My Review: Bury Them Deep by James Oswald

Bury Them Deep is James Oswald's tenth outing of Inspector Tony McLean and whilst I feel remiss in having somehow let the previous nine pass me by, I'm also excited that I have nine superb gems to look forward to. As you've probably already surmised: I absolutely loved Bury Them Deep, it's exquisitely multilayered as Tony MacLean searches for a missing co-worker with a dark secret, a fragile relationship, the politics of policing, and to cap it all a psychopath from the past rears his head again. To add to the enjoyment, Oswald has also skillfully interwoven the narrative with a recurring thread of Scottish folklore which added both a fascinating and ghoulish dimension to the tale. In doing so, Oswald addressed the meta truth that the present is the past and the past is the present. We are all a product of our yesterday's, on an individual or societal level, some of us are able to process the past and lead healthy lives, others are not so fortunate.

So much happens in Bury Them Deep that it seems strange to describe it as a gentle read: yet it is. This is due to Oswald's masterly telling and the calm demeanour he projects through the character of Tony McLean, overworked but with a keen intellect, Tony is not easily phased no matter how dire events are. He's solid and dependable and, like the other characters, is brought to life by the dialogue driven narrative with its authentic Scots syntax that made me yearn for a trip north of the border. I might avoid the woods south of Gladhouse Reservoir though!

Bravo James Oswald on a masterful  🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟tale.

Profuse thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me on the blog tour and to Headline Publishing for the gifted copy. I must extend a particular thanks to the man himself, James Oswald,  as I was thrilled to receive a signed copy.