As with the Inspector McLean series, there are subtle aspects of the mythical and supernatural woven into the story. In ‘Nowhere to Run’ ancient Welsh mythology and legends are referenced. We also get Welsh legends of a faithful hound, a cauldron with healing powers, and the hiding place of the Holy Grail, so those who enjoy the supernatural strand of Oswald's crime series will not be disappointed. Con, like McLean, is a sceptic - but sometimes otherworldly explanations are as good an answer as anything.

James Oswald is known for the Tony McLean series of Edinburgh-set police procedurals, and if you're a fan of those, I'd recommend trying this second series, featuring a young female cop, Con Fairchild, who lives in London (though she travels a fair amount in the books).

Con Fairchild is Lady Constance Fairchild, though her title is not something she would dream of using. The tabloids refer to her as ‘the Posh Cop’ ever since she uncovered a web of corruption which led to the murder of her old boss. Often worrying but there is also humour, the type that I love. Con doesn’t take any prisoners, she refuses to show respect if she doesn’t feel its deserved and she definitely doesn’t suffer fools. Her friendship with Karen Eve is one I want to see develop and I also want to see her family become more settled after the events that happen here. I also want to see how she handles an officer who I expect she will have to work with closely. I found this a fast paced, gripping read which I found hard to put down. There are lots of twists and turns to keep the reader very interested in the story, which helped keep me guessing what was going on. I had to keep reading to find out what was happening and to see if Fairchild comes out on top again. My thanks to Headline/Wildfire for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Nowhere to Run’ by James Oswald in exchange for an honest review.

Strange and unusual seem to be an everyday occurence for our favourite Detective and Nowhere to Run is absolutely no exception to the norm. It's one of the things I like about this series, and James Oswald's books in general to be fair. They are not your average police procedurals. Not by a long chalk. And Constance Fairchild is not your average Detective. She has seen her fair share of the inexplicable and the scene is set for more to come with local legends and mythology intermingling with a case very much grounded in the real life atrocities that could all too easily have been ripped from the headlines. It is a story which is very topical, a touch dark in terms of theme perhaps, but told in the series trademark first person, almost conversational style which keeps readers immersed in the action but a step removed from the real depravity of what is happening. It works brilliantly in this case, with Con's conscience and natural curiosity driving her to get involved in a very complex investigation, even though she is meant to be on sabbatical. But from her perspective we get a unique take on what is happening, and I found myself faced with a real determination of our own to see the whole thing through to its conclusion. Just when it seems as if things couldn't get any worse, Con discovers the almost dead body of a mutilated young man near her home. It turns out he isn't the first victim either and all these cases could be linked to some bizarre religious cult. James has pursued a varied career - from Wine Merchant to International Carriage Driving Course Builder via Call Centre Operative and professional Sheep Shit Sampler (true). He moved out of the caravan when Storm Gertrude blew the Dutch barn down on top of it, and now lives in a proper house with two dogs, two cats and a long-suffering partner. He farms Highland cows by day, writes disturbing fiction by night.This is Book 3 in Oswald’s D.C. Constance Fairchild series of police procedurals. These stories exist in the same fictional universe as his Edinburgh based Inspector McLean series and there is the occasional overlap of characters. I thoroughly enjoyed Nowhere to Run, which is an exciting and slightly fantastical thriller told entirely from Con’s point of view. The first thing to note is that realism doesn’t play a big part in this novel, so it’s swallow your disbelief time and plunge into a big adventure.