The Violent Hour cover art

The Violent Hour

Inspector McLean, Book 15

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The Violent Hour

By: James Oswald
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About this listen

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.

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

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?

Praise for James Oswald:

'The new Ian Rankin' Daily Record

'Creepy, gritty and gruesome' Sunday Mirror

'Oswald's writing is in a class above most' Daily Express©2026 James Oswald (P)2026 Headline Publishing Group Limited
Crime Thrillers Suspense Thriller & Suspense

Critic reviews

The new Ian Rankin
Creepy, gritty and gruesome
Oswald's writing is in a class above most
James Oswald is one of this country's consistently superior crime writers
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