Scan barcode
toellandback's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Book six in the Tony McLean series and it was a welcome return as its been a while since I read the previous book. This one opens with the police acting on a tip off and raiding an Edinburgh House, however the expected prostitution ring they expect turns into something different and leaves red faces all round. Add in some strange sex-related deaths around the city and a old case that comes back to McLean's memory and you have a multi-layered storyline where the reader is as much in the dark as the detectives. McLean also has an unusual situation occurring in his usually empty home (apart from his unnamed cat) which I a nice welcome distraction to the reader.
Fast paced, great characters and a story which raises questions throughout and a reminder to me as to how good the series is. I won't leave so long until the next one this time!
Fast paced, great characters and a story which raises questions throughout and a reminder to me as to how good the series is. I won't leave so long until the next one this time!
julianna12's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
myrdyr's review
4.0
4.25/5 stars. I enjoyed this latest instalment in the Inspector McLean series and look forward to the next one. In my review of the previous book, I mentioned that I had no recollection of the series, but that has changed. While it’s still a bit fuzzy, the characters are starting to regain their forms. I look forward to seeing what the next book has in store for McLean.
andrew61's review
4.0
6th in a series that gets better and better with Tony McLean a character who I totally buy into despite my initial reluctance to get on board with the supernatural crime train.
Here he investigates an apparent brothel raid that goes wrong and a string of nasty murders that seem to be apparent accidental deaths. With a particularly nasty set of evil spooky twins Tony is pushed to his limits and with a hook at the end which means I'll be reading book 7 soon.
Here he investigates an apparent brothel raid that goes wrong and a string of nasty murders that seem to be apparent accidental deaths. With a particularly nasty set of evil spooky twins Tony is pushed to his limits and with a hook at the end which means I'll be reading book 7 soon.
wendoxford's review
3.0
Read this in about a day...quite the page turner. I slightly marked it down because next o cold cases, corruption and vice there is a ?supernatural element which, for me, doesn't belong there. Aside from that loved the omplex storyline and the progression of Inspector McLean at home
syren1532's review
5.0
DI Tony McLean has been placed back with the sex crimes unit. He and his colleagues are carrying out a raid on a house they believe is being used as a brothel but when they enter and process everyone in there all is not as it seems. During the raid Tony meets Heather Marchmont who is renting the house and he can't help but feel that they have met before but he can't think where or when. Then a body is found in strange circumstances followed by the death of one of the people arrested following the brothel raid and Tony is convinced there is a link between all three. Before he can start investigating properly he's removed from the sex crimes unit and made to work on cold cases with Grumpy Bob and his old nemesis Duguid. Is one of their cold cases linked to the current cases and is Duguid telling McLean everything he knows? The resulting investigation leads to both their lives being threatened and McLean's suspension but when he gets home a surprise visitor arrives. Loving this series of books and looking forward to reading the next installment.
micrummey's review
3.0
A police procedural with a hint of supernatural towards the end. The twins we learn at the start are the serial killers and provide the supernatural element of the book. This could come back in a title later in the series.
Set in Edinburgh Oswald certainly gives it a sense of place as a series of crimes lead Inspector McLean to revisit a crime back when he was a young copper.
As a procedural it is an okay book, but when Oswald introduces an arc involving guests staying with McLean I felt a little confused about these characters having not read any of the other McLean novels.
The sections with these guests seemed to drag and were a bit too long.
A book which made me think I've read a lot worse.
Set in Edinburgh Oswald certainly gives it a sense of place as a series of crimes lead Inspector McLean to revisit a crime back when he was a young copper.
As a procedural it is an okay book, but when Oswald introduces an arc involving guests staying with McLean I felt a little confused about these characters having not read any of the other McLean novels.
The sections with these guests seemed to drag and were a bit too long.
A book which made me think I've read a lot worse.
han_cat's review
4.0
Very good addition to the series. Oswald's books are rather unique; top notch police procedural with added oddness - yet in a very believable way. Continues to be one of my most favourite book series's.