Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Gone on to read this book right after finishing what i thought was the previous book.
This is book 9 and i've recently read book 7 which means i have missed one out. What I would say though is it hasn' really mattered so much as what I was wondering about from book 7 was fleeting mentioned in this book so i had an idea what has gone on. (i wont say what that was for fear of spoiling it for anyone.

I'm getting back to catching up with series of books i' have read and gotten behind on, I have really enjoyed getting back to this series.
Tony Mclean is a great character. These books are written to a very high standard and will be great for any crime fiction fan.

Cold as the Grave is the 9th in the Inspector McLean series and once again Tony is in the thick of a very puzzling case. Still not used to his new position in the force he has gone to help with the policing of a protest march. Stumbling down a side alley he finds himself in the basement of one of the buildings where he discovers what appears to be the mummified remains of a young girl. His hopes of passing this on to the cold case team are soon dashed as it turns out the girl died more recently, what they can’t work out is how she came to be in the state she was. Added to this he is thrown into the path of Mrs Saifre, someone he had hoped he would never see again as no good ever followed in her wake.
This book is definitely dark and really goes back to the possibility of the supernatural that makes these books stand out. With the theme of refugees and their treatment at the heart of it you can see how Tony is struggling between doing what is right and what is required by law which don’t always go hand in hand and there were many times I was routing for him to go against what he was bound to do as a police officer.
It was really good to see Madame Rose back in the mix as she tried to help both personally and professionally as both Tony and Emma were still struggling with the events at the end of The Gathering Dark, Turning to work, they seem to be on a course of destruction as far as their relationship goes but I am still holding out that they will eventually have some good news and they at least find peace at home.
There is something about Edinburgh that just lends itself so well to these stories and adds to the atmosphere and action that take place. Always at the heart of the books are characters that sweep you along with their stories that always have that believable quality to them even if you don’t believe in the things you just can’t explain. There is definitely something to be said for falling behind on a series that you love. The best part is you don’t have to wait ages for the next one to be published. I am very aware that I am getting closer and closer to the most recent one but until that time I get to savour and enjoy the books that have been written.

The 9th book in the Inspector McLean series and it most certainly did not disappoint.

Love the darkness of the tale along with the Scottish setting. I've already purchased the others in the series so I can read the back story.

Highly recommended.

This is already the ninth book in the DI Maclean series, and they just get better. I haven't read all the previous books in the series, will be tackle them soon. Recommended.

Onto the 9th of this excellent series from James Oswald, brings Inspector Mclean and his partner Emma overcoming a tragedy that’s beset them. Tony Mclean has now been forcibly promoted and is now a DCI.

This time around, McLean finds himself faced with finding the mummified body of a small girl. That seems to have been mummified years but is In fact only days..

An Intriguing story again, with the supernatural and fantasy elements possibly the most prevalent yet in all the stories. With Middle Eastern myths and magic, Djinns and genies and old magic, this is another excellent outing for Mclean

Edinburgh is dark and macabre, and Tony is again allowing his job to take over his life whilst Emma struggles. Madame Rose is very much to the fore in this one to.

The Nasty and despicable Miss Saifre is back, and though there feels a bit of closure is some long running stories, Miss Saifre is going nowhere yet.

Superbly crafted, plotted and written as ever. I look forward to Bury them Deep

5🔥🔥🔥🔥

I am extremely fond of Tony McLean, he's an endearing character with a credible set of morals and values that most readers can relate to. This is book 9 in the series, yet James Oswald manages to create a story full of fresh tricks and turns, spinning yarns of fantasy that remain firmly on this side of believable. There are definitely elements that cannot be explained by science and they appear in Cold as the Grave just enough to make the reader think, "Well, maybe....". Tony manages to unshackle himself from his desk and get stuck in to the action in the manner we've come to expect but somehow every book is as different and appealing as if it's a brand new idea, just with friends you've known for ages. Once again I shall 'double-dip' and buy the audio version as Mr Oswald's writing is of the calibre that after one has read the book you can enjoy it as much all over again by listening to the audio version. I'm running out of plaudits now, all that's left to say is "All hail King James of Oswald - creator of a blooming brilliant detective series". Why this hasn't hit either the big or little screen is a mystery that is yet to be solved.

This is a treat for crime fiction lovers with a bit of the supernatural thrown in for good measure. Mr Oswald knows how to write a great story and he has done it once again with "Cold as the Grave".

DCI Tony McLean finds himself, quite unexpectedly, in the midst of a strange and disturbing investigation following his discovery of the mummified remains of a young girl. Being a DCI, Tony is not supposed to get into the day to day investigation of crime however, Tony being Tony just can't help himself and he quickly becomes in the thick of it.

