Review by Booklist Review
There's something more going on here, says Detective Inspector Tony McLean, announcing the theme of this and just about every crime novel ever. As head of an investigative team within the Scottish police, he's assigned an especially shocking crime that seems transparent as a sunbeam. A wealthy businessman and politician suffocated his children, shot his wife, and then took himself out. That should be the end, but McLean's chief is suspiciously quick to have the matter filed and forgotten. Then a spook turns up urging McLean to keep digging. And the body of a heavily tattooed ex-marine is found near the killing ground. Of course, there's something more, but readers may tire of the novel's maddeningly slow pace before they get to it. Readers who stay the course will be rewarded with an explosive ending and will agree with McLean that the best part of the job is the hunt for clues, the slow puzzling out of just what had happened. --Crinklaw, Don Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In Oswald's solid fourth procedural to feature Edinburgh-based Det. Insp. Tony McLean (after 2015's The Hangman's Song), a dead man is found at the bottom of a cliff, naked and covered in tattoos, and a prominent politician kills his wife and two little girls before committing suicide. McLean is surprised that he's asked to investigate the murder/suicide since it's not his turf, but he eventually discovers the two cases are connected. As the cases get stranger, it becomes obvious that McLean is dealing with a very different kind of evil. The narrative lags in the middle but regains its feet when McLean finds out that a long-abandoned psychiatric hospital may be an important part of the case, as is Jane Louise Dee, a beautiful and diabolical woman who insinuates herself into the investigation. Fans who enjoy their procedurals with a hint of the supernatural, as well as a cold and gloomy setting, will find much to enjoy. Agent: Juliet Mushens, Agency Group (U.K.). (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
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