice for his next one, but the important point is a readable and seemingly original plot.

You know when folk describe a book as a page-turner and remark that they couldn't put it down? Well this is one of those books. I found it a little disturbing at first as the opening chapter hits you between the eyes, and I thought whoa what's this? I'm so glad I stuck with it because it developed into an extremely detailed, almost complicated crime story but with twists that took you on a journey you simply had to see to the end. Yes I found it very hard to put down. It was, in three words, an excellent read. You ended up caring very much for the main character in a mystery that was impossble to unravel until right to the very end. I'm an avid reader of murder mysteries and this one I'll rate amongst the best.

...new author, new credible detective character to align with... most enjoyable narrative... enough clues and diversion mixed with excellent counterpoint villains and obstinate police hierarchy to frustrate Inspector Tony McLean’s efforts... I’m hooked on the character and this author’s work...

I didn't get past the opening. Graphic violence doesn't appeal to me. My life has included enough violence that I don't need to read the details of spikes going through hands but I can see it might be helpful for inexperienced sadists.

Of course, I didn't read the book, beyond the first few pages, so I probably shouldn't rate the book but if the sound of nails breaking cartilage and how it feels with the nails bent over so you can't pull your hands off doesn't appeal to you, skip the book.

The police aspect seems patterned on Rankin's, whose book is actually mentioned in this one.
The story line is intriguing and qualifies as a "page turner."
The defect is a remarkable ignorance of medical and hospital procedures despite these being prominent in the descriptions. He should get some professional advice for his next one, but the important point is a readable and seemingly original plot.

You know when folk describe a book as a page-turner and remark that they couldn't put it down? Well this is one of those books. I found it a little disturbing at first as the opening chapter hits you between the eyes, and I thought whoa what's this? I'm so glad I stuck with it because it developed into an extremely detailed, almost complicated crime story but with twists that took you on a journey you simply had to see to the end. Yes I found it very hard to put down. It was, in three words, an excellent read. You ended up caring very much for the main character in a mystery that was impossble to unravel until right to the very end. I'm an avid reader of murder mysteries and this one I'll rate amongst the best.

...new author, new credible detective character to align with... most enjoyable narrative... enough clues and diversion mixed with excellent counterpoint villains and obstinate police hierarchy to frustrate Inspector Tony McLean’s efforts... I’m hooked on the character and this author’s work...

I didn't get past the opening. Graphic violence doesn't appeal to me. My life has included enough violence that I don't need to read the details of spikes going through hands but I can see it might be helpful for inexperienced sadists.

Of course, I didn't read the book, beyond the first few pages, so I probably shouldn't rate the book but if the sound of nails breaking cartilage and how it feels with the nails bent over so you can't pull your hands off doesn't appeal to you, skip the book.

I enjoyed this book. Up there with Ben Aaronovitch's take on crime, although somewhat darker. Would be happy to tell everyone about it. The Death Too Soon book is great too.

I read "The Book of Souls", before this and really enjoyed it. Could kick myself for not reading this one first. "Natural Causes" fills in a lot of background and Sturm and Drang and zips you right to the beginning of the next book....which I will no doubt read again. / vBulletin've :

Will read another inspector mclean book because I liked him, he was clever, articulate, and not totally damaged as the chosen detective usually is, he also wasn't badly scarred, a drunkard and a reprobate as is also usual. Interesting use of pure evil, making it seem possible that its not all nuture over nature, which is how we are normally fed the grossness of serial or otherwise killers

When I first started this book, it was slow going, more than likely on my part. Once into it, I couldn't put it down. McLean's character is smartly written, and the feeling that you are walking along with him is intense. His backup detectives are also well-written, and I enjoyed his friendship with Angus and the morgue. The premise of the story is well thought out, and certainly realistic. I recommend this book to all who enjoy mystery and puzzles.

This was an intriguing read. I love my detective novels and was pleasantly surprised by the twists & turns in this one, as well as the added element of the 'other world'. I loved the references to Edinburgh as I have been there. Well written & exciting, I will read more books by this author. However, I need my nerves to calm down first!

