The Gathering Dark

James Oswald

James Oswald returns with the eighth book in the popular Inspector McLean series. This time protagonist Detective Inspector Tony McLean is confronted by a horrific truck crash, witnessing the vehicle plough into a bus stop in central Edinburgh.

At first the crash looks like a terrible accident. The truck’s brakes gave out and the driver lost control, swerving into busy area packed with pedestrians.

But it is not a straightforward tragedy. As the mystery unfolds, we become part of the investigation, trying to decipher the evidence and get to the bottom of what could have caused this event.

Having witnessed the incident McLean is front and centre of the case; he wants answers and, as fans have seen before, is likely to get them.

However, each person involved seems to be sitting on secrets, the biggest being the disappearance of the new Chief Superintendent’s son, who was last seen in the vicinity of the crash.

McLean finds himself surrounded by puzzles, but his track record shows that even the hardest cases are no match for his crime-solving abilities.

Oswald creates a tense and captivating mystery, with each chapter holding a new twist to the case.

A gripping read and much pleasure to be had in connecting the dots. Good thriller fare.

Review by Rachel Scorgie.