This is a dark and sinister case to investigate and includes themes on refugees, asylum seekers, illegal immigrants, trafficking, modern slavery, the murder of children and violence towards women as well as introducing a less than "normal" slant on the perpetrator of the crime and the method used for committing murder.

With fantastic characters throughout and written in a sympathetic rather than sensationalist way with the back drop of a winter in Edinburgh, this is a great read.

I admit to not having read all the previous books in this series and although I have probably missed out massively on back story, character development, etc., it did not detract from my enjoyment of this book.

On to the next .... when it comes out!

My thanks must go to the Publisher and NetGalley for my copy in return for an unbiased review.

Another great book from one of my favourite authors. A modern tale of people trafficking with a supernatural twist and the return of Mrs Safre. Not a stand alone novel.best to read the other books in the series first. James Oswald is one to follow for fans of tartan noir .

Tony McLean has been promoted to Detective Chief Inspector, a role he didn’t really want, he’d rather be doing police work not paperwork….

So, he decides to take part in Operation Fundament, to keep an eye on a protest march, fascists and anti-fascists. In the melee he stumbles and notices a door that had been broken into. When he goes to check he finds the body of a young girl….it looks like it had been there for years, as it was desiccated……but after the post mortem it’s found the poor girl had only been dead a couple of days…so what had caused her to be ‘mummified’…..

Then a second body is found, another young girl in the same state……just who is killing these girls?

Tony is such a committed detective, his home life is suffering after a recent tragedy, and he and Emma barely speak to each other anymore….

But he just has to find out what is happening to these girls….

He is again dealing with the menacing Mrs Saifre…..she gave me the creeps that one, the marvellous Madame Rose and the mysterious Madame Jasmina….all mixed in with people trafficking, modern day slavery, the exploitation of migrant workers and murder. There’s also the ‘demon’, the mythical djinn….superstition or something else? Just be careful what you wish for !

A creepy, tense, emotional and totally compelling thriller….I loved every chilling minute….

Thank you to The publishers, the author and NetGalley for a free copy of the book and this is my honest, unbiased review

I’m such a huge fan of this fantastic series which just keeps getting better and better.

The thing I like most about it is that’s it’s not just a crime thriller or a police procedural but also deals with quite current, emotional issues too. This book deals with missing children and the plight of immigrants which makes for very harrowing, emotions reading at times.

The setting of the book is used to great affect with the reader being introduced to the darker side of Edinburgh away from the normal tourist spots. The descriptions are very vivid and I felt that I could picture them in my mind, with some of them making me shiver at the thought of them. They seem so realistic and this book serves as a great reminder that ever city has a darker side that not everyone gets to see.

This is quite a fast paced book with lots of different things happening to keep me gripped to the page. The author shows great skill by altering the pace of the book at times to show the startling contrast of Tom and Emma’s situation or to convey more emotion into the story which keeps the reader on their toes. There was a lot of tension in the book which had me on the edge of my seat as I read faster and faster trying to find out what happens next, though there were also moments when I had to out the book down as I was very nervous about reading on.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Wildfire books for my copy of this book. If you are looking for a fantastic new crime series then you should try this book!

Her mummified body is hidden in the dark corner of a basement room, a room which seems to have been left untouched for decades. A room which feels as cold as the grave.
As a rowdy demonstration makes its slow and vocal way along Edinburgh's Royal Mile, Detective Chief Inspector Tony McLean's team are on stand-by for any trouble. The newly promoted McLean is distracted, inexplicably drawn to a dead-end mews street... and a door, slightly ajar, which leads to this poor girl's final resting place.
Each time I read one of the author’s Mclean books I think it can't be as good as the previous ones & each time it’s as good if not better & this series is now one of my must read series. I love Tony who is now chaffing at the bit to do real police work rather than being kept in the office but Tony being Tony he investigates anyway. The mix of run of the mill police investigation with the hint of the supernatural makes for a different read. I could give lots of superlatives & give hints to the story but all I'll say is this is a first class brilliant read which I highly recommend.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

I was interested in reading this book after starting another series by James Oswald a few months ago and hearing that the Inspector McLean series was more gripping and had more of supernatural element. I wasn’t misinformed and I now have more books to read.

The main subject matter is a grim one and features a common concern, that of refugees arriving from harrowing situations in their own countries. The refugees who feature don’t have an easy time, they are frightened, low paid, and face danger from more than human traffickers. But, much to their surprise the police are their friends and none of police team want to add to their distress.

Despite knowing little about previous events, I have only read book one, I had no issues following the storylines. Past cases are mentioned, but not dwelled on, so I can read the earlier books without being aware of what happened in them.

The supernatural element is a strange one. I felt more unease about the less obvious situations, the sense of danger from touch or smell rather than the investigation itself. It was something that made me a little nervous, jumpy and looking over my shoulder.

