Another great read from James Oswald! I really enjoy this series and it again didn't disappoint so get out your brooms and pointy hats for this joyride!
A 90-year-old woman who lives on her own in a cottage that is not easily accessible is found dead. Initially, it is believed to be an accident but then they realize that she was beaten to death and then set alight. Who would do such a horrible thing?
Fortunately, Inspector McLean is back from suspension but there's a new Chief Superintendent that he must put up with and something is a bit off with her. Then bodies start turning up. All initially seem like accidental deaths until the coroner discovers otherwise. Are these random things linked or not and how exactly did these men die?

The only small negative I have was a few lines that were repeated and I think unnecessary but overall still a brilliant read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I’d like to thank Headline and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘What Will Burn’ by James Oswald in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

DI Tony McLean is back after demotion from DCI and together with acting DS Janie Harrison and DC Lofty Blane investigations are underway following the discovery of the body of elderly Cicely Slater, part of the Bairnfather family, that initially looks like suicide but following the post mortem definitely isn’t. Add to this a body that looks like spontaneous combustion and Tony is kept busy searching for who or what killed them.

'What Will Burn’ is book 11 in the Detective McLean series and although this is the first I’ve read I don’t feel that I’ve missed so much that I can’t enjoy this book. I like the humour that adds a bit of reality to the story, such as Tony’s acquisition of another cat to his household, and we meet the new DCS Gail Elmwood who has secrets yet to be uncovered. Add to the equation solicitor Tommy Fielding who hates women, and especially those who don’t obey their men, and we have an exciting thriller. There’s drama, suspense, twists and turns, some unsavoury characters and an element of witchcraft in the mix that makes for an exciting and gripping read.

This is the 11th book in the Inspector McLean series by author James Oswald. I have read all the previous ten books and enjoyed everyone of them. Inspector McLean is a great character, well written plots with a touch of quirkiness thrown in. For me I felt a little let down by this one and although I still enjoyed it, I finished the book feeling it was not quite at the same high standard as previous books. I would recommend the series highly and it is well worth a read.

Detective Inspector Tony McLean is called upon to investigate the charred remains of an elderly woman, found in a burned-out game-keepers cottage, hidden away in woodland to the west of Edinburgh. Foul play is evident and McLean is sure there is a lot more to it than a simple arson attack.

These novels are a little quirky because of the supernatural touches, normally something I tend to shy away from but James Oswald keeps the perfect balance for me. Great characters and well written plots with a touch of supernatural.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Headline for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Another excellent story in the McLean series. He returns to work after suspension to be I for by his new boss Gail that he has been demoted. He is faced with the mysterious death of an elderly lady . The cast of well portrayed characters investigate what turns out not to be an accidental death the ramifications of which lead to the investigation and unearthing of the lives of the wealthy, an unscrupulous lawyer and the past of Gail, the new deputy chief constable. As ever with This author the occult features adding that little ‘bit of difference’

What Will Burn is James Oswald at his very best. McLean is back from a suspension, with Emma again on her travels, McLean is soon investigating a string of strange deaths, starting with the burning of a lonely old woman on her own in her cottage in the Wilderness.

With more macabre , and gruesome deaths to follow, and a story again steeped in myth, witchcraft and the supernatural, Oswald is on top of his game this time around.

Sinister criminals, the idea of incel, male radicalisation, and returning friends and foes,

I thoroughly enjoyed this hefty, intriguing and well paced latest instalment from McLean and Oswald.

One of my early favourite reads of the year

I very much enjoyed this book. It has a good story and excellent main characters. I would definately recommend this book.

James Oswald's eleventh book featuring Edinburgh Police Detective Inspector Tony McLean was really enthralling and I just could not put it down. The plot was very absorbing and I was truly gripped until the breath-taking conclusion. But a special tip, don’t read on a bus as you’re likely to miss your stop!

The charred remains of an elderly woman are discovered in a burned-out game-keepers 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 . . .