This book is the one you need on those slow, cold, rainy or snowy days. The plot while intricate does offer enough foreshadowing to allow some of the mystery and suspense to slip away like last bites dream. Overall I did enjoy the story and did not begrudge the time spent reading it.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, have never heard of the author before, but downloaded it because it was free ! Have bought the second one in this series and hope there are more. Other reviewers are right the first chapter is quite unpleasant, but the book is very intriguing and a mix of genres, so all in all a five star read.

This book might have merit but I read about 1/4th of the book and just had to put it away for something else. The book's main character appeared to have promise but I couldn't get past the spelling/language differences. I know that seems silly but I didn't realize this book was not set in America. Some of the spelling of typical words is spelled slightly different and the terminology in some instances was slightly different. Just enough to annoy me. And the plot seemed to take too long to really develope. Just didn't grab me.

I would not recommend this book to the queasy or faint-hearted. Some of the scenes are very graphic.

We have the usual cop at odds with his bosses, which theme is a bit hackneyed, but still the book is enjoyable in its improbability. There are a few too many murders with grisly bits in great descriptive detail, but they are an intrinsic part of the story.

I enjoyed this book so much that I have purchased all the rest of the series out so far, and one on back-order. I just hope they are as readable as this first book in the series.

I gave this a high rating because it was quite well written and because the story was quite suspenseful, even a bit creepy. The characters were fleshed out enough that you get a sense that you can see into their makeup in so far as what makes them tick & what makes their interactions realistic.
I am not a fan of occult or supernatural tales, which I set aside with this rating because, while it is suggested in this story, it is done so faintly, and could just as easily be mereley a psychological coincidence. It was not deeply explored or explained, to no detriment of the story.
It was also a bit difficult to keep tabs on the multitude of bad guys and victims. Again this did little damage to the story which kept moving along as the body count climbed and, eventually, recognizing the aggregate result was sufficient to sort the nuts and bolts out.
And, though it was simple to identify who the instigator of the current activities was this, too, did not detract from the story, as he was a bit player.

What a great suprise this book was, I admit I bought it because it was cheap and I enjoy the genre but it more than stood up for itself in the detective/thriller area.
The main character is very well presented to us, the style of writing is excellent.
The second in the series The Book of Souls was ordered straight after finishing the first and I sincerely hope another is along soon.

I couldn't finish this book. I couldn't even get more than 30 or so pages in. I kept trying to make myself continue but I just couldn't. It was quite boring. I got the book for free and still couldn't make myself read it.

James Oswald is the latest Scottish author to jump into the police procedural genre, and his debut is a doozy. Natural Causes is the first of what promises to be a series -- the second installment, The Book of Souls, is being released in summer 2013 -- centered around Edinburgh police inspector Tony McLean. He's pulled into two cases that appear to be unrelated: the ritual murder of a young girl during the 1940s and the gruesome slayings of several prominent men in the present day. I had just returned from a visit to Edinburgh when I read this book, and it was fun to recognize some of the locations mentioned in the novel.

Oswald does a fine job of detailing the life of a detective who sometimes runs afoul of his superiors in his passionate pursuit of the truth. He's not one to accept the easy solution, and this gets him in trouble on occasion. Still, he perseveres. This story explores his personal tragedies -- his parents were killed in a plane crash when he was a young child, and his girlfriend was murdered a few years before the events of the novel. He's haunted by both, and by the death of the grandmother who raised him. All of these elements at first seem separate, but plot twists weave them closer together as McLean tracks one or more killers.

This book isn't for the faint of heart or stomach, but a feature that surprised me was the introduction of supernatural elements to the plot. You can believe those or not, but this is a ripping good tale, well-written and fast-moving, and with plenty of twists and turns. Oswald also pays homage to one of his mentors, Glasgow mystery author Stuart MacBride, by naming one of the policemen after him. This one kept me guessing until the end, and I look forward to reading the second book in the series.