James Oswald is an author whose books I have every intention of catching up with.

Another great crime thriller from Scotland, my first Inspector McLean story, mixing crime with a little bit of the supernatural. A thrilling story involving missing children continues through to a totally unexpected ending.

The ninth book in the Inspector McLean series and you don't have to read them in order, although like any long running crime series the author will refer back to events in the past covered in previous books.

The opening sees the discovery of a mummified body hidden in the dark corner of a basement room, a room which seems to have been left untouched for decades. The plot unfolds from here to include a mysterious circus, human trafficking, a 60's rock star and a djinn.

James Oswald is similar to John Connolly in that both add in supernatural elements to their books and they work well, also like Stephen King's excellent Mercedes man trilogy.

Although used a lot in book reviews, 'Cold As The Grave' is a proper page turner as you want to keep on reading to see what happens next, such are the twists and turns in the plot. Highly recommended and James Oswold joins my select list of 'must read' crime writers.

My Next review is:-

“Cold As The Grave:Inspector McLean 9”, written by James Oswald and published in Hardcover by Wildfire on 7th Feb. 2019.432 pages ISBN-13: 978-1472249883

This latest book by James Oswald with his protagonist of Detective Chief Inspector Tony McLean was truly wonderful and I was saddened with it's finishing.

It starts when Tony McLean and his team of detectives is observing a rather rowdy demonstration in Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. He is there to be on the look out to prevent any trouble but he decides to enter a door-way in a dead-end mews street in order to avoid the bad weather. He accidentally discovers the body of a dead girl hidden in the shadows of the cold basement room and is obliged to call it in. The body seems initially that it could have been there for years but is that the actual truth?

This highly atmospheric and extremely well plotted story weaves it charms along it’s gentle way. The plot of the story as in his previous books seem to twist and turn as different facts come to the surface and the book once started is exceedingly difficult to put down until the very dramatic conclusion is reached.

As this is the ninth book about Tony McLean more facts come out about his past and his involvement with women come out and again we are told of his inheritance from his grandmother which gives him sufficient income never to need to work again but he continues to do so for the sheer pleasure of doing his job!

His subordinate detectives are mentioned in particular “Grumpy Bob” and Ds Ritchie and he shares his large home with among other thing a rather moody cat. The book is filled with a lot of wry humour which offsets the bleakness of some of the more violent aspects. It was a great shame to have to finally close this book after 432 pages that seem to pass so quickly and to have to worry that we will have to wait yet another year until we see the 10th book about the latest exploits of this great detective. Very strongly recommended.

Best wishes,

Terry

As ever a great read from Oswald.
The ninth in the series see McLean out on streets of Edinburgh helping police a march or supposed to, when he steps inside a building with an open door and finds a mummified corpse. The case becomes very interesting when the post mortem comes in as they expected an old body killed years ago but that is not the case it is recent.
They struggle to find the name of the girl and believe there are ties to immigrant workers at a local sandwich factory but the immigrants don't trust the police and don't want to help so it isn't easy.
As you'd expect you can leave it at that it's a murder mystery after all so along comes another body. The fact that the dead bodies look old bones but aren't just isn't helping and just what is going on at that sandwich factory? All things to make our inspector delve.
Oswald delivers another McLean outing and it is just what you come to expect, well written and a mystery that isn't all it would seem. There is a twist at the end as well when we discover what is happening.

This is the ninth book in the Tony McLean series and they just keep getting better and better. Not entirely happy in his new role as DCI, Tony escapes from the growing pile of paperwork to help out at a far-right demonstration. He stumbles across the body of a child that looks almost mummified but, far from being a cold case, this is the beginning of a harrowing investigation into the treatment of refugees and illegal immigrants. There is also the added element of the supernatural that makes this series so different, but in the hands of James Oswald is made to seem perfectly plausible. The cast of characters are so well drawn and familiar that you sometimes forget they are fictional – Grumpy Bob, Madame Rose and, my favourite, Mrs McCutcheon’s cat. McLean’s old nemesis (Mrs Saifre) is back too, and he still does not trust her one little bit. This is a dark and disturbing tale, told with great sensitivity and I look forward to reading the next one.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review #ColdAsTheGrave #NetGalley

Another fantastic Tony McLean book from James Oswald. Great existing characters, good new characters and a storyline that has you enthralled right until the very last page! Highly recommend it!!!

the latest in the mclean series doesn't disappoint with it being dark and gritty and topical with refugees and middle east Syria added to the current plot. the plot was a bit slow to start off with soon picked up and like how its always adds a touch of the supernatural/unusual. one element is on and off personal relationship with Emma which one part of the book I like.