Val McDermid Reading Order

3 books (2021–2027)

Val McDermid's Allie Burns series consists of two mystery thrillers published in 2021 and 2022, following publication order for reading. The series appears to be complete with 1979 as the first book followed by 1989. Both novels should be read sequentially to experience the full narrative arc of this crime fiction duology.

Start with 1979 and read in order.

#	Title
1	1979 2021Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	1989 2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	1999 2027Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

23 books (2000–2026)

Val McDermid edited this anthology series comprising 21 books published between 2000 and 2022, likely now complete. The collections span mystery, crime, thriller, and literary fiction contributions from various authors, with titles including 12 Days: A Modern Twist on The Twelve Days of Christmas, Naked Came the Phoenix, Tart Noir, Like a Charm, and Inherit the Dead. These anthologies should be read in publication order, beginning with 12 Days in 2000. Each volume stands independently while collectively showcasing diverse voices in crime and mystery writing across two decades.

Start with 12 Days: A Modern Twist on The Twelve Days of Christmas, the first of 21 books in the Anthologies series.

#	Title
1	12 Days: A Modern Twist on The Twelve Days of Christmas 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Naked Came the Phoenix 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The World's Finest Mystery and Crime Stories 3 2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Tart Noir 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Like a Charm 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Magnetic North 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	The Adventure of the Missing Detective and 19 of the Year's Finest Crime and Mystery Stories 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	A Merry Band of Murderers 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Crime Scenes Revisited: Scottish Popular Fiction 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Criminal Tendencies 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	The Sounds Of Crime 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	The Killer Cookbook 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	The Library Book 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	Inherit the Dead 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	Out There: An Anthology of Scottish LGBT writing 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	OxCrimes: 27 Killer Stories from the Cream of Crimewriters 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	Crime Plus Music 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18	Crime Writers: A Decade of Crime 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19	MatchUp 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
20	Bloody Scotland 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
21	Exit Wounds 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
22	Marple: Twelve New Mysteries 2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
23	Dangerous Visions 2026Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

4 books (2013–2016)

The Austen Project is a four-book series completed between 2013 and 2016 that reimagines Jane Austen's classic novels for contemporary audiences through the work of different authors. Each book in the series provides a modern retelling of one of Austen's beloved works, offering fresh perspectives on her timeless stories. The books should be read in publication order, beginning with Joanna Trollope's Sense and Sensibility and continuing through Alexander McCall Smith's Emma, followed by the remaining two entries.

Start with Sense & Sensibility(By: Joanna Trollope), the first of 4 books in the Austen Project series.

#	