The Violent Hour

Inspector McLean, Book 15

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The Violent Hour

By: James Oswald

Narrated by: Ian Hanmore

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£5.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel monthly.

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'A thrilling page turner . . . The Violent Hour is James Oswald at the height of his powers'
IMRAN MAHMOOD

'A fast-paced procedural with plenty of surprises - while this might have been my first Tony McLean outing, it certainly won't be my last'
TARIQ ASHKANANI

'Gripping and sharply observed . . . a real page-turner!'
CHARLOTTE ESSEX

'Do yourself a favour and read James Oswald's series. I can almost guarantee you won't stop at one' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
READER REVIEW

'The Violent Hour should be on everyone's TBR' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
READER REVIEW

'Another "must-read" from James Oswald' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
READER REVIEW

________

Festival season. The streets are filled to bursting with tourists, and Edinburgh is gripped by a stifling heatwave. Not the best time for one of the most violent murders the city has witnessed in years.

The victim of the murder cannot be identified; its brutal nature of the shocking both the public and the police. What could possibly have inflicted such gruesome injuries? Was it a wild animal on the loose, or the beginning of some horrific gang warfare?

Another body is found on Musselburgh Beach: naked, comatose . . . but this time still alive. DI Tony McLean can't shake the feeling that there is a connection to the killing - but there are few leads for him and the team to go by.

The police are at a loss, and the city is on edge - will the killer strike again?

MORE PRAISE FOR THE VIOLENT HOUR

'A gift for fans'
The Sunday Post

'Written with real skill and heart . . . a propulsive and gripping read from start to finish'
DOUG JOHNSTONE

'Gruesome and gripping . . . The Violent Hour is another standout'
ROBBIE MORRISON

'James Oswald at his finest, his darkest, his most inventive'
R. D. McLEAN©2026 James Oswald (P)2026 Headline Publishing Group Limited

James OswaldIan HanmoreWildfireInspector McLean

Crime Thrillers

Suspense

Thriller & Suspense

Exciting

Scary

Crime

Crime Thrillers Suspense Thriller & Suspense Exciting Scary Crime

Critic reviews

A fast-paced procedural with plenty of surprises - while this might have been my first Tony McLean outing, it certainly won't be my last.

The Violent Hour is James Oswald at the height of his powers. A thrilling page turner with plenty of mystery but also with a healthy dose of gore. Another very welcome outing for Tony McLean. James just gets better and better - despite the new Alfa . . . ! I've always been a huge fan of his writing (and the writer himself). One of very few crime novelists who really understands the genre. He writes with intelligence and beauty. Every page is a delight and an experience. You always learn something new. I've learned about Beserkers!!

Written with real skill and heart, The Violent Hour is a propulsive and gripping read from start to finish.

A gift for fans

A gripping and sharply observed police procedural combined with something much darker at play. There is a thrilling climax where the personal stakes for Inspector McLean couldn't be higher. Oswald writes with his usual wit and the fast-paced plot means this is a real page-turner!

James Oswald has carved out his own unique space in the crime fiction landscape, crafting powerful police procedurals often tinged with supernatural overtones. The Violent Hour is another standout. Gruesome and gripping with just the right amount of gallows humour, and characters whose humanity shines through in the face of the almost inhuman threats they face.

James Oswald at his finest, his darkest, his most inventive . . . the beautiful tension between the down-to-earth realities of McLean and his squad's investigative techniques and the possibly fantastical nature of the crimes they investigate has always been a highlight, but here it's deployed to powerful effect as McLean slowly realises that what looks like an especially violent assault may in fact be related to ancient Viking curses and legends. That Oswald can balance these two halves of his unique take on genre and keep the readers' belief suspended perfectly is a testament to his skill and his ability. He approaches crime like no one else in the genre, and has gone from a promising and unusual voice to a must-read veteran whose books I will recommend to readers everywhere.

And while McLean himself is a superb series lead, his supporting cast continue to grow and pull on our emotions - Madame Rose and Mrs McCutcheon's Cat (may our favourite feline live forever) may be the most dependable and recognisable, but seeing Janie Harrison and other officers truly step forward in the last few books has shown that these books are about more than our hero; they're about a team of characters we care about in such a way that we - like McLean, even if he might grumble about admitting it - have to come to think of as fast friends.

Most relevant

Just wonderful! One of the absolute BEST in the series! Really great to have Madame Rose, Grumpy Bob and Angus Cadwallader still there too! Excellent narration by Ian Hanmore as always! The man is a genius, and he and James Oswald are a match made in heaven! Can't wait for the next installment!