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Inspector McLean #10
Bury Them Deep
When a member of the Police Scotland team fails to clock-in for work, concern for her whereabouts is immediate... and the discovery of her burnt-out car in remote woodland to the south of Edinburgh sets off a desperate search for the missing woman.
Meanwhile, DCI Tony McLean and the team are preparing for a major anti-corruption operation - one which may raise the ire of more than a few powerful people in the city. Is Anya Renfrew's disappearance a co-incidence or related to the case?
McLean's investigations suggest that perhaps that Anya isn't the first woman to have mysteriously vanished in these ancient hills. Once again, McLean can't shake the feeling that there is a far greater evil at work here...
464 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2020
128 people are currently reading
463 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 154 reviews
December 11, 2019
This is the latest in James Oswald's Edinburgh series featuring DCI Tony McLean, still unhappy about the now more managerial role dealing with budgets, reports and senior management meetings. He is infinitely happier on the front line of policing, it is where his strengths lie, right in the middle of the actual investigation of any given case. His map and knowledge of Edinburgh is one where streets and villages are marked and memorable for his various past murder cases. Unusually Edinburgh is in the midst of a sweltering heatwave, it’s the summer holidays, school's out and there are bored kids on the streets, and with the dry as tinder landscape there are numerous fires, some natural but not all. Tony is part of the tightly controlled Operation Caterwaul, where every member is heavily vetted due its extreme political sensitivity, partnered with the NCA and the Americans, involving the targeting of major figures in the business world for fraud and money laundering.
One of the operation team's administration support members, the long serving, capable and totally reliable, Anya Renfrew, fails to turn up at the start, triggering paranoia and suspicions, threatening to compromise the entire operation. Tony's gut instinct is that Anya's disappearance has nothing to do with the operation, he is worried for her as he is charged to find out what happened to her. As he interviews those who worked with Anya, it becomes clear that other than work based relationships, she is a remarkably contained woman whom people actually know very little about. Senior management's concerns hit sky high levels when it becomes apparent that Anya indulged in a secret double life, and does not live at the address held for her by the police. Her car is discovered burnt out in a remote and isolated part of Gladhouse woods and reservoir, an area with a sinister history of missing women going back years, brimming with Scottish folklore, myths and legends, such as that of the cannibal Sawney Bean and his family, brought back from Ireland for the entire family to be hanged locally without trial in the reign of James I. In a narrative that takes in American spooks, the apparently coincidental arrival of three billionaire tech guys that provide a security nightmare, a fire on the moors that reveals a charnel pit of dead remains, some of which are recent, Tony is to find himself in extreme danger in his search for the truth about Anya.
Tony's personal life with his partner, Emma, is still fragile after previous tragic events, but he is buoyed when she shows a strong interest in studying Forensic Anthropology with the famous Professor Harriet Turner, whom coincidentally he knows. Additionally, Tony finds he must face up to the horror of meeting up with childhood friend and multiple murderer Norman Bale, now incarcerated for life at Bestingfield Secure Psychiatric Hospital, when it looks like he might have significant information on the missing Anya. This is a trademark intense and dark read from Oswald, riveting with elements of the supernatural, with some insane secret cults with gruesome traditions that go back a long time historically. This is a great series and I loved this latest addition, finding it a compulsive novel that I just could not put down. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Jenni and Headline for an ARC.
One of the operation team's administration support members, the long serving, capable and totally reliable, Anya Renfrew, fails to turn up at the start, triggering paranoia and suspicions, threatening to compromise the entire operation. Tony's gut instinct is that Anya's disappearance has nothing to do with the operation, he is worried for her as he is charged to find out what happened to her. As he interviews those who worked with Anya, it becomes clear that other than work based relationships, she is a remarkably contained woman whom people actually know very little about. Senior management's concerns hit sky high levels when it becomes apparent that Anya indulged in a secret double life, and does not live at the address held for her by the police. Her car is discovered burnt out in a remote and isolated part of Gladhouse woods and reservoir, an area with a sinister history of missing women going back years, brimming with Scottish folklore, myths and legends, such as that of the cannibal Sawney Bean and his family, brought back from Ireland for the entire family to be hanged locally without trial in the reign of James I. In a narrative that takes in American spooks, the apparently coincidental arrival of three billionaire tech guys that provide a security nightmare, a fire on the moors that reveals a charnel pit of dead remains, some of which are recent, Tony is to find himself in extreme danger in his search for the truth about Anya.
Tony's personal life with his partner, Emma, is still fragile after previous tragic events, but he is buoyed when she shows a strong interest in studying Forensic Anthropology with the famous Professor Harriet Turner, whom coincidentally he knows. Additionally, Tony finds he must face up to the horror of meeting up with childhood friend and multiple murderer Norman Bale, now incarcerated for life at Bestingfield Secure Psychiatric Hospital, when it looks like he might have significant information on the missing Anya. This is a trademark intense and dark read from Oswald, riveting with elements of the supernatural, with some insane secret cults with gruesome traditions that go back a long time historically. This is a great series and I loved this latest addition, finding it a compulsive novel that I just could not put down. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Jenni and Headline for an ARC.
October 3, 2020
This is the 10th novel in one of my favourite series 'Tony Mclean' by author James Oswald.
One of the things I really enjoy when reading book series is that you can instantly get to grips with the regular characters knowing their back stories etc. Tony Mclean is a great character and like a lot of excellent book figures has plenty of foibles and emotional upsets.
Anya Renfrew is a member of the Police Scotland team and fails to clock-in for work. She is known to be exceptionally reliable and concern for her whereabouts is immediate, more so with the discovery of her burnt-out car in remote woodland to the south of Edinburgh.
DCI Tony McLean investigations suggest that Anya isn't the first woman to have mysteriously vanished in these ancient hills and that a far greater evil at work here.
Another excellent addition to this series but would work as a standalone. Great characters, interesting plot and an excellent police procedural novel.
One of the things I really enjoy when reading book series is that you can instantly get to grips with the regular characters knowing their back stories etc. Tony Mclean is a great character and like a lot of excellent book figures has plenty of foibles and emotional upsets.
Anya Renfrew is a member of the Police Scotland team and fails to clock-in for work. She is known to be exceptionally reliable and concern for her whereabouts is immediate, more so with the discovery of her burnt-out car in remote woodland to the south of Edinburgh.
DCI Tony McLean investigations suggest that Anya isn't the first woman to have mysteriously vanished in these ancient hills and that a far greater evil at work here.
Another excellent addition to this series but would work as a standalone. Great characters, interesting plot and an excellent police procedural novel.
March 28, 2020
Bury Them Deep: Inspector McLean 10 by James Oswald.
A read worthy of much more than 5 stars.
A key assistant on Tony's team has gone missing. Anya Renfrew has not shown up in her usual place for their morning conference. The Police Scotland team have a meeting regarding Operation Caterwaul. DCI McLean is doing his utmost to find clues any clues that would lead him to Anya. All he's come up with are his good intentions but no new leads.
Duguid in the cold case files dept. shares his dislike (to put it mildly) of Grace Ramsey. Grace was a no-nonsense Chief Detective although now retired and in a nursing home after a bad fall that left her with a broken pelvis. The main reason for his intense dislike of Grace was her obsession with all those missing women. all her detailed files were still there in the cold case dept. Tony comes across a fact that he and the dept. in general, may have not been aware of. Grace Ramsey was and is Anya's mother. It was time for tony to pay Grace a visit at that nursing home.
The intensity of this search with its possible gravity along with the involvement of specific new and old characters enhanced the storyline. Highly recommended.
A read worthy of much more than 5 stars.
A key assistant on Tony's team has gone missing. Anya Renfrew has not shown up in her usual place for their morning conference. The Police Scotland team have a meeting regarding Operation Caterwaul. DCI McLean is doing his utmost to find clues any clues that would lead him to Anya. All he's come up with are his good intentions but no new leads.
Duguid in the cold case files dept. shares his dislike (to put it mildly) of Grace Ramsey. Grace was a no-nonsense Chief Detective although now retired and in a nursing home after a bad fall that left her with a broken pelvis. The main reason for his intense dislike of Grace was her obsession with all those missing women. all her detailed files were still there in the cold case dept. Tony comes across a fact that he and the dept. in general, may have not been aware of. Grace Ramsey was and is Anya's mother. It was time for tony to pay Grace a visit at that nursing home.
The intensity of this search with its possible gravity along with the involvement of specific new and old characters enhanced the storyline. Highly recommended.
January 16, 2020
thanks to netgalley and publishers for a free copy in return for open and honest review
the latest in the series enjoyed was dark with elements of folklore added and a support worker disappears and delve into the Edinburgh dogging scene and bones are found which incorporate cold cases. the plot kept me interested but felt though the ending was slightly rushed.
the latest in the series enjoyed was dark with elements of folklore added and a support worker disappears and delve into the Edinburgh dogging scene and bones are found which incorporate cold cases. the plot kept me interested but felt though the ending was slightly rushed.
February 23, 2020
#10 in the Inspector McLean series and it can be read as a stand-alone, but in my opinion you are missing out on a brilliant series. (I’ve read and listened to them all)…
In this, Anya, a civilian administrator for the police, has gone missing. Usually reliable and consistent this causes concern. So Detective Inspector Tony Mclean begins an investigation.
