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Inspector McLean Books in Order

13 Books
2012 – 2024 Published
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Reading order

Where to Start with the Inspector McLean Series

If you are planning to dive into the dark and atmospheric streets of Edinburgh with Detective Inspector Tony McLean, the recommendation is straightforward: read the books in publication order. Because the narrative timeline moves forward chronologically alongside the release of the books, the publication order is also the chronological order. Starting from the beginning is vital for understanding McLean's complex personal history, his dealing with profound grief, and the evolving relationships with his colleagues and superiors.

Tony McLean is a uniquely compelling protagonist in the Tartan Noir landscape. Having inherited substantial wealth from his grandmother, he does not need the salary or the job. This independence allows him to pursue cases with an uncompromising moral compass, frequently clashing with bureaucratic superiors like Charles "Dagwood" Duguid. However, his life is also defined by trauma, most notably the murder of his fiancée Kirsty by a serial killer known as the Christmas Killer. Reading the series in sequence allows you to experience the slow-burn evolution of McLean's character, his team including Detective Sergeant Robert "Grumpy Bob" Laird and Janie Harrison, and the subtle, eerie paranormal undercurrents that define James Oswald's storytelling.

Inspector McLean Books in Order

Here is the complete list of the Inspector McLean books in their recommended reading order, matching both their publication and chronological sequence:

  • Natural Causes (2012): The novel that started it all. Originally self-published, it introduces McLean investigating a sixty-year-old ritualized murder of a young girl found bricked up in a cellar, which coincides with a string of present-day killings in Edinburgh.
  • The Book of Souls (2012): Every Christmas, the "Christmas Killer" claims a victim, including McLean's fiancée, Kirsty. When the killer is supposedly jailed but a copycat strikes, McLean is forced to confront his deepest trauma to solve the case.
  • The Hangman's Song (2014): A series of apparent suicides across Edinburgh catches McLean's attention. He suspects a single sinister influence pulling the strings behind the tragedies.
  • Dead Men's Bones (2014): When a prominent Edinburgh politician is found dead alongside his family in a suspected murder-suicide, McLean digs deeper and uncovers a web of corruption, secrets, and ancient influence.
  • Prayer for the Dead (2015): Investigating a body discovered in the subterranean passages of Gilmerton Cove, McLean is led into a dark world of religious fanaticism and deep-seated grudges.
  • The Damage Done (2016): A series of gruesome murders targeting wealthy individuals forces McLean to navigate high-society Edinburgh and the sinister appetites of its elite.
  • Written in Bones (2017): The body of a woman is found suspended from a bridge in Edinburgh. As McLean investigates, he is forced to look into the city's ancient history and the dark myths that persist.
  • The Gathering Dark (2018): A truck drives into a crowd at a busy Edinburgh festival, but McLean realizes this is not a simple accident or terrorist incident, but rather a cover for a much more calculated murder.
  • Cold as the Grave (2019): McLean is tasked with investigating the death of a young woman found dead in a clean, newly decorated room in a derelict building, leading him into the dark underbelly of human trafficking.
  • Bury Them Deep (2020): When a close colleague goes missing and is later connected to a major police operation gone wrong, McLean must thread the needle between departmental politics and cold-blooded murder.
  • What Will Burn (2021): A series of devastating fires across Edinburgh seems to target specific individuals. McLean discovers a supernatural heat building in the city, threatening to consume everything. This book features a crossover character, Izzy, from the Constance Fairchild series.
  • All That Lives (2022): An archaeological dig in Edinburgh uncovers a skeleton that is far more recent than it appears, thrusting McLean and DS Janie Harrison into a case that blurs the lines between history and modern malice.
  • For Our Sins (2024): McLean is called to a gruesome murder scene in a church, leading him to investigate a trail of religious symbolism and historical secrets that threaten his own safety.
  • The Rest is Death (2025): A break-in at a high-tech Edinburgh startup, Drake BioTech, leads McLean into a web of ancient artifacts and suspicious deaths, while DI Janie Harrison leads a parallel murder inquiry.
  • The Violent Hour (2026): Scheduled for release in July 2026, this novel finds McLean operating during a suffocating Edinburgh heatwave as he investigates a brutal, unidentified murder and a comatose victim found on Musselburgh Beach.

