Stuart Neville Reading Order
8 series · 137 books
Stuart Neville is a Northern Irish crime writer whose visceral thrillers explore violence and redemption through complex characters navigating dark circumstances. His breakthrough novel, published as The Twelve in the UK and The Ghosts of Belfast in the US, established his reputation for psychological intensity and gritty storytelling rooted in his Armagh background. Across multiple series featuring detectives like Serena Flanagan and the tormented Jack Lennon, Neville has built a substantial body of work that spans mystery, thriller, and noir genres since 2002.
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Akashic Noir Series
Ongoing121 books (2002–2025)
The Akashic Noir series comprises 121 mystery and thriller anthologies published from 2002 to 2025, with new volumes continuing to release. Each book focuses on a different city or region, beginning with San Francisco Noir and expanding globally to include locations from Brooklyn to Dublin to London and beyond. These anthologies should be read in publication order to follow the series' development across diverse urban landscapes. The collection features noir-themed short stories that explore the darker sides of their respective settings.
Start with San Francisco Noir, the first of 121 books in the Akashic Noir series.
Start this series with San Francisco Noir
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Anthologies Series
Likely Complete3 books (2010–2023)
Stuart Neville's three-book anthology collection spans from 2010 to 2023, presenting mystery and thriller stories in publication order. The series comprises Requiems for the Departed, The Usual Santas, and Ink and Daggers, with the final installment suggesting the collection is likely complete. Readers should begin with Requiems for the Departed and proceed through each volume in the order they were released to experience Neville's short fiction across the series.
Start with Requiems for the Departed and read in order.
Start this series with Requiems for the Departed
Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on AudibleBlood Trilogy Series
Complete2 books (2025–2027)
Start this series with Blood Like Ours
Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on AudibleDCI Serena Flanagan Series
Complete2 books (2015–2016)
Stuart Neville's DCI Serena Flanagan series consists of two crime thrillers published between 2015 and 2016. The complete series should be read in publication order, beginning with Those We Left Behind followed by So Say the Fallen. These standalone mysteries featuring the detective protagonist are best experienced sequentially to follow character development and recurring plot threads.
Start with Those We Left Behind and read in order.
Start this series with Those We Left Behind
Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on AudibleJack Lennon Series
Complete4 books (2009–2014)
Stuart Neville's Jack Lennon series comprises four crime thrillers published between 2009 and 2014, following the detective through cases in Northern Ireland. The complete series should be read in publication order, beginning with The Twelve (also titled The Ghosts of Belfast), followed by Collusion, Stolen Souls, and The Final Silence. Each installment builds on the previous stories, making sequential reading essential to understanding the character's development and ongoing investigations.
Start with The Twelve / The Ghosts of Belfast, the first of 4 books in the Jack Lennon series.
Start this series with The Twelve / The Ghosts of Belfast
Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on AudibleShort Stories/Novellas Series
Complete1 book (2014–2014)
Short Story Collections Series
Complete1 book (2020–2020)
Standalone Novels Series
Ongoing3 books (2013–2024)
Stuart Neville's standalone mystery and thriller novels should be read in publication order, beginning with Ratlines in 2013, followed by The House of Ashes and Blood Like Mine through 2024. Though each novel stands alone with its own characters and plot, the series continues to grow with the author's ongoing work in the genre. Readers interested in contemporary mysteries and thrillers will find three distinct stories unfolding across this collection.
Start with Ratlines and read in order.
Start this series with Ratlines
Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on AudibleFrequently Asked Questions
- How many books has Stuart Neville written?
- Stuart Neville has written 137 books across 8 series. Their published works span from 2002 to 2027.
- What is the first book in each Stuart Neville series?
- Here are the first books in Stuart Neville's series: Akashic Noir: San Francisco Noir; Anthologies: Requiems for the Departed; Blood Trilogy: Blood Like Ours; DCI Serena Flanagan: Those We Left Behind; Jack Lennon: The Twelve / The Ghosts of Belfast.
- What order should I read Stuart Neville's books?
- We recommend reading Stuart Neville's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
- Is Stuart Neville still writing new books?
- Yes, Stuart Neville has 2 ongoing series: Akashic Noir, Standalone Novels.