When Anya’s car is found burned out, things get more serious. As Mclean searches her home they find the quiet, sensible woman they know at work has a very different personal life.
There are rumours and stories of women disappearing in the same area over many years….are they true? Is something sinister roaming Gladhouse Woods?
Tony is contracted by Norman Bale, a man purporting to be his childhood friend, but also a murderer. What links him to these disappearances, if anything?
Tony’s personal life is tense too, with Emma quiet and fragile after their recent tragedy and Mclean isn’t sure how to help or deal with the emotions.
This is a fantastic read, it’s dark, gruesome and twisty, with some supernatural elements (as always) and great characters. Grumpy Bob is a real favourite
Mclean ends up in a dangerous situation, but will he be able to put an end to these disappearances once and for all? Utterly compelling and I loved every tension filled minute. Can’t wait for book #11.
Thank you to The publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this for free. This is my honest, unbiased review.
In this, Anya, a civilian administrator for the police, has gone missing. Usually reliable and consistent this causes concern. So Detective Inspector Tony Mclean begins an investigation.
When Anya’s car is found burned out, things get more serious. As Mclean searches her home they find the quiet, sensible woman they know at work has a very different personal life.
There are rumours and stories of women disappearing in the same area over many years….are they true? Is something sinister roaming Gladhouse Woods?
Tony is contracted by Norman Bale, a man purporting to be his childhood friend, but also a murderer. What links him to these disappearances, if anything?
Tony’s personal life is tense too, with Emma quiet and fragile after their recent tragedy and Mclean isn’t sure how to help or deal with the emotions.
This is a fantastic read, it’s dark, gruesome and twisty, with some supernatural elements (as always) and great characters. Grumpy Bob is a real favourite
Mclean ends up in a dangerous situation, but will he be able to put an end to these disappearances once and for all? Utterly compelling and I loved every tension filled minute. Can’t wait for book #11.
Thank you to The publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this for free. This is my honest, unbiased review.
December 10, 2019
Review to follow.
January 9, 2025
When your story starts with a folk story about cannibalism and then a woman goes missing, well, you can assume you’re in for a ride. And, as usual, James Oswald provides a good time.
Much like previous instalments, Oswald deftly weaves the supernatural (or not, in the nebulous way of the better X-Files episodes) and the mundane. He makes a perfect accompaniment to my other favourite Tartan Noir writers such as Rankin and MacBride (the latter of whom went even harder on the cannibalism in his Logan MacRae series).
This starts off as a multi-agency operation that quickly goes south when a key staff member goes missing. As a double life is revealed, disparate elements begin to slowly merge together and lead to a desperate race against time.
These sorts of stories have exactly zero mystery to them, honestly, and the baddies are flat-out obvious from the get-go (including one whose turn is pretty telegraphed). You shouldn’t come here for the whodunnit aspects.
But, really, the procedure is the point. And the chafing against same. It’s very difficult to keep somebody of Tony’s rank in the field and this does push a bit against believability in that respect. Then again, he’s also no stickler for regulation, so it could be worse.
The way this all weaves together is very neatly done, tying together all its threads in mostly elegant fashion. I’ll especially call out the story’s climax, which is an absolute nail-biter and fantastic burst of action that caps things off.
Parts of it run a little slow - we get a lot of first person narration from the victim, which serves a necessary purpose in underlining their peril, but did kind of leave me flat after a while. There’s also a strange omission of Tony’s partner, Emma, in the resolution, which checks in on practically everybody else.
Still, it’s a terribly enjoyable read and seeing what’s going on with regulars like Duguid, Grumpy Bob, and Mrs. McCutcheon’s cat makes it even better. This series has read very well from the start and this one doesn’t miss a beat.
As a bonus, it is intensely cynical about the justice system and ‘one set of rules for them and one for us’ where the rich are involved. It’s rife with both this and ‘conspiracy in plain sight’ angles that I appreciated as my own cynicism reaches critical mass.
4 stars - while not Oswald’s best book, this series has remained very consistent over its run and having finally had a chance to get back to it I was not disappointed. If anything it made me more likely than not to try harder to catch up on the others I’ve yet to read.
Much like previous instalments, Oswald deftly weaves the supernatural (or not, in the nebulous way of the better X-Files episodes) and the mundane. He makes a perfect accompaniment to my other favourite Tartan Noir writers such as Rankin and MacBride (the latter of whom went even harder on the cannibalism in his Logan MacRae series).
This starts off as a multi-agency operation that quickly goes south when a key staff member goes missing. As a double life is revealed, disparate elements begin to slowly merge together and lead to a desperate race against time.
These sorts of stories have exactly zero mystery to them, honestly, and the baddies are flat-out obvious from the get-go (including one whose turn is pretty telegraphed). You shouldn’t come here for the whodunnit aspects.
But, really, the procedure is the point. And the chafing against same. It’s very difficult to keep somebody of Tony’s rank in the field and this does push a bit against believability in that respect. Then again, he’s also no stickler for regulation, so it could be worse.
The way this all weaves together is very neatly done, tying together all its threads in mostly elegant fashion. I’ll especially call out the story’s climax, which is an absolute nail-biter and fantastic burst of action that caps things off.
Parts of it run a little slow - we get a lot of first person narration from the victim, which serves a necessary purpose in underlining their peril, but did kind of leave me flat after a while. There’s also a strange omission of Tony’s partner, Emma, in the resolution, which checks in on practically everybody else.
Still, it’s a terribly enjoyable read and seeing what’s going on with regulars like Duguid, Grumpy Bob, and Mrs. McCutcheon’s cat makes it even better. This series has read very well from the start and this one doesn’t miss a beat.
As a bonus, it is intensely cynical about the justice system and ‘one set of rules for them and one for us’ where the rich are involved. It’s rife with both this and ‘conspiracy in plain sight’ angles that I appreciated as my own cynicism reaches critical mass.
4 stars - while not Oswald’s best book, this series has remained very consistent over its run and having finally had a chance to get back to it I was not disappointed. If anything it made me more likely than not to try harder to catch up on the others I’ve yet to read.
March 22, 2020
The latest adventure of DCI Tony McLean takes place during a rare Scottish heatwave. Forested areas to the south of Edinburgh are being besieged by fire and a multi-agency investigation into corruption at the highest level is compromised when a vital member of Police Scotland goes missing. Three dodgy billionaires of local origin are having a secret meeting nearby and a dangerous psychopath, who once tried to kill McLean, is on the loose. In fact, there are so many different thread in this novel, it’s a testament to James Oswald’s narrative skills that he manages to weave them all together and continually increase the tension, chapter by chapter.
As in previous stories, there are illusions to local myths, fairy tales and the supernatural. This time: the legend of Sawney Bean, an alleged cannibal. Is it possible there are descendants still practicing his heinous crimes? The novel eventually builds to a thrilling finale in an underground cavern.
This is another worthy addition to a highly enjoyable series.
As in previous stories, there are illusions to local myths, fairy tales and the supernatural. This time: the legend of Sawney Bean, an alleged cannibal. Is it possible there are descendants still practicing his heinous crimes? The novel eventually builds to a thrilling finale in an underground cavern.
This is another worthy addition to a highly enjoyable series.
March 25, 2020
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I thought that this book was excellent, it was a book that really gripped me right from the start through to the fabulous ending, I was hooked!
I loved the pace of the story and I found that it was very well written. The plot was well developed and there was plenty happening throughout the story too, I liked the mix of folklore that the author added in and it was dark in places too where it needed to be which for me really added to the book.
I really liked the setting for the book too and the author had done a brilliant job with the characterisation and brought the characters to life for me – I thought that it was great!.
This might be the 10th book in the series but I thought that it read fine as a stand alone – it did really want me to go and read the rest of the series but the author does a great job as covering off what has happened in the past but without spoilers too which was great!
Overall I loved the plot and thought that it was well developed – it is 4.5 stars from me for this one, rounded up to 5 stars for Goodreads and Amazon – very highly recommended and one I really enjoyed!
I thought that this book was excellent, it was a book that really gripped me right from the start through to the fabulous ending, I was hooked!
I loved the pace of the story and I found that it was very well written. The plot was well developed and there was plenty happening throughout the story too, I liked the mix of folklore that the author added in and it was dark in places too where it needed to be which for me really added to the book.
I really liked the setting for the book too and the author had done a brilliant job with the characterisation and brought the characters to life for me – I thought that it was great!.
This might be the 10th book in the series but I thought that it read fine as a stand alone – it did really want me to go and read the rest of the series but the author does a great job as covering off what has happened in the past but without spoilers too which was great!
Overall I loved the plot and thought that it was well developed – it is 4.5 stars from me for this one, rounded up to 5 stars for Goodreads and Amazon – very highly recommended and one I really enjoyed!
April 5, 2020
Fantastic! I really enjoy this series. Intriguing mystery, interesting characters, and the author tells the story in such a way that you can visualise it easily in your mind as you read.
February 23, 2020
#10 in the Inspector McLean series and it can be read as a stand-alone, but in my opinion you are missing out on a brilliant series. (I’ve read and listened to them all)…
In this, Anya, a civilian administrator for the police, has gone missing. Usually reliable and consistent this causes concern. So Detective Inspector Tony Mclean begins an investigation.
