James Oswald is a Scottish writer and farmer who has written the ''Inspector McLean'' and (as J. D. Oswald) ''The Ballad of Sir Benfro'' series of books. He initially self-published his books but is now published by

Penguin Penguins (order (biology), order List of Sphenisciformes by population, Sphenisciformes , family (biology), family Spheniscidae ) are a group of Water bird, aquatic flightless birds. They live almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere: on ...

. Since 2018 he has been published by Wildfire, an imprint of Headline, where he has continued the Inspector McLean series and introduced a new series character Constance Fairchild. His brother is the playwright

Peter Oswald Peter Charles Patrick Oswald (born 1965) is an English playwright specialising in verse drama, resident at Shakespeare's Globe from 1998 to 2009. Early life Oswald was born the second of four children (eldest of three sons) of farmer and sto ...

. His maternal grandfather was

Patrick McLaughlin (churchman) Patrick McLaughlin (1909–1988) was an English Roman Catholic lay brother of the Order of Saint Benedict and a Christian writer, as well as a former Anglican priest until he became a Roman Catholic in 1962. While an Anglican priest, he was known ...

Early life

Oswald was born a son of farmer and stockbroker Peter David Hamilton Oswald and Juliet (née McLaughlin). His uncle was Sir

Julian Oswald Admiral of the Fleet Sir John Julian Robertson Oswald (11 August 1933 – 19 July 2011) was a senior Royal Navy officer. After training as a gunnery specialist, Oswald commanded a frigate and then a destroyer before achieving higher command in t ...

First Sea Lord The First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff (1SL/CNS) is the military head of the Royal Navy and Naval Service of the United Kingdom. The First Sea Lord is usually the highest ranking and most senior admiral to serve in the British Armed ...

from 1989 to 1993. The Oswalds were landed gentry, of Cavens,

Dumfries Dumfries ( ; sco, Dumfries; from gd, Dùn Phris ) is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. It is located near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth about by road from the ...

, and

Auchincruive Auchincruive is a former country house and estate in South Ayrshire, Scotland. It is located east of Ayr, on the north bank of the River Ayr. Auchincruive House was built in the 18th century on the site of an earlier mansion. In 1927, the estate ...

(now named "Oswald Hall"),

South Ayrshire South Ayrshire ( sco, Sooth Ayrshire; gd, Siorrachd Àir a Deas, ) is one of thirty-two council areas of Scotland, covering the southern part of Ayrshire. It borders onto Dumfries and Galloway, East Ayrshire and North Ayrshire. On 30 June 2 ...

, Scotland, descending from merchant

George Oswald George Oswald of Scotstoun (1735–1819) was a Scottish merchant of Glasgow. In 1797 he was elected Rector of the University of Glasgow. Life He was the son of the Rev. James Oswald (1703–1793), and nephew of the merchant Richard Oswald (170 ...

Rector of the University of Glasgow The (Lord) Rector of the University of Glasgow is one of the most senior posts within the institution, elected every three years by students. The theoretical role of the rector is to represent students to the senior management of the university ...

from 1797 to 1799,

Inspector McLean series

Inspector Anthony McLean is a detective in the

Lothian and Borders Police Lothian and Borders Police was the territorial police force for the Scottish council areas of the City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian, Scottish Borders and West Lothian between 1975 and 2013. The force's headquarters were in Fettes ...

force, stationed in

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

Constance Fairchild series

The Ballad of Sir Benfro series

His farm

He runs a livestock farm in North East Fife, where he raises Highland cattle. Official page

References

External links

* Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Scottish writers {{UK-writer-stub