The Tartan Noir & Supernatural Blend

What sets James Oswald's work apart in the crowded field of Scottish crime fiction is its unique genre-blending. While Ian Rankin and Val McDermid focus on hard-boiled, gritty realism, Oswald weaves in a whisper of the supernatural. The paranormal elements are rarely overt; there are no vampires or active spellcasting. Instead, Oswald crafts an atmosphere where the veil between the physical world and the supernatural is thin. McLean has an uncanny intuition, feeling cold drafts or a sense of malevolence in certain crime scenes. Whether these occurrences are genuinely supernatural or merely the manifestations of a highly intuitive, traumatized mind is left open to the reader's interpretation, adding a chilling layer of psychological depth to the police procedurals.

Spin-offs and the Connected Oswald Universe

For readers who want to explore more of James Oswald's work, the author has created a sister series featuring Detective Constable Constance "Con" Fairchild. While the Constance Fairchild books are set primarily outside Edinburgh and focus on a different protagonist, they inhabit the exact same literary universe. This is officially confirmed in the eleventh McLean novel, What Will Burn, where Con's half-sister, Izzy Fairchild, makes a prominent appearance. Although Tony McLean and Constance Fairchild have not crossed paths directly in the books, the thematic connections and shared character list make the Connie Fairchild series a perfect companion read once you have caught up with McLean's cases.

Practical Reader Advice

While the individual crime cases in each book are resolved by the final page, reading the series out of order is not recommended. The overarching narrative of Tony McLean’s personal life, his battle with the psychological scars of losing his fiancée, his slow ascension through the ranks of the Edinburgh police, and his relationships with team members like Janie Harrison and Grumpy Bob Laird are strictly linear. If you skip around, you will miss crucial character growth and spoil major developments regarding McLean's family history and personal relationships.

If you are looking for a starting point, always begin with Natural Causes. It establishes the tone, McLean's background, and the atmospheric depiction of Edinburgh that serves as the foundation for the entire series.

Frequently Asked

QShould I read the Inspector McLean books in order?

Yes. Although each book features a self-contained murder investigation, the characters' personal arcs, promotions, and ongoing relationships develop chronologically. Reading them in order starting with Natural Causes is highly recommended.

QIs the Inspector McLean series supernatural?

The series features subtle, ambiguous supernatural undertones. While functioning primarily as gritty Tartan Noir police procedurals, the stories contain eerie atmospheres and unexplained occurrences that suggest paranormal influences, though they are often left open to reader interpretation.

QWhere is the Inspector McLean series set?

The series is set in Edinburgh, Scotland, utilizing the city's historic streets, subterranean vaults, and atmospheric coastal areas to create a haunting backdrop for the investigations.

QWhat is the connection between Inspector McLean and the Constance Fairchild series?

Both series share the same universe. While Tony McLean and Con Fairchild have not met, Con's half-sister, Izzy Fairchild, appears in the eleventh McLean novel, What Will Burn, confirming the crossover connection.

QHow many books are currently in the Inspector McLean series?

As of mid-2026, the series consists of 14 published novels, beginning with Natural Causes (2012) and including the recent release The Rest is Death (2025). The 15th novel, The Violent Hour, is scheduled for publication in July 2026.

QDoes Tony McLean have a partner or family in the series?

McLean is largely defined by his solitude and past trauma. His parents died when he was young, leaving him to be raised by his grandmother. His fiancée, Kirsty, was murdered by a serial killer prior to the start of the first novel, a tragedy that haunts him throughout the series.