When Anya’s car is found burned out, things get more serious. As Mclean searches her home they find the quiet, sensible woman they know at work has a very different personal life.
There are rumours and stories of women disappearing in the same area over many years….are they true? Is something sinister roaming Gladhouse Woods?
Tony is contracted by Norman Bale, a man purporting to be his childhood friend, but also a murderer. What links him to these disappearances, if anything?
Tony’s personal life is tense too, with Emma quiet and fragile after their recent tragedy and Mclean isn’t sure how to help or deal with the emotions.
This is a fantastic read, it’s dark, gruesome and twisty, with some supernatural elements (as always) and great characters. Grumpy Bob is a real favourite
Mclean ends up in a dangerous situation, but will he be able to put an end to these disappearances once and for all? Utterly compelling and I loved every tension filled minute. Can’t wait for book #11.
Thank you to Anne Cater and Random Things Tours for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour, for the promotional materials and a free ecopy of the book. This is my honest, unbiased review.
In this, Anya, a civilian administrator for the police, has gone missing. Usually reliable and consistent this causes concern. So Detective Inspector Tony Mclean begins an investigation.
When Anya’s car is found burned out, things get more serious. As Mclean searches her home they find the quiet, sensible woman they know at work has a very different personal life.
There are rumours and stories of women disappearing in the same area over many years….are they true? Is something sinister roaming Gladhouse Woods?
Tony is contracted by Norman Bale, a man purporting to be his childhood friend, but also a murderer. What links him to these disappearances, if anything?
Tony’s personal life is tense too, with Emma quiet and fragile after their recent tragedy and Mclean isn’t sure how to help or deal with the emotions.
This is a fantastic read, it’s dark, gruesome and twisty, with some supernatural elements (as always) and great characters. Grumpy Bob is a real favourite
Mclean ends up in a dangerous situation, but will he be able to put an end to these disappearances once and for all? Utterly compelling and I loved every tension filled minute. Can’t wait for book #11.
Thank you to Anne Cater and Random Things Tours for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour, for the promotional materials and a free ecopy of the book. This is my honest, unbiased review.
February 25, 2020
This excellent series continues to astound with the quality of the writing and the deviousness of the imagination and plotting! There's always that little hint of the supernatural to add spice and I love the Edinburgh setting, this time during a heatwave that has taken everyone by surprise. Thoroughly entertaining and engrossing. Review to follow shortly on For Winter Nights.
August 2, 2024
The further into this series I delve, the more I love it. When Tony McLean is involved in an investigation, you can count on it being anything but straightforward.
Bury Them Deep is no exception. It begins with the legend of Sawney Bean. As soon as I read that I knew I'd be going down the proverbial rabbit hole. I wasn't disappointed.
What starts off as a routine investigation into the disappearance of a member of CID's admin staff, soon leads to the discovery of human bones, a lot of human bones, and the existence of a cult of cannibals.
Other, seedier practices, are investigated, and someone from McLean's past makes an unwelcome return.
Darkly thrilling, slightly unsavoury but 100% satisfying.
Bury Them Deep is no exception. It begins with the legend of Sawney Bean. As soon as I read that I knew I'd be going down the proverbial rabbit hole. I wasn't disappointed.
What starts off as a routine investigation into the disappearance of a member of CID's admin staff, soon leads to the discovery of human bones, a lot of human bones, and the existence of a cult of cannibals.
Other, seedier practices, are investigated, and someone from McLean's past makes an unwelcome return.
Darkly thrilling, slightly unsavoury but 100% satisfying.
February 21, 2020
Well my gosh what another blinder of a book by James Oswald. Now this is the tenth book in the Tony McLean series, and admittedly I have not read the previous nine. But, that does not make a difference to the beauty of this book. I can say it's easily read as a standalone, I definitely don't feel that I've missed out on Mclean's backstory. I will definitely be reading the whole series.
It's a hefty book by my standards at 450 pages, but, don't let that worry you. The writing is so easy to read that before I knew it I had flown through half the book. I love a book that draws you in and hypnotises you.
Ok, so let's talk plotline without giving away spoilers. Anya Renfrew, who works for the police doesn't turn up for work one day. This is totally out of character, and after a few phone calls it starts looking a bit suspicious. When they call round to her home address this is where Anya's holier than thou image starts looking a bit more differently.
What has happened to Anya?
Where can she be? When a burnt out car is found by a nearby wood, the plot thickens.
Along with the main characters of McLean and his team. I love the secondary characters that build this story up. The teenage boys Bobby and Gav, when they were introduced I just thought they would make a discovery and that would be it. But, James Oswald builds up their role and gives these two a storyline that intertwines with the main story. And, through them we get to learn more mysteries of the woods.
Other second characters who open up more intrigue is Norman Bale and Grace. These two are at total ends of the spectrum. Norman is incarcerated in a psychiatric hospital for murder, and Grace is a retired chief detective. Yet, they both have information that is useful to the investigation.
This story is full of suspense and drama. I enjoyed unravelling the mysteries.
It's a hefty book by my standards at 450 pages, but, don't let that worry you. The writing is so easy to read that before I knew it I had flown through half the book. I love a book that draws you in and hypnotises you.
Ok, so let's talk plotline without giving away spoilers. Anya Renfrew, who works for the police doesn't turn up for work one day. This is totally out of character, and after a few phone calls it starts looking a bit suspicious. When they call round to her home address this is where Anya's holier than thou image starts looking a bit more differently.
What has happened to Anya?
Where can she be? When a burnt out car is found by a nearby wood, the plot thickens.
Along with the main characters of McLean and his team. I love the secondary characters that build this story up. The teenage boys Bobby and Gav, when they were introduced I just thought they would make a discovery and that would be it. But, James Oswald builds up their role and gives these two a storyline that intertwines with the main story. And, through them we get to learn more mysteries of the woods.
Other second characters who open up more intrigue is Norman Bale and Grace. These two are at total ends of the spectrum. Norman is incarcerated in a psychiatric hospital for murder, and Grace is a retired chief detective. Yet, they both have information that is useful to the investigation.
This story is full of suspense and drama. I enjoyed unravelling the mysteries.
February 16, 2021
Another entertaining read from this author but with a very gruesome ending. One thing I was pleased about was the fact that the Inspector did go out one evening and also actually ate a meal. I'd begun to wonder how he survived as in other books he seems to live on coffee.
January 19, 2020
I have been a huge fan of this series ever since I happened upon book one, Natural Causes, quite by accident whilst perusing book buying options, drawn in as I was by its Edinburgh setting. There is something so comforting about settling back with a well written tome that combines a brilliant police based investigation with something a little , how shall I put this, otherworldly. This is not your ordinary case and not your ordinary set of suspects, or even characters to be fair. So it is with a heavy heart that I write this review, knowing that the series will be taking a short hiatus while James Oswald turns his hand to other projects. Perhaps fitting as book ten is a nice round number, but still sad times for me (and I suspect many others ...) The only bonus - I have ten books I can read all over again! And again, and again, and again ... Whoop, whoop.
Bury Them Deep continues in Mr Oswald's not so conventional style with a case which is perplexing, intriguing, surprising and tense to the last page. When one of the team's civilian colleagues disappears in the middle of a major case, it is up to McLean and co to determine if there is a simple explanation or whether she is the victim of foul play. This is an Inspector McLean novel so of course there isn't an innocent explanation, but does the disappearance have anything to do with the multi-agency case they are working on? Well ... maybe, maybe not. Read the book and you will find out. That's how these things work you know.
I will admit that the opening chapter to this book had me intrigued. It is a passage which seems to have no obvious links to the premise of the book, but which becomes intertwined with the main narrative very quickly and very skilfully. It appealed to the macabre story lover in me, the sense of legend which is often built into the series, and although absolutely rotten and unsettling to think about its content, it certainly caught my attention and left me with that hangover senses of how and why throughout the book.
Not going to lie, there are elements of the book that have left me wondering just how ... varied(?) Mr Oswald's internet search history must be as he has never shied away from exploring some of the more colourful and less mainstream pass times of society. At least I am assuming it is just internet research or I am learning far more about one of my favourite authors than I necessarily needed to know ... It takes all sorts as they say, and the missing person in this case certainly defies the image that her colleagues have of her. I can understand some of the appeal of letting go, being someone completely different when you step out of the workday clothes. I wouldn't personally go that far but strangely it did kind of work for Anya. That split personality that leaves you wondering if she could be hiding far more than we think.
The story is full of tension and mystery and although a few of the more regular characters may be missing this time around (Madame Rose having recently defected to the author's other series), it still bears all the hallmarks of a McLean mystery. A seemingly unconnected chain of events sees the team managing a case far bigger than anything they could have expected, the surprises coming thick and fast for both Detectives and readers alike. The book draws readers back to one of McLean's most intense and memorable early cases and so if you haven't read some of the earlier titles, particularly Prayer for the Dead then you may want to do so before starting this book. One of the key characters here is someone McLean knows well, but his presence here will create major spoilers for that book in the very least so be warned.
