What Will Burn

The Inspector McLean Series, Book 11

By: James Oswald

Narrated by: Ian Hanmore

Length: 14 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's Summary

The 11th book in the Sunday Times best-selling Inspector McLean series, from one of Scotland's most celebrated crime writers.

The charred remains of an elderly woman are discovered in a burned-out gamekeeper's cottage, hidden away in woodland to the west of Edinburgh. Clearly no accidental fire, Detective Inspector Tony McLean suspects that neither is this simply a grim arson attack. There is far more to the victim than her humble surroundings might suggest, and something ritualistic to her horrific murder. 

Nor will it be the only case of death by fire that Tony and his team will be faced with. This is only the beginning, and with such evil clouding the air, Tony begins to wonder what else will burn.... 

©2021 James Oswald (P)2021 Headline Publishing Group Ltd

no need for the overlay of music

love these books ,i hate the musical nonsense in the last chapter ,it's just irritating and makes the listening tricky for me . overproduction ,there is no need. the only thing it does is boost the ego of the producer , go get a job in a music studio.

Is Tony getting tired

I enjoyed the book. I have enjoyed the journey with these characters however I sense a kind of weariness. In this story there’s a certain feeling of Ex Machina to wrap the story up. The part of Tony that is drawn into this world is no longer being explored, he’s just there doing his thing and we have to accept it.
The narration as always is spot on.
I look forward to the next book but I do wonder if there is to be some progress in the life of DI McLean.

Best yet

Absolutely hooked from beginning to end.
Brilliant narration by Ian Hanmore as always.
Just on a production point- I do dislike it when the narrative just stops and the credits kick in immediately. With this the mood music at the beginning and end really enhanced the atmosphere and the wind down. I do wish others productions would do the same.
Can’t wait for the next one!

Mysterious + gripping

Really enjoyed this tale of witchcraft, corruption + manipulation alongside the warmth, depth and dynamic of the main characters. Read the whole Tony McLean series up to press. Highly recommended

Another brilliant Tony McLean book

I was a wee bit nervous about this book as I’ve read the Alice Fairchild books while waiting for the next “McLean” to arrive and although I quite enjoyed them (ish) they weren’t up to Mr Oswald’s delivery of McLean’s life.
This book was a joy to read and on occasion intentionally unnerving just as I had expected.
I mish-mash of red-herrings and false avenues and a damned good read ( even if Ian Hanmore was doing the reading ).
I’m delighted I chose to take the Audible version even though I’m a traditional book reader by choice.

My least favourite of the series

I've loved all the books so far but didn't find this at all interesting. Had it not been for Ian Hanmore's voice I might not have finished it

Always Good Time Well Spent

Listening to Ian Hanmore narrating a James Oswald book is always a wonderful treat - surpassing themselves again in this last book.
Well done, chaps, for achieving such great writing, James, and such great mood creation in the telling, Ian.
Can't wait 'til the next one!!! 👏👏👏🤞🤗🤗

brilliant as always

engaging, original and entertaining from start to end. Great characters and settings . always enjoy these books. keep them coming

Great

Again story and narrator were excellent. Oswald is a brilliant and creative writer always adding mystery and suspense to his books. Im looking forward to the next one.

Another Fantastic instalment from James Oswald

First and foremost thank you to Antonia Whitton at Headline Books and of course James Oswald for an ARC copy of this fantastic book.

I absolutely love this series from James Oswald - Inspector Tony McLean is a detective with Police Scotland in Edinburgh who I stumbled across four or five years ago on audible.

Whilst these books are essentially crime fiction there is an undertone of the occult prevalent throughout, which is the particular reason I fell in love with this series.

I love the way Tony McLean is always trying to steer towards the reasonable and most plausible explanation for things that occur at his crime scenes but cannot deny that there are other things afoot in his beloved Edinburgh and the surrounding areas.

James Oswald paints a picture in your mind with his writing and I always find that I have been living inside his descriptions of Inspector McLean’s investigations - such is the calibre of his writing.

It was a pleasant surprise to note the cross over from the Constance Fairchild novels in the form of her half sister Isobel and I wonder if there may be further cross overs to come?

This instalment starts with the brutal murder of a seemingly innocent old lady who kept to herself and had no great connection to the world outside her cottage. Who would do such a thing, and in such a cruel and painful manner?

But of course that’s only the beginning of the trouble come to plague him with the cases he is dealt. With unexplained but seemingly accidental deaths popping up in quick succession, can Inspector McLean figure out what the connection is and why these people seem to be dying in very strange manners?

James Oswald has once again shown me why he is one of my 2 favourite authors. He never fails to write something that I love and think about long after I have finished the book. I have become very invested, not only in the life/career of Tony McLean but also his friends a colleagues, like Janie Harrison, Madame Rose and of course, who could forget, Mrs McCutcheon’s Cat 🐈‍⬛. Although Em is off in Africa helping with a mass grave dig, I feel like she is still visible within the book and of course Tony’s heart.

If you haven’t already read this series then I suggest you move all other planned books aside and get started! You won’t regret it!

“His voice wavered as the match in his fingers flickered in anticipation of greater things”