The Violent Hour

Hardback Published on: 02/07/2026
Price: £20.00
Free UK delivery on orders over £25, otherwise £3.99
In stock
Usually dispatched within 1-2 days
Make and edit your lists in your account
Check click & collect stock near you
Collect today: Pay in shop
In stock
Usually dispatched within 1-2 days
Check click & collect stock near you
Collect today: Pay in shop

Synopsis

'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

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

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

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

'James Oswald at his finest, his darkest, his most inventive'
R. D. McLEAN

'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?

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

Publisher information

  • Publisher: Headline Publishing Group
  • ISBN: 9781472298935
  • Number of pages: 384
  • Dimensions: 238 x 154 x 34 mm
  • Weight: 600g
  • Languages: English

Customer Reviews

View all
The Violent Hour
An Exciting Thriller
The Violent Hour is a dark atmospheric story in the Inspector McLean series , it is both a police procedural and also there is a supernatural element which... READ MORE
Chrissie Mortimer
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
The Violent Hour
Mythology meets modern traffickers
Thanks to James and NetGalley for allowing me to read The Violent Hour prior to the publication date. This quirky tale is intriguing as the tension exist... READ MORE
LoraineG
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
The Violent Hour
A brilliant edition to the series
A badly mutilated body is discovered, limbs appeared to have been ripped from the victim in this unimaginable crime. Detective Inspector Jane Harrison is t... READ MORE
Rob
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
The Violent Hour
Brilliant storytelling
Book 15 in the DCI Tony McLean series from James Oswald and as a devoted fan I can confirm they just keep getting better and better. The Violent Hour has e... READ MORE
Psychoticpat
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
The Violent Hour
Another brilliant read by the author.
The DI Tony Mc Lean series is one of the best in the Scottish crime fiction series. There is a touch of the supernatural in this latest adventure with Mc L... READ MORE
Martha Brindley
The Violent Hour
A gripping police procedural
The Violent Hour is the fifteenth book in the Inspector Tony McLean series and James Oswald once again demonstrates why this series is so popular. He blend... READ MORE
Mary Picken
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
The Violent Hour
Addictive Crime Fiction
So this was a highly addictive and brilliant read. The Violent Hour is the first book that I have read by James Oswald, and the 15th in the DI. Tony McLean... READ MORE
Andrea H
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
The Violent Hour
The book has the right balance of police procedural coupled with a thrilling supernatural element. Very highly recommended.
The Violent Hour is book fifteen in the Tony McLean series, which is a favourite of mine, and what an amazing read it is. The narrative is both gruesome a... READ MORE
Alison Taylor
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
The Violent Hour
Highly Recommended
The Violent Hour is apparently the 15th book in the superb Inspector McLean series and there is definitely no signs of the quality of writing and storytell... READ MORE
Lee Carson
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
The Violent Hour
Another 'must-read' from James Oswald.
Another excellent, well-written, page-turner in the Tony McLean series. An inexplicable, and violent murder takes place during the heady days of the Edinbu... READ MORE
Helen Keeping
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
The Violent Hour
Gruesome Thriller
Another enthralling read. Very gruesome murders with plenty of twists to keep you reading. Not a fan of the supernatural but did enjoy the story.. Look for... READ MORE
Jean Easdon
The Violent Hour
Engrossing book
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 gr... READ MORE
Janet Barrett
The Violent Hour
Another Great Book
This was a superb book which I really enjoyed reading. James Oswald is an author of police procedural books par excellence. I have read almost all of th... READ MORE
MysteryFanatic
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
The Violent Hour
Tense atmospheric thriller
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC of The Violent Hour. Set during a stiflingly hot Edinburgh festival season, there’s an under... READ MORE
Danielle Conroy
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
The Violent Hour
Gritty police procedural with supernatural elements
I’m much more a fan of police procedurals than fantasy fiction, but I appreciate it when an author tries to do something different within the crime genre. ... READ MORE
Mark Nutting
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
The Violent Hour
Yet again James Oswald demonstrates why he is such a highly regarded writer of compelling Scottish crime novels.
Yet again James Oswald demonstrates why he is such a highly regarded writer of compelling Scottish crime novels. His lead character, DCI Tony McLean is at ... READ MORE
Kevin Manley
The Violent Hour
Legend meets reality
I guess literally being torn limb from limb, if not by a wild animal, should have switched my mythical being radar on. I thought we might be in for a gritt... READ MORE
the moving finger writes
The Violent Hour
My First But Not My Last!
The Violent Hour is the first book which I have ever read from James Oswald, and the 15th in the DI. Tony McLean series. But after really liking this, ten... READ MORE
Leeanne. W
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.