The narrative ebbs and flow, the author creating a sense of tension and pace when necessary but also highlighting the frustration of inaction when the investigation keeps hitting a brick wall. There is a constant sense of threat and certain chapters had me on edge with the kind of quiet calm that belies the skin-crawling threat that is actually inherent. And then the ending. It wouldn't be a McLean book without that ultimate showdown and overwhelming jeopardy for those involved and this book does not disappoint. You'd think by now that McLean would know better, but thankfully he has still not learned, making it a satisfyingly intense but surprising conclusion for the reader, leaving you wondering if redemption is truly possible.
I both love and hate this book. Love it, because it is another McLean classic that had me hooked from the off, and I get a healthy enough dose of Grumpy Bob Laird (love Grumpy Bob). Hate because I have to wait to see if and when there may be a book eleven. Ah well - back to book one then I suppose ... 😉
Bury Them Deep continues in Mr Oswald's not so conventional style with a case which is perplexing, intriguing, surprising and tense to the last page. When one of the team's civilian colleagues disappears in the middle of a major case, it is up to McLean and co to determine if there is a simple explanation or whether she is the victim of foul play. This is an Inspector McLean novel so of course there isn't an innocent explanation, but does the disappearance have anything to do with the multi-agency case they are working on? Well ... maybe, maybe not. Read the book and you will find out. That's how these things work you know.
I will admit that the opening chapter to this book had me intrigued. It is a passage which seems to have no obvious links to the premise of the book, but which becomes intertwined with the main narrative very quickly and very skilfully. It appealed to the macabre story lover in me, the sense of legend which is often built into the series, and although absolutely rotten and unsettling to think about its content, it certainly caught my attention and left me with that hangover senses of how and why throughout the book.
Not going to lie, there are elements of the book that have left me wondering just how ... varied(?) Mr Oswald's internet search history must be as he has never shied away from exploring some of the more colourful and less mainstream pass times of society. At least I am assuming it is just internet research or I am learning far more about one of my favourite authors than I necessarily needed to know ... It takes all sorts as they say, and the missing person in this case certainly defies the image that her colleagues have of her. I can understand some of the appeal of letting go, being someone completely different when you step out of the workday clothes. I wouldn't personally go that far but strangely it did kind of work for Anya. That split personality that leaves you wondering if she could be hiding far more than we think.
The story is full of tension and mystery and although a few of the more regular characters may be missing this time around (Madame Rose having recently defected to the author's other series), it still bears all the hallmarks of a McLean mystery. A seemingly unconnected chain of events sees the team managing a case far bigger than anything they could have expected, the surprises coming thick and fast for both Detectives and readers alike. The book draws readers back to one of McLean's most intense and memorable early cases and so if you haven't read some of the earlier titles, particularly Prayer for the Dead then you may want to do so before starting this book. One of the key characters here is someone McLean knows well, but his presence here will create major spoilers for that book in the very least so be warned.
The narrative ebbs and flow, the author creating a sense of tension and pace when necessary but also highlighting the frustration of inaction when the investigation keeps hitting a brick wall. There is a constant sense of threat and certain chapters had me on edge with the kind of quiet calm that belies the skin-crawling threat that is actually inherent. And then the ending. It wouldn't be a McLean book without that ultimate showdown and overwhelming jeopardy for those involved and this book does not disappoint. You'd think by now that McLean would know better, but thankfully he has still not learned, making it a satisfyingly intense but surprising conclusion for the reader, leaving you wondering if redemption is truly possible.
I both love and hate this book. Love it, because it is another McLean classic that had me hooked from the off, and I get a healthy enough dose of Grumpy Bob Laird (love Grumpy Bob). Hate because I have to wait to see if and when there may be a book eleven. Ah well - back to book one then I suppose ... 😉
February 20, 2020
I’m a huge fan of this author, and this series, so I was incredibly excited to be sent an early copy of this book. Once again the author has written an intriguing, gripping and unique book which I really enjoyed.
It was fantastic to be back with the newly promoted DCI McLean and his team who I always love following on their investigations. McLean has to be one of my favourite fictional detectives as he seems so down to earth and a bit of a rebel as he continually breaks the rules. His team follow what I call old fashioned policing as they don’t just reply on forensics which is a nice change from other crime books. The author makes the investigation seem more real as he leaves in all the dead ends the team encounter and their frustrations with these.
As with most of this series the case involves a touch of the supernatural which gives the story a deliciously creepy, unpredictable feel. I wasn’t at all sure which way the story was going to go at times and this helped add to the tension in the book as well as my overall enjoyment. This part of the story is based on a Scottish Folk Take but if recommend not looking it up as you might figure out what’s going on!
This book drew me in from the start and the intriguing storyline kept my interest until the end. There are a few lines of investigation running alongside each other and I found it very interesting to see them all develop- some to dead ends. The ending was the fantastic, explosive kind that I’ve grown used to in this series and I found myself very satisfied with how everything finished.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Jenni Leech for my copy of this book.
It was fantastic to be back with the newly promoted DCI McLean and his team who I always love following on their investigations. McLean has to be one of my favourite fictional detectives as he seems so down to earth and a bit of a rebel as he continually breaks the rules. His team follow what I call old fashioned policing as they don’t just reply on forensics which is a nice change from other crime books. The author makes the investigation seem more real as he leaves in all the dead ends the team encounter and their frustrations with these.
As with most of this series the case involves a touch of the supernatural which gives the story a deliciously creepy, unpredictable feel. I wasn’t at all sure which way the story was going to go at times and this helped add to the tension in the book as well as my overall enjoyment. This part of the story is based on a Scottish Folk Take but if recommend not looking it up as you might figure out what’s going on!
This book drew me in from the start and the intriguing storyline kept my interest until the end. There are a few lines of investigation running alongside each other and I found it very interesting to see them all develop- some to dead ends. The ending was the fantastic, explosive kind that I’ve grown used to in this series and I found myself very satisfied with how everything finished.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Jenni Leech for my copy of this book.
February 8, 2020
This is the tenth book in James Oswald's Inspector McLean series, and although it's possible to jump right in at Book 10, you're better off starting at Book 1. Not only because - as with most series where the characters and their relationships grow and change over time - you'll miss the subtleties if you don't, but you'd also miss nine other really good books.
The trademark of the McLean books is Scottish police procedural, with a dash of weird. There's never so much weird that it becomes a full-on paranormal novel, but it's always there, making you wonder whether it's really occult stuff, or just the ordinary evil people are capable of without any kind of supernatural elements.
In this one, Operation Caterwaul - so hush-hush that not even DCI McLean knows exactly what it's all about - is about to get going. First day, clean slate... but where is Anya Renfrew, administrator extraordinaire, the woman who's worked for the police her whole career, who knows how everything works (or can be made to work), has access to all the systems, and a higher security clearance than some of the DCIs?
When it comes out that Anya's listed address wasn't where she was actually living, and then that she was living something of a double life... the panic is on. Was she a spy? A mole? Did she just suddenly opt out... or is she the latest in a line of women who've disappeared into the woods, never to be seen again?
Once more, McLean is on the case. McLean doesn't think Anya's disappearance is related to Operation Caterwaul, but is he wrong? And why does Norman Bale (see a previous book for exactly who this is!) know more than anyone who's locked up in a secure psychiatric facility should?
I've been a fan of this series ever since I found them a few years ago and binge-read them all when I was supposed to be doing something else. I was therefore thrilled to get a pre-publication copy of this one, and if I hadn't had to go to sleep would have read it in one sitting. Oswald has the knack of drawing you into the story almost immediately, and keeping you drawn in. His characters are sympathetic and human; nobody is all good or all bad.
In this one, things come together maybe a little too neatly, with a one or two more coincidences than I might otherwise like, but Oswald is a good enough author to carry it off. And, of course, the occult (?) elements make one a little more tolerant of such things.
All in all, this book was everything I hoped it would be. Thank you, James Oswald - and more, please!
The trademark of the McLean books is Scottish police procedural, with a dash of weird. There's never so much weird that it becomes a full-on paranormal novel, but it's always there, making you wonder whether it's really occult stuff, or just the ordinary evil people are capable of without any kind of supernatural elements.
In this one, Operation Caterwaul - so hush-hush that not even DCI McLean knows exactly what it's all about - is about to get going. First day, clean slate... but where is Anya Renfrew, administrator extraordinaire, the woman who's worked for the police her whole career, who knows how everything works (or can be made to work), has access to all the systems, and a higher security clearance than some of the DCIs?
When it comes out that Anya's listed address wasn't where she was actually living, and then that she was living something of a double life... the panic is on. Was she a spy? A mole? Did she just suddenly opt out... or is she the latest in a line of women who've disappeared into the woods, never to be seen again?
Once more, McLean is on the case. McLean doesn't think Anya's disappearance is related to Operation Caterwaul, but is he wrong? And why does Norman Bale (see a previous book for exactly who this is!) know more than anyone who's locked up in a secure psychiatric facility should?
I've been a fan of this series ever since I found them a few years ago and binge-read them all when I was supposed to be doing something else. I was therefore thrilled to get a pre-publication copy of this one, and if I hadn't had to go to sleep would have read it in one sitting. Oswald has the knack of drawing you into the story almost immediately, and keeping you drawn in. His characters are sympathetic and human; nobody is all good or all bad.