Tony has a lot of problems with his superiors and has had to accept a demotion from being Chief Inspector but is pleased he wasn’t sacked. There is a new Chief Superintendent, an English woman, who was formerly with Scotland Yard and she insists that he accompanies her to Police Scotland local social events, that takes what little time he has left over from his main investigation. There are also some problems in his personal life that distract him and there are references to cases that he was involved in in the past. Whilst it is helpful to have read previous books by this author it is not obligatory and the author makes sure that for readers who may buy his book on impulse, that the story is fully explained.

This is the eleventh book in the series about Tony McLean and the sixth one that I've read and I'm really enjoying them as they continue to remind me of Stuart MacBride and Ian Rankin. The character of Tony McLean is the antithesis of the usual copper in that he is independently wealthy, driving a large Alfa Romeo car and doesn't need to work but does so as he only inherited his fortune after he became a detective.
The author of these cleverly detailed, plot driven books is unusual also, in that he also writes another police procedural series about a Scottish detective working for the London metropolitan police and he has also writes as “J.D.Oswald”, five titles so far of an epic fantasy series, “The Ballad of Sir Benfro” and yet he also he manages to combine his writing, oddly enough, with a full- time job of running a 350 acre pedigree cattle and sheep farm in North East Fife.

I loved all of the previous books . I look forward to reading his next one. If you want a thoroughly enjoyable and fascinating murder mystery with very strong characterisations then do buy this book. Very strongly recommended.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Headline for an advance copy of What Will Burn, the eleventh novel to feature DI Tony McLean of the Edinburgh Police.

After a three month suspension and a demotion to DI Tony returns to work and is asked to investigate a strange case, 90 year old Cecily Slater has been found burned to death in her remote gamekeeper’s cottage. The more the team investigate the more they realise that there is much more to Cecily Slater than first appears and more to her murder than a simple attack and she’s not the last death the team will be investigating.

I thoroughly enjoyed What Will Burn, which is an engrossing read with an unusual plot line. Quite often in this series there is a hint of the supernatural that can be rationalised away but this is unambiguous. I’m not normally a fan of this genre, preferring the more tangible, logical and down to earth, but this won me over with its compelling narrative and and multiple events to puzzle over. It held my attention throughout.

The novel is mostly told from Tony’s point of view with other characters chipping in as and when. This includes some puzzling flashbacks to older times, which took me a while to work out, but once I cottoned on I came to see them as inspired. It is impossible to say more without spoilers, but, believe me, this is a clever novel, mixing the past and present, the prosaic and the fantastical, all while making the reader question every new character and their motives.

It might be because I am Scottish and the novel offers familiarity but I always feel really comfortable reading this series, even when the subject matter is uncomfortable, or at least outside my comfort zone. Most of this is due to the characterisation and dialogue. This novel is no different. With the odd exception and Madame Rose the psychic springs to mind, the reader can recognise the characters as realistic and authentic. The same with the dialogue and its frequent cynicism, it’s the same mindset we hear most days.

What Will Burn is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

‘What Will Burn’ is a cracking further instalment in the detective novels featuring Inspector McLean and his colleagues. If there is an authentic successor to the Rankin/Rebus partnership then the Oswald/McLean pairing have to be strong contenders. Oswald has an uncanny ability to convey atmosphere and context that is among the best in the business. In these grim lockdown months reading an Oswald novel is almost as good as the visit to Edinburgh that most of us can’t make. The smells, sights and sounds of the city are captured on every page, whilst characters, old familiars as well as those new in this novel, are crafted with the author’s usual sensitivity and skill. Prospective readers can find a synopsis from the publisher’s information, so it’s not repeated here. Suffice to say that McLean continues in his idiosyncratic way to challenge both criminals as well as bureaucratic obstacles from his superiors as the plot slowly takes shape and then gathers pace relentlessly to its satisfying conclusion. Readers familiar with Oswald’s novels will know to expect some supernatural themes woven into the storyline, but these add atmosphere and piquancy without intruding too much into the credibility of the plot. Highly recommended!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ gore score 2/5
I really enjoyed the book.
#11 in the Inspector McLean series.
I have only read one other in the series. It reads well as a stand a lone, there are references to previous enquiries but nothing that left me feeling that I’d missed out on something important.
The first chapter really intrigued me and got me dangling on the hook.
DI McLean is back with a newly promoted acting DS Harrison to investigate a burned elderly woman’s corpse is found in a remote location.
There’s a good serving of the supernatural which adds loads of interest for me.
I like the little quips of humour throughout.
Fav quote ’Do you know what Pro Bono means...... Isn’t he the singer in the old Irish band’
It tickled me the way Tony acquired another cat.
There’s enough Scottish dialect to ground it to the location, but not enough to make reading hard work.
I like the character of Janie Harrison, she is likeable and compassionate. McLean comes over as a tough nut, but he has a softer side.
It’s a long book at 432 pages , it has a good steady pace although a bit slow between 60-70%.
I found the first half of the book held my attention far more than the second, although this might have more to do with me not managing to get in concentrated reading sessions in the later part of the book. I liked the ending.

