James Oswald’s The Rest is Death, the fourteenth installment in the Inspector McLean series, is similar to its predecessors in blending gritty police procedural just the slightest whiff of supernatural undertones. Like many good tartan noir books this is set against the moody backdrop of Edinburgh and if you have read previous Oswald books this will delivers everything fans of the series expect.
The story kicks off with Detective Chief Inspector Tony McLean beings asked to investigate a seemingly mundane break-in at Drake BioTech, a cutting-edge startup, McLean is really there just to show the billionaire that Police Scotland are taking it seriously. What starts as a routine case soon spirals into something darker when a missing person who seems connected to the case turns up dead under mysterious circumstances, followed by another body clutching a strange ancient artifact. The plot thickens as bodies vanish from the mortuary and evidence goes missing, pulling McLean and DI Janie Harrison into a race against time to try to piece everything together where several aspects don;’t srem to make logical sense.
As with all the books in this series the story balances the grounded realism, and occasion boringness of everyday police work with and intriguing mystery and a hint of supernatural elements. The ancient and creepy artifact highlights the supernatural element more obviously thamn some of his books have. As always Edinburgh itself is a character, and in a similar way to Stuart MacBride’s books and Aberdeen my enjoyment is always enhanced because of the time I’ve spent in Edinburgh.
McLean remains a compelling protagonist, and thankfully no longer retired – he remains dogged, an outsider, and shaped by personal tragedy. His desire to solve the unsolvable drives the narrative, but as usual with these books it’s the supporting cast that adds warmth and depth. Favourites like Madame Rose, with her “woo woo nonsense,” and Grumpy Bob bring moments of levity, while DI Janie Harrison’s growing role in these books not only begs for a spin off but also acts as a foil to McLean.
As a long time fan of Oswald The Rest is Death is a must-read for fans of Scottish crime fiction and anyone who loves a book that blur genres. Whether you’re new to the series or a longtime follower, this book delivers a darkly satisfying ride, and as always I wonder whats next for McLean!