In this one, things come together maybe a little too neatly, with a one or two more coincidences than I might otherwise like, but Oswald is a good enough author to carry it off. And, of course, the occult (?) elements make one a little more tolerant of such things.
All in all, this book was everything I hoped it would be. Thank you, James Oswald - and more, please!
February 10, 2020
Another great Inspector McLean novel, from James Oswald. With some very dark moments, supernatural elements, secret cults with gruesome traditions dating back.
Edinburgh is experiencing an unusually sweltering summer, school holidays are on, with bored children in the streets, the land is dry as tinder, as fires start, some from natural causes, some not.
McLean us involved in a highly secret, controlled investigation known as Caterwaul, a highly vetted, political sensitive investigation, partnered with the Americans and the National Crime Agency, involving the targeting of some major figures in the business world for fraud and money laundering.
A member of the team Anya Renfrew, normally reliable, a long serving member, fails to turn up at the beginning, fuelling some paranoia and suspicion. McLean is tasked with finding Anya, he doesn’t feel her not turning up is to do with the investigation. When interviewing her work colleagues it seems Anya is a very private person, no one knows much about her, she doesn’t live at the address the police have for her, then it becomes apparent that Anya has been living a secret double life. Her car is found burnt out in a remote area, an area that already has a sinister history of missing women, going back years.
The arrival of three American Tech billionaires, proves to be a security nightmare, along with a fire on the moors, which turns up dead remains some of which are recent. McLean finds himself in danger as he searches for the truth about Anya.
McLean also has to face the horror of meeting childhood friend and multiple murderer, Norman Bale, who resides in Bestingfield Secure Psychiatric Hospital, where he is incarcerated for life, it turns out he may have information on the missing Anya.
Also dealing with his relationship with his partner Emma, which is still in turmoil after recent tragic events.
An engrossing read, as usual from James Oswald, I have loved this series from the beginning and it just gets better.
I would like to thank #netgalley and #Wildfire for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest fair and unbiased review.
Edinburgh is experiencing an unusually sweltering summer, school holidays are on, with bored children in the streets, the land is dry as tinder, as fires start, some from natural causes, some not.
McLean us involved in a highly secret, controlled investigation known as Caterwaul, a highly vetted, political sensitive investigation, partnered with the Americans and the National Crime Agency, involving the targeting of some major figures in the business world for fraud and money laundering.
A member of the team Anya Renfrew, normally reliable, a long serving member, fails to turn up at the beginning, fuelling some paranoia and suspicion. McLean is tasked with finding Anya, he doesn’t feel her not turning up is to do with the investigation. When interviewing her work colleagues it seems Anya is a very private person, no one knows much about her, she doesn’t live at the address the police have for her, then it becomes apparent that Anya has been living a secret double life. Her car is found burnt out in a remote area, an area that already has a sinister history of missing women, going back years.
The arrival of three American Tech billionaires, proves to be a security nightmare, along with a fire on the moors, which turns up dead remains some of which are recent. McLean finds himself in danger as he searches for the truth about Anya.
McLean also has to face the horror of meeting childhood friend and multiple murderer, Norman Bale, who resides in Bestingfield Secure Psychiatric Hospital, where he is incarcerated for life, it turns out he may have information on the missing Anya.
Also dealing with his relationship with his partner Emma, which is still in turmoil after recent tragic events.
An engrossing read, as usual from James Oswald, I have loved this series from the beginning and it just gets better.
I would like to thank #netgalley and #Wildfire for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest fair and unbiased review.
February 21, 2020
I have read the whole series but up until very recently I have read books 6,7,8 and 9 in short succession and can safely say James Oswald writes a story so well you can consecutively read book after book.
This 10th book finds DCI Tony McLean and the team in search of a missing colleague, Anya Renfrew. In the midst of an important anti-corruption operation, there is a chain of thought that Anya’s disappearance could be to do with the case.
Much of the series has a dark, supernatural element, this one steps back a little from the supernatural, but brings a story of macabre myths, sinister cults and rituals which is riveting and brooding
With all of the McLean series, James Oswald writes a captivating police procedural that is usually steadily paced and easy to read with a seasoned cast of likeable characters. - My favourite Grumpy Bob is here though in more of a cameo role these days.
The stories always have some humour to lighten up the gothic feel of Edinburgh and these often grisly tales.
This is probably my favourite book in the series so far. And that’s saying something.
Top rate crime writing from a master of his craft.
5🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
This 10th book finds DCI Tony McLean and the team in search of a missing colleague, Anya Renfrew. In the midst of an important anti-corruption operation, there is a chain of thought that Anya’s disappearance could be to do with the case.
Much of the series has a dark, supernatural element, this one steps back a little from the supernatural, but brings a story of macabre myths, sinister cults and rituals which is riveting and brooding
With all of the McLean series, James Oswald writes a captivating police procedural that is usually steadily paced and easy to read with a seasoned cast of likeable characters. - My favourite Grumpy Bob is here though in more of a cameo role these days.
The stories always have some humour to lighten up the gothic feel of Edinburgh and these often grisly tales.
This is probably my favourite book in the series so far. And that’s saying something.
Top rate crime writing from a master of his craft.
5🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
February 18, 2020
When a member of the Police Scotland admin team fails to clock-in for work, concern for her whereabouts is immediate especially as a multi agency task force is working on a highly secret project. Then the discovery of her burnt-out car in remote woodland to the south of Edinburgh sets off a desperate search for the missing woman.
Is Anya Renfrew's disappearance a co-incidence or related to the case?
McLean's investigations suggest that perhaps that Anya isn't the first woman to have mysteriously vanished in these ancient hills. Once again, McLean can't shake the feeling that there is a far greater evil at work here.
This is the tenth book in the series, it could be read on its own but the whole series is so good I'd recommend reading from the start. I just love Tony with his gut feelings & disregard for toeing the line. He's still not fully comfortable with being a Detective Chief Inspector & would much rather be at the chalk face than facing paperwork. Another well written book that had me captivated from start to finish & the climax left me breathless. Roll on number eleven
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
Is Anya Renfrew's disappearance a co-incidence or related to the case?
McLean's investigations suggest that perhaps that Anya isn't the first woman to have mysteriously vanished in these ancient hills. Once again, McLean can't shake the feeling that there is a far greater evil at work here.
This is the tenth book in the series, it could be read on its own but the whole series is so good I'd recommend reading from the start. I just love Tony with his gut feelings & disregard for toeing the line. He's still not fully comfortable with being a Detective Chief Inspector & would much rather be at the chalk face than facing paperwork. Another well written book that had me captivated from start to finish & the climax left me breathless. Roll on number eleven
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
March 3, 2021
4.5 rounded up. I appear to be one of the few North Americans who have diligently followed Oswald’s Inspector McLean series. I have read all of them, most ordered directly from the UK. This is #10 in the series.
They are all basically police procedurals with a hint of the supernatural, somewhat like Stephen King’s “Mr. Mercedes” trilogy. BURY THEM DEEP can be read as a stand-alone, although for those reading it as their first forey into the Inspector McLean world could find it a bit flat, given that many of the characters have years of interactions that are only hinted at in this book. The story involves several threads that eventually merge; one thread revolves around a character who appeared in book #5, although there is no need to read that particular book as all of the relevant information is clearly described in BURY THEM DEEP. (In fact, I had forgotten many of the details from that earlier book and didn’t find it necessary to revisit it in order to understand the new situation.) But I did find that my knowledge of the long intertwined relationships between Tony and Emma, Tony and Duguid/Dagwood, Tony and Mrs. McCutcheon’s cat, etc. were helpful in understanding the dynamics of Tony McLean’s home/work situation.
Oswald is a good writer. I did feel that the book was somewhat padded by the many, many references to the heat. I also could have done with slightly shorter descriptions of the ministrations that Anya was going through — not omitted, just made shorter. Those sections seemed to slow the pace of the narrative. Thus, a 4.5 rating for a book from a series that I very much enjoy.
They are all basically police procedurals with a hint of the supernatural, somewhat like Stephen King’s “Mr. Mercedes” trilogy. BURY THEM DEEP can be read as a stand-alone, although for those reading it as their first forey into the Inspector McLean world could find it a bit flat, given that many of the characters have years of interactions that are only hinted at in this book. The story involves several threads that eventually merge; one thread revolves around a character who appeared in book #5, although there is no need to read that particular book as all of the relevant information is clearly described in BURY THEM DEEP. (In fact, I had forgotten many of the details from that earlier book and didn’t find it necessary to revisit it in order to understand the new situation.) But I did find that my knowledge of the long intertwined relationships between Tony and Emma, Tony and Duguid/Dagwood, Tony and Mrs. McCutcheon’s cat, etc. were helpful in understanding the dynamics of Tony McLean’s home/work situation.
Oswald is a good writer. I did feel that the book was somewhat padded by the many, many references to the heat. I also could have done with slightly shorter descriptions of the ministrations that Anya was going through — not omitted, just made shorter. Those sections seemed to slow the pace of the narrative. Thus, a 4.5 rating for a book from a series that I very much enjoy.