What a great pleasure it is to be back in the company of Tony McLean and his fellow detectives - the eleventh book in the series, but all could be read as stand alone works. McLean is now demoted as a result of the dramatic ending to the last book, but he’s more than happy about it, as it means fewer pointless meetings and more detective work. The opening murder is pretty gruesome, but the determination of McLean and his team to get to the bottom of how it occurred is another fine mystery in this excellent Scottish writer’s output. The first murder is not the only bizarre death in this book, with references right back to witch hunting many centuries ago. It all hangs together brilliantly as every character, likeable or not (and there are some really nasty characters here) is superbly drawn and the plot will draw you in with not a hope of doing anything else until you have read the final page.

Great to see the return of so many characters in this well established series with a mildly supernatural twist.
This instalment does feel like it lacks pace, probably because its set over a longer time period than most crime novels.
Still one of my favourite Scottish series

McLean is slowly edging towards Skinner and Rebus in the world of Edinburgh detectives and full credit to James Oswald for giving us the character.
‘What Will Burn’, like the previous McLean books is an thoroughly enjoyable read and makes you ready for the next book as soon as you turn the final page of this one.
Recommend.

When Cecily Slater's body was found, she'd already been dead for a week - in a house fire in deserted woodland near Edinburgh. Heavy rain had washed away most of the evidence, but DI Tony McLean, demoted and just returned from suspension, is reluctant to accept that this is nothing more than a careless accident. There were indications that Slater had been savagely, almost ritualistically beaten before the fire. But who would hate a ninety-year-old woman to the extent of doing something like that? She was a virtual recluse: who could she have upset to that extent?

The old woman had lived quietly and taken no advantage of her relationship to the Bairnfather family. She could have had a suite of rooms at Bairnfather Hall but chose, instead, to live in the gamekeeper's cottage where she'd been born. Her nephew, Lord Bairnfather lived at the Hall (now a hotel) but had little contact with his aunt and was abroad when the fire happened and when the body was discovered. He didn't seem to be in any hurry to come home either: families can be funny like that.

It's a difficult case to get a grip on. Very little is known about Cecily Slater and even the combined forces of DS (yes - she's got a temporary promotion!) Janie Harrison, DC Lofty Blane, DI Richie, DC Jay Stringer and the former DCI, Tony McLean can't unearth anything. It looks as though it's going to gradually sink to the Cold Case Unit in the basement. CID has other problems to be dealing with - a series of unexplained deaths which shouldn't have happened but somehow did - and a new Chief Superintendent, Gail Elmwood, who seems to have designs of a very personal nature on Tony McLean. There's also a lawyer, Tommy Fielding, who's whipping up fanaticism with his campaign for men's rights.

I've got an admission to make: I've known about this series for years. It's been one of my treats when I listened to the audiobooks as pure relaxation. Brilliant characters stayed with me long after I'd finished each book (I do worry about McLean's partner, Emma!) and I looked forward to meeting them again in the next instalment of their stories. In each episode, new people arrive, some old ones depart and I was glad to have caught up with them all. I loved the Edinburgh which emerged - the one where real people live their lives and not the one the tourists inhabit. Most of all, I loved the plots: plenty of twists, but they never seemed contrived and the issues they covered were always up to the moment. Then I felt guilty: I'm a book reviewer. I shouldn't be keeping secrets like this!

So - this is book eleven in the series. You could start with this book but you'll get more out of it if you know the background to the characters. The first book is Natural Causes. In what will burn there's an element of witchcraft: normally this would annoy me but James Oswald does it well. There's just a touch of 'can I really believe this?' but as you read on it all seems so natural, so reasonable. There's also a thread about toxic masculinity running through the book which was particularly revealing. It was a cracker of a book and I really enjoyed it. I'd like to thank the publishers for letting Bookbag have a review copy.

James Oswald's offbeat Edinburgh crime series, featuring DI Tony McLean, with elements of the supernatural, is a favourite of mine, and whenever there is a new addition, I feel a sense of joy in anticipation of reading it. Tony is on suspension after events in the last book, protecting his team as he takes the flak for not following procedure, despite the courage he displayed. This and the severe staff shortage means that it is DC Janie Harrison who arrives on the scene of a fire and the badly burned body of the elderly 90 year old Cecily Slater. It could have been an accident, but it is hard to tell as it had all happened a week ago, with little in the way of forensic evidence left. Waiting on the post mortem, Janie is left merely to write up the details of the incident. So begins a story with historical echoes of the persecution of women, labelled as witches, the horrors of which have crept back into Edinburgh and, unfortunately, our contemporary realities.

A new Chief Superintendent has been appointed, Gail Elmwood, from the London Met, who on the surface makes a good impression as Tony returns, demoted to DI, something that bothers him not one whit, as he takes over the murder inquiry into Cecily's death. The PM reveals that she was badly assaulted prior to being set on fire. He has virtually nothing to go on, Cecily saw barely anyone in her daily life, who could possibly hate her so much to do this to her? In the meantime, there are women protesting outside a hotel at a conference on men's rights run by the notoriously powerful lawyer, Tommy Fielding, with connections to the Chief Constable. The odious Fielding has made his name successfully defending men from charges such as rape and brutal attacks on women. In a story where it takes some time for Tony to realise just how dangerously manipulative Elmwood is, there are a string of almost 'impossible' male deaths, and it looks as if Cecily's murder is destined to remain unsolved or is it?

One of the highlights of this stellar crime series is the return of what have by now become beloved offbeat characters, such as the remarkably prescient Madame Rose, the antiquarian bookseller and medium, with her house full of cats. There are the crossover characters from Oswald's other series featuring Constance Fairchild, such as the young Isobel 'Izzy' DeVilliers, with her horrendously traumatic history of abuse. Emma is absent, doing vital forensic work in Kigali, with Tony having no idea of when she will return. What I loved seeing is Janie growing in self confidence as she becomes acting DS, showing all the signs of becoming a similar kind of independent maverick as Tony, just as much at home with the supernatural elements too. This was a wonderful addition to the series with its focus on the incel movement, and the men who hate and are contemptuous of women, their twisted logic driven by the fear, loathing and anger. One of the most interesting threads is that of Gary Tomlinson and the details of how he becomes radicalised. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Headline for an ARC.

#WhatWillBurn #NetGalley
An ok read.
The charred remains of an elderly woman are discovered in a burned-out game-keepers 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.
Its a one time read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Headline for giving me an advanced copy.

Being demoted isn't such a bad thing for Tony McLean. At least he can avoid management meetings and be more hands on with cases.

There are some very peculiar deaths for him to get to the bottom of - spontaneous human combustion, and drowning without water among others.

Prominent male rights lawyer Tommy Fielding's name is coming up too often for anyone's liking, and a new big boss has blown in from the Met.

Such a great addition to the tales of Scotland's finest

If you have read any of the previous Inspector McLean novels at all the you will know that this is no ordinary Detective fiction. On a basic level, yes, this is a story of a police investigation into a potential murder. Or potentially an accidental fire. As readers we know the truth as we are cast as the voyuer when the event occurs, but for the police it is not quite so obvious or straightforward. At least not in the beginning. But the thing is, when it comes to a case that is going to reside with the Specialist Crime Division in Edinburgh (think CID with a PR spin), particularly anything that ends up on the desk of Detective Inspector Tony McLean, there really is no such thing as a straightforward death. To quote the character's themselves, everything is always just a little 'weird'.

