Cold as the Grave: Inspector McLean 9

Hats off to James Oswald. Once again he has managed to seamlessly blend crime fiction and the supernatural, this alchemy resulting in Cold As The Grave.
This is the 9th book in the Tony McLean series. Following on from his personal tragedy in the previous book, Tony has been promoted to Detective Chief Inspector, much to his consternation.
Set against the backdrop of illegal trafficking of refugees, what looked like a cold case becomes something far more complicated and beyond understanding. The return of an old nemesis, and her possible connection to the investigation, throws another spanner in the works.
The supernatural element has more of a starring role in this book. It may not be to everyone's taste, but it worked for me. The plot is complex, as befits DCI McLean.
Oswald has created some very likeable characters in this series, characters that I actually care about.
All in all this was a dark, poignant, yet enjoyable read.