February 24, 2020
I started reading this crime thriller on a recent stormy weekend when I wished to curl up with a book I could immerse myself in. A few hours later I commented on Twitter: “Plucked some crime fiction from my TBR pile and am reminded once again why this genre, when well written, is so popular with readers”. I was looking forward to getting back to the story the following day.
Unfortunately, by then, I was around 200 pages into what is, in proof form at least, a 450 page tome. The pace from here became glacial. Dinner parties were being detailed along with a trip to an art exhibition. Whilst I enjoyed the take-downs of pseudo-intellectuals trying too hard to impress, I was trying to work out why these scenes were needed. I feared they were there as filler. Twitter confirmed that certain genre writers are contracted by the big publishers to submit manuscripts containing a prescribed number of words.
Don’t get me wrong, I can enjoy crime fiction. Sarah Hilary, for example, may structure her books using a recognisable formula but her writing and plot development contain enough depth and interest to take a reader’s mind off this. I’m certainly not going to criticise the quality of James Oswald’s writing. It is polished and, as I mentioned, contains injections of humour. My problem with Bury Them Deep was that it felt bloated. Eventually, with 50 pages to go, I just wanted it to end.
The story is set in and around Edinburgh, a place I love to visit. It opens with a local legend – the tale of Sawney Bean who, for 25 years in the 16th century, headed a clan of incestuous cannibals, before they were captured and executed without trial. Following this is a chapter introducing an unnamed woman as she heads out for a Friday night of sex with strangers. Her story is subsequently interspersed with that of the various police investigations the protagonist, Detective Chief Inspector Tony McLean, is required to lead.
This is the 10th novel featuring Inspector McLean and the first I have read. There are references throughout to what I assume are his previous cases which are intriguing. The plot of Bury Them Deep does, however, hold up when read standalone.
In this tale, DCI McLean’s team is a small part of Operation Caterwaul, a high security, global investigation into unnamed, high profile, powerful individuals. Details are shared on a strictly need to know basis. When one of Tony McLean’s team goes missing – a long serving admin assistance named Anya Renfrew – there is consternation amongst his superiors who fear they will be blamed for what could be a catastrophic security breach. Tony is more concerned about Anya’s safety.
It is agreed that locating Anya is a high priority task, even if for differing reasons. Tony allocates resources to interviewing those who knew her and working out where she could have been since last seen. He discovers that the quietly competent admin assistant had unimagined secrets. He ignores the paperwork his rank is supposed to deal with and heads out into the field.
Into the mix are added a couple of young teenagers, one of whom enjoys setting fire to things. There is also an inmate of a secure psychiatric unit with whom Tony has history. Emma, Tony’s wife, is demanding that he pay her more attention. Through Emma, Tony is reintroduced to a Forensic Anthropologist he knew as a teenager.
All of these characters play their roles. Ancient, and not so ancient, bones are uncovered. Trails that may lead to Anya are followed. A retired detective takes an active interest in the direction the investigation is taking. The unnamed woman is being put through hell.
There are more references to the relentless hot weather than I found necessary although it is significant. Perhaps my problem with plot development was that everything seemed obvious from early on so I was waiting for the story to catch up and fill in the details. This took more words than I felt were required, certainly more than held my interest.
I rather liked the ending although, as with much of the way Tony worked, it appeared highly unprofessional. There were several threads that, having finished the book, made me wonder why they were included. Perhaps I would have enjoyed the story more had I read previous installments in the series.
Other reviewers have described this as a page-turner. I would be interested to know if crime fiction fans want their books to be the length the big publishers provide. Personally I prefer my fiction to be taut and compelling, or offering prose so exquisite it is simply a joy to savour. Bury Them Deep was not a book for me.
Unfortunately, by then, I was around 200 pages into what is, in proof form at least, a 450 page tome. The pace from here became glacial. Dinner parties were being detailed along with a trip to an art exhibition. Whilst I enjoyed the take-downs of pseudo-intellectuals trying too hard to impress, I was trying to work out why these scenes were needed. I feared they were there as filler. Twitter confirmed that certain genre writers are contracted by the big publishers to submit manuscripts containing a prescribed number of words.
Don’t get me wrong, I can enjoy crime fiction. Sarah Hilary, for example, may structure her books using a recognisable formula but her writing and plot development contain enough depth and interest to take a reader’s mind off this. I’m certainly not going to criticise the quality of James Oswald’s writing. It is polished and, as I mentioned, contains injections of humour. My problem with Bury Them Deep was that it felt bloated. Eventually, with 50 pages to go, I just wanted it to end.
The story is set in and around Edinburgh, a place I love to visit. It opens with a local legend – the tale of Sawney Bean who, for 25 years in the 16th century, headed a clan of incestuous cannibals, before they were captured and executed without trial. Following this is a chapter introducing an unnamed woman as she heads out for a Friday night of sex with strangers. Her story is subsequently interspersed with that of the various police investigations the protagonist, Detective Chief Inspector Tony McLean, is required to lead.
This is the 10th novel featuring Inspector McLean and the first I have read. There are references throughout to what I assume are his previous cases which are intriguing. The plot of Bury Them Deep does, however, hold up when read standalone.
In this tale, DCI McLean’s team is a small part of Operation Caterwaul, a high security, global investigation into unnamed, high profile, powerful individuals. Details are shared on a strictly need to know basis. When one of Tony McLean’s team goes missing – a long serving admin assistance named Anya Renfrew – there is consternation amongst his superiors who fear they will be blamed for what could be a catastrophic security breach. Tony is more concerned about Anya’s safety.
It is agreed that locating Anya is a high priority task, even if for differing reasons. Tony allocates resources to interviewing those who knew her and working out where she could have been since last seen. He discovers that the quietly competent admin assistant had unimagined secrets. He ignores the paperwork his rank is supposed to deal with and heads out into the field.
Into the mix are added a couple of young teenagers, one of whom enjoys setting fire to things. There is also an inmate of a secure psychiatric unit with whom Tony has history. Emma, Tony’s wife, is demanding that he pay her more attention. Through Emma, Tony is reintroduced to a Forensic Anthropologist he knew as a teenager.
All of these characters play their roles. Ancient, and not so ancient, bones are uncovered. Trails that may lead to Anya are followed. A retired detective takes an active interest in the direction the investigation is taking. The unnamed woman is being put through hell.
There are more references to the relentless hot weather than I found necessary although it is significant. Perhaps my problem with plot development was that everything seemed obvious from early on so I was waiting for the story to catch up and fill in the details. This took more words than I felt were required, certainly more than held my interest.
I rather liked the ending although, as with much of the way Tony worked, it appeared highly unprofessional. There were several threads that, having finished the book, made me wonder why they were included. Perhaps I would have enjoyed the story more had I read previous installments in the series.
Other reviewers have described this as a page-turner. I would be interested to know if crime fiction fans want their books to be the length the big publishers provide. Personally I prefer my fiction to be taut and compelling, or offering prose so exquisite it is simply a joy to savour. Bury Them Deep was not a book for me.
March 10, 2020
In this, the 10th Inspector Tony McLean novel, James Oswald lets his deliciously dark mind delve deep. The opening chapter plays around with the ancient Scots folklore character of Sawney Bean, a man who earned his living by ambushing travellers then murdering and eating his victims so that there was never any evidence of his crimes.
As only he can, Oswald then connects this to Operation Caterwaul (a glorious name); a top secret police operation. Tony is part of this operation, though he doesn’t know all the details, as this op is a closely guarded secret. The National Crime Agency and American Agencies are involved in investigating senior business leaders for the crimes of fraud and money laundering.
Edinburgh is in the midst of a heat wave and tempers are short, not least Tony’s who is mired in paperwork, his least favourite thing, when all he really wants to do is to get out and do some proper policing.
Then police support officer Anya Renfrew goes missing. Always reliable, and with excellent security clearance, this administrator’s disappearance creates serious concern among the Caterwaul personnel, worried that the entire operation may have been compromised.
Concern for Anya increases when her burnt-out car is found in the remote Gladhouse woods in the south of the city. Then a fire in the woods uncovers a hidden pile of human bones. This is very worrying for this is an area where women have gone missing before.
As Tony looks into Anya’s disappearance he uncovers some surprising information about a woman he’s worked alongside for years but never really knew at all.
I was drawn into this book from the start. I love the way Oswald’s mind works. Who else could combine a cannibal from Scots folk tales with Edinburgh’s dogging scene and a police operation involving technology titans? His dark mind goes darker than usual in a story that is propulsive and fascinating and which I found really hard to put down.
There’s the re-appearance too of Tony’s childhood friend from A Prayer for the Dead; Norman Bale. Norman is locked up for life in Bestingfield Secure Psychiatric Hospital, so how can he possibly know anything about Anya?
Interspersed with Operation Caterwaul and Anya’s disappearance, we are treated to more information about how Tony and his partner Emma are faring and it’s always a delight when Grumpy Bob Laird chooses to grace an investigation with his presence.
Oswald’s trademark slightly surreal investigations into dark deeds give rise to this reader’s fears that something is out there just waiting for the balance to tip in evil’s favour. Each dark discovery; each psychotic killer who leaves a malevolent discovery for McLean to find, is merely adding to the likelihood of that day coming faster.
Oswald’s has the ability to weave these complex elements together in a gripping and spell-binding tale which combines tension with well-paced writing and an overarching sense of the ancient battleground of good versus evil.
Verdict: Taut prose and excellent plotting plays on our collective fears, leading to a twisty, dark and propulsive story populated with terrific characters which is impossible to put down. Another cracking read in the Tony McLean series, which only serves to create an insatiable appetite for more!
As only he can, Oswald then connects this to Operation Caterwaul (a glorious name); a top secret police operation. Tony is part of this operation, though he doesn’t know all the details, as this op is a closely guarded secret. The National Crime Agency and American Agencies are involved in investigating senior business leaders for the crimes of fraud and money laundering.
Edinburgh is in the midst of a heat wave and tempers are short, not least Tony’s who is mired in paperwork, his least favourite thing, when all he really wants to do is to get out and do some proper policing.
Then police support officer Anya Renfrew goes missing. Always reliable, and with excellent security clearance, this administrator’s disappearance creates serious concern among the Caterwaul personnel, worried that the entire operation may have been compromised.
Concern for Anya increases when her burnt-out car is found in the remote Gladhouse woods in the south of the city. Then a fire in the woods uncovers a hidden pile of human bones. This is very worrying for this is an area where women have gone missing before.
As Tony looks into Anya’s disappearance he uncovers some surprising information about a woman he’s worked alongside for years but never really knew at all.
I was drawn into this book from the start. I love the way Oswald’s mind works. Who else could combine a cannibal from Scots folk tales with Edinburgh’s dogging scene and a police operation involving technology titans? His dark mind goes darker than usual in a story that is propulsive and fascinating and which I found really hard to put down.
There’s the re-appearance too of Tony’s childhood friend from A Prayer for the Dead; Norman Bale. Norman is locked up for life in Bestingfield Secure Psychiatric Hospital, so how can he possibly know anything about Anya?
Interspersed with Operation Caterwaul and Anya’s disappearance, we are treated to more information about how Tony and his partner Emma are faring and it’s always a delight when Grumpy Bob Laird chooses to grace an investigation with his presence.
Oswald’s trademark slightly surreal investigations into dark deeds give rise to this reader’s fears that something is out there just waiting for the balance to tip in evil’s favour. Each dark discovery; each psychotic killer who leaves a malevolent discovery for McLean to find, is merely adding to the likelihood of that day coming faster.
Oswald’s has the ability to weave these complex elements together in a gripping and spell-binding tale which combines tension with well-paced writing and an overarching sense of the ancient battleground of good versus evil.
Verdict: Taut prose and excellent plotting plays on our collective fears, leading to a twisty, dark and propulsive story populated with terrific characters which is impossible to put down. Another cracking read in the Tony McLean series, which only serves to create an insatiable appetite for more!
January 8, 2020
I would like to thank Netgalley and Headline Publishing Group for an advance copy of Bury Them Deep, the tenth novel to feature DCI Tony McLean.
When normally reliable civilian administrator Anya Renfrew fails to turn up for work alarm bells ring. Tony is worried about her wellbeing but the brass is more interested in the ramifications for Operation Caterwaul, a top secret, multi-jurisdictional enquiry Anya was about to start work on. When Anaya’s car is found burned out in a local wood, Tony’s worries increase as she may not be the first woman to disappear there.
I thoroughly enjoyed Bury Them Deep which is an engrossing read with a strong plot line and plenty of twists. I put off my plans for the day to keep reading as I couldn’t put it down. I should, however, point out that readers wanting a credible police procedural may be disappointed as certain events and the solution are not wholly realistic but if they are just looking for a thumping good read this will fit the bill nicely.
The novel is chiefly told from Tony’s point of view with a couple of other voices inserted occasionally to broaden the narrative. I really like Tony’s voice which is a realistic mixture of hapless male on the home front, healthy cynicism on the politics of law enforcement and eerie smarts in the investigation, able to see links and draw conclusions that others miss. There is always a hint of the supernatural in these novels but Mr Oswald is very subdued on this subject in this novel until a surprise at the end. I loved it and found it inexplicable but apt given preceding events.
I found the plot and writing engrossing. Some characters arouse suspicion but there are no hints so I had no idea if my suspicions were correct (some were, some weren’t) so I had to keep reading to see how it played out. Equally some events give hints of what might be to come but again I was guessing and had to read on. It is very well done, invoking curiosity and guesswork without giving it all away until the denouement. I liked as well the way the author weaves his tale around old myths and legends and sets Anaya’s disappearance in a wood. It adds a certain atmospheric spookiness to the read. I also enjoyed the Scottishness of the two teenagers, Bobby and Gav. I’m not saying how they fit into the narrative but they are unconsciously amusing.
Bury Them Deep is a great read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
When normally reliable civilian administrator Anya Renfrew fails to turn up for work alarm bells ring. Tony is worried about her wellbeing but the brass is more interested in the ramifications for Operation Caterwaul, a top secret, multi-jurisdictional enquiry Anya was about to start work on. When Anaya’s car is found burned out in a local wood, Tony’s worries increase as she may not be the first woman to disappear there.
I thoroughly enjoyed Bury Them Deep which is an engrossing read with a strong plot line and plenty of twists. I put off my plans for the day to keep reading as I couldn’t put it down. I should, however, point out that readers wanting a credible police procedural may be disappointed as certain events and the solution are not wholly realistic but if they are just looking for a thumping good read this will fit the bill nicely.
The novel is chiefly told from Tony’s point of view with a couple of other voices inserted occasionally to broaden the narrative. I really like Tony’s voice which is a realistic mixture of hapless male on the home front, healthy cynicism on the politics of law enforcement and eerie smarts in the investigation, able to see links and draw conclusions that others miss. There is always a hint of the supernatural in these novels but Mr Oswald is very subdued on this subject in this novel until a surprise at the end. I loved it and found it inexplicable but apt given preceding events.
I found the plot and writing engrossing. Some characters arouse suspicion but there are no hints so I had no idea if my suspicions were correct (some were, some weren’t) so I had to keep reading to see how it played out. Equally some events give hints of what might be to come but again I was guessing and had to read on. It is very well done, invoking curiosity and guesswork without giving it all away until the denouement. I liked as well the way the author weaves his tale around old myths and legends and sets Anaya’s disappearance in a wood. It adds a certain atmospheric spookiness to the read. I also enjoyed the Scottishness of the two teenagers, Bobby and Gav. I’m not saying how they fit into the narrative but they are unconsciously amusing.
Bury Them Deep is a great read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
March 19, 2020
Bury Them Deep is the tenth book to feature DCI Tony McLean, and they just keep getting better and better. You could read this as a standalone, but I’m a great believer in starting from the beginning as the accumulated backstory gives you a much more nuanced read.
Tony’s team are part of Operation Caterwaul, a multi-agency investigation into financial fraud involving some very influential people; security is of the utmost importance, and not even Tony knows all the details.
The most senior of the admin staff, Anya Renfrew, does not turn up for work. With her high security clearance, the senior officers fear that the operation is compromised. As a matter of urgency, Tony is given the job of finding her. This suits him fine as it gets him out in the field, doing what he does best, instead of having to focus on his neverending stack of paperwork.
From here on in, James Oswald skillfully weaves several plot strands together, and builds up to a truly shocking finale. Edinburgh is enjoying a period of unusually hot weather, which adds to the already strained atmosphere. There is always a sense of something ‘other’ in this series, and here it involves Scottish folklore, and local myths and legends. Anya’s car is found burnt out in a forest where other women are rumoured to have disappeared. Human bones are found after a forest fire. What transpires is more gruesome than anything you could have imagined.
Most of the story is told from Tony’s point of view; his narrative voice is what makes these books so enjoyable. He is a flawed human being, but an excellent, intuitive detective. I love his total disregard for the concerns of his media- and budget-obsessed superior officers. All the usual members of his team are there, and this enables you to immerse yourself in the story straightaway. I look forward to reading the next instalment in the story of Tony McLean.
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of Bury Them Deep in exchange for an honest review #JamesOswald #BuryThemDeep #NetGalley
Tony’s team are part of Operation Caterwaul, a multi-agency investigation into financial fraud involving some very influential people; security is of the utmost importance, and not even Tony knows all the details.
The most senior of the admin staff, Anya Renfrew, does not turn up for work. With her high security clearance, the senior officers fear that the operation is compromised. As a matter of urgency, Tony is given the job of finding her. This suits him fine as it gets him out in the field, doing what he does best, instead of having to focus on his neverending stack of paperwork.
From here on in, James Oswald skillfully weaves several plot strands together, and builds up to a truly shocking finale. Edinburgh is enjoying a period of unusually hot weather, which adds to the already strained atmosphere. There is always a sense of something ‘other’ in this series, and here it involves Scottish folklore, and local myths and legends. Anya’s car is found burnt out in a forest where other women are rumoured to have disappeared. Human bones are found after a forest fire. What transpires is more gruesome than anything you could have imagined.
Most of the story is told from Tony’s point of view; his narrative voice is what makes these books so enjoyable. He is a flawed human being, but an excellent, intuitive detective. I love his total disregard for the concerns of his media- and budget-obsessed superior officers. All the usual members of his team are there, and this enables you to immerse yourself in the story straightaway. I look forward to reading the next instalment in the story of Tony McLean.
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of Bury Them Deep in exchange for an honest review #JamesOswald #BuryThemDeep #NetGalley
February 29, 2020
James Oswald’s Inspector McLean novels are a top crime series which you need to be following. Over the last month, I was determined to catch up on the previous five books which I hadn’t yet got round to reading. I would say that they can all be read as standalones but to get the most out of the character development, I would highly recommend reading the series from the beginning. Although each plot is different, there are key character plot points which are looked at throughout the series. But if you do read this book on its own, I’m sure you will want to go back and discover where the series all began. Before you know it you will have devoured them all; it certainly didn’t take me very long.
In the tenth book in the series, Bury Them Deep, concerns are raised when a police officer fails to turn up for work. Anya Renfrew has never taken a day off sick, so this is marked as highly unusual by her colleagues, particularly when she doesn’t return their phone calls. But her disappearance also prompts interventions from top government officials including the First Minister. Before her disappearance, Anya was working on a highly sensitive case which could risk the countries reputation if anything gets out. The police step up their efforts to find her, and it isn’t long before McLean discovers a link to a disturbing local legend that has been spoken about for centuries.
The case which McLean is following in this book is the most disturbing one in the series, in my opinion. You will soon see why when you read it. I’ve always been fascinated by myths and folklore, and James Oswald explores a really chilling one here which has captured the local’s imagination for years. I was immediately drawn into this story, and James Oswald kept me hooked as Inspector McLean delved further into Anya Renfrew’s private life. They discover that she isn’t quite the person they thought of her to be. This does create a lot of red herrings as the police try to work out Anya’s last known movements, and these investigations take the police places where they certainly didn’t expect to go.
As well as investigating Anya’s disappearance, this novel also sees the return of a previous antagonist from the series, who McLean would rather never hear from again. This is where I think it will be helpful to have read the previous books in the series, but there is still enough information here to read this as a standalone. This was another really intriguing point, like McLean I wanted to know what this person knew about the current case he was working on, and what their true motivations were. I couldn’t really see it being the case that they just wanted to help him.
There were times when the tension was raised so high, particularly when I thought that McLean wasn’t going to be able to solve this case in time. There were scenes when I almost had to look away, but I was so keen to find out what was going to happen. I had to see how McLean was going to get himself out of this one. You won’t want to tear your eyes away from the page.
I think I have summed up how much I like this series in my previous reviews of these books, so all that’s left for me to say is you’ll absolutely love this book if you’re a fan. And again if you haven’t yet started these books, why haven’t you? You’re missing out on a real treat if you haven’t.
In the tenth book in the series, Bury Them Deep, concerns are raised when a police officer fails to turn up for work. Anya Renfrew has never taken a day off sick, so this is marked as highly unusual by her colleagues, particularly when she doesn’t return their phone calls. But her disappearance also prompts interventions from top government officials including the First Minister. Before her disappearance, Anya was working on a highly sensitive case which could risk the countries reputation if anything gets out. The police step up their efforts to find her, and it isn’t long before McLean discovers a link to a disturbing local legend that has been spoken about for centuries.
The case which McLean is following in this book is the most disturbing one in the series, in my opinion. You will soon see why when you read it. I’ve always been fascinated by myths and folklore, and James Oswald explores a really chilling one here which has captured the local’s imagination for years. I was immediately drawn into this story, and James Oswald kept me hooked as Inspector McLean delved further into Anya Renfrew’s private life. They discover that she isn’t quite the person they thought of her to be. This does create a lot of red herrings as the police try to work out Anya’s last known movements, and these investigations take the police places where they certainly didn’t expect to go.
As well as investigating Anya’s disappearance, this novel also sees the return of a previous antagonist from the series, who McLean would rather never hear from again. This is where I think it will be helpful to have read the previous books in the series, but there is still enough information here to read this as a standalone. This was another really intriguing point, like McLean I wanted to know what this person knew about the current case he was working on, and what their true motivations were. I couldn’t really see it being the case that they just wanted to help him.
There were times when the tension was raised so high, particularly when I thought that McLean wasn’t going to be able to solve this case in time. There were scenes when I almost had to look away, but I was so keen to find out what was going to happen. I had to see how McLean was going to get himself out of this one. You won’t want to tear your eyes away from the page.
I think I have summed up how much I like this series in my previous reviews of these books, so all that’s left for me to say is you’ll absolutely love this book if you’re a fan. And again if you haven’t yet started these books, why haven’t you? You’re missing out on a real treat if you haven’t.
June 4, 2021
I'm glad that James Oswald is still writing Inspector Tony McLean novels. He has introduced a new series featuring Constance Fairchild, but I am sure that there is still a few more new stories for Tony McLean to be written although now having reached the the rank of DCI his days must be numbered. Tony McLean stories always have a slight touch of the occult/paranormal/psychic and this makes them different and more interesting as the same characters having these powers pop up in abnormal ways and places. This story starts with the now DCI Mclean fighting the tedium of the paperwork that accompanies his rank. Tony McLean is not happy behind a desk, he longs to be part of the front line, out on the streets solving crimes. A civilian worker and key member of police Scotland fails the show up for work one day, nothing strange about that, except this woman has never had a day off, ever. This lady seems to have unlimited access to police Scotland's computers. Efforts to contact her prove fruitless. Further enquiries seem to suggest she leads a double life. What has happened to her and is her disappearance connected to a large investigation currently to be come operational. Read the book to find out how this unfolds.
March 3, 2020
As a huge fan of James Oswald’s Inspector Tony McLean series, I was thrilled to be given the opportunity to be a part of the blog tour for book 10 in the series. It’s hard to believe we’re on book 10 already, but each new story is fresh, exciting and keeps on going from strength to strength with each one.
This latest instalment of the popular series finds DCI Tony McLean and his team in search of Anya Renfrew, a missing colleague whose burnt out car has been found in remote woodland. Tony and his team are in the middle of an anti corruption operation, which is likely to upset some very powerful people. So is Anya’s disappearance a direct result of their investigation? Or is there a far greater evil at work here?
The story is as well written, fast paced and gripping as always, with an underlying feeling of something more going on just beneath the surface that causes the hairs to stand up on the back of your neck. This is a dark tale that keeps you enthralled from beginning to end. With a cast of characters it’s always a delight to catch up with, Bury Them Deep is a worthy addition to what has become one of my favourite crime thriller series of all time. There’s always so much more to these stories than at first meets the eye and this one is no exception. Dark, thrilling and with a wonderful Scottish sense of humour running through it, I loved every word of this brilliant and gripping thriller.
James Oswald’s writing gets better and better with each instalment of this fabulous series, and I hope DCI Tony McLean and his team are going to be around for many more years to come. I would recommend this series of books to anyone who enjoys something a little bit different mixed in with their crime fiction. Simply superb!
Highly recommended and one of my favourite reads of the year so far.
This latest instalment of the popular series finds DCI Tony McLean and his team in search of Anya Renfrew, a missing colleague whose burnt out car has been found in remote woodland. Tony and his team are in the middle of an anti corruption operation, which is likely to upset some very powerful people. So is Anya’s disappearance a direct result of their investigation? Or is there a far greater evil at work here?
The story is as well written, fast paced and gripping as always, with an underlying feeling of something more going on just beneath the surface that causes the hairs to stand up on the back of your neck. This is a dark tale that keeps you enthralled from beginning to end. With a cast of characters it’s always a delight to catch up with, Bury Them Deep is a worthy addition to what has become one of my favourite crime thriller series of all time. There’s always so much more to these stories than at first meets the eye and this one is no exception. Dark, thrilling and with a wonderful Scottish sense of humour running through it, I loved every word of this brilliant and gripping thriller.
James Oswald’s writing gets better and better with each instalment of this fabulous series, and I hope DCI Tony McLean and his team are going to be around for many more years to come. I would recommend this series of books to anyone who enjoys something a little bit different mixed in with their crime fiction. Simply superb!
Highly recommended and one of my favourite reads of the year so far.
March 14, 2020
Bury Them Deep by James Oswald is book ten of The Inspector McLean crime fiction series.
Set in Scotland, this story begins with a missing person: Anya Renfrew has worked as a loyal and reliable police administration assistant for many years, but when she doesn’t turn up at work for an important new case, the amount of access that she has to securely held information is as much a concern as her absence.
Detective Inspector McLean is under a lot of pressure from his superiors to find Anya, as her loss is jeopardising the start of the new case. Added to this, a dangerous serial killer escapes from a local psychiatric detention centre and police fear he will seek revenge on those who caught him years ago. See here for full review https://wp.me/p2Eu3u-fkI
Set in Scotland, this story begins with a missing person: Anya Renfrew has worked as a loyal and reliable police administration assistant for many years, but when she doesn’t turn up at work for an important new case, the amount of access that she has to securely held information is as much a concern as her absence.
Detective Inspector McLean is under a lot of pressure from his superiors to find Anya, as her loss is jeopardising the start of the new case. Added to this, a dangerous serial killer escapes from a local psychiatric detention centre and police fear he will seek revenge on those who caught him years ago. See here for full review https://wp.me/p2Eu3u-fkI
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