Now I don't want to give any spoilers for the story, and the main premise of it will be apparent very early on in the book, believe me, but it is fair to say that James Oswald's novels always have an element of the otherworldly or supernatural about them, and this one is no different. Readers are treat to not just one 'weird' death but several, all of which made me smile. The manner of dispatch is certainly original, and whilst the act of murder is kept largely of the page, at least after the opening scenes, there is no doubting what has happened and why each of the victims was a target.

I love that this series gives us such a broad range of characters. From the colourful and larger than life Madame Rose, whose presence in a novel almost always precedes something a little out of the ordinary, through to McLean's police colleagues (Grumpy Bob is back - love Grumpy Bob!), we are always faced with people we can root for and people who we (I) would cheerfully throttle. This time we are faced with two very different but equally predatory characters who will make your blood boil. One is on the side of good (allegedly) but whose ambition, flirtation and seniority put McLean in a very difficult position. The other is most definitely on the side of wrong, a misogynistic and vile character who I struggled to find one redeeming quality in at all. But both were compelling to read about for different, but ultimately more or less the same, reasons. And not only are we faced with these two, for want of a better term, bullies, but we also meet some faces from the past, the return of at least one of which nearly always spells bad news for McLean. I love that the author has chosen to keep his two police series largely apart but still within the same worlds meaning that characters are able to traverse the two series. Not our two protagonists, but certainly those who inhabit their lives.

One of the key aspects of this book which I really liked, and given the nature of the backstory it makes perfect sense, was seeing Janie Harrison really beginning to take centre stage. This is a story which very much has the role of women, both historically and in the here and now, professionally and otherwise, at its heart. Harrison is someone who has grown immensely as a character over the course of the past few books and changes at the top give her the opportunity to prove her worth in an acting DS role. There are elements of the story, especially the ending, that made me wonder just how we may see this, and Harrison's character, develop moving forward. There is certainly the promise of more, and that is what I love about this series. The fact that whilst we are treated to a solid and intriguing police investigation, the drama, the tension, the pitch perfect pacing, there is always that 'other' layer on top. The sense that there is something more than most of the characters will accept and understand, no matter how much of the 'weird' they see whilst working for McLean. And there is always plenty of the 'weird'.

When my sister reads this book she will understand why it made me smile so much. Why it ticked the boxes for me and why I most definitely think that my mother would have approved. It would have made her chuckle too. I can't say exactly why this hit the spot without leaving what I think would be a bit of a spoiler, but if you read the book carefully you will understand the subtext and how this book is still as strong a social commentary as any of its predecessors, in a way which engaged me and gave me exactly the kind of entertaining escapism I needed.

A new book from James Oswald is always a treat. Enjoyed over a cold and snowy lockdown weekend, it is even more special than usual. I’m sure I’m not alone in being a little in fiction love with Tony! These characters really are three dimensional and seem like old friends, even Mrs McCutcheons cat (great name). The pure joy of settling in to the world of McLean, Grumpy Bob and their colleagues can’t be beaten. I adore Madame Rose and all the supernatural parts to these stories, even though I’m a straightforward police procedural lover. This latest book verges more into the spiritual zone than before, with the horrible reminders of the ‘witch trials’ of yesteryear. I’m also a big fan of James’ Constance Fairchild series and love it when the characters overlap. Surely it can’t be long before Tony and Constance meet up? Fantastic storytelling once more from an author at the top of his game. Please write faster Mr Oswald, I will have to reread this series while I await your next book.

The excellent Inspector McLean series by James Oswald reaches book number 11 with What Will Burn and it is another brilliantly paced and absorbing read.

The story starts with McLean returning to work following the aftermath of the previous book and things are changing mainly due to McLean.

Without giving away any spoilers McLean is soon investigating weird and mysterious deaths that don’t seem related.

Most of the regulars reappear along with some new ones and all contribute to the storyline.

If you’ve never enjoyed one of the author’s previous books in this series then What Will Burn can be easily read as a stand-alone however be prepared for your “TBR” pile to increase in number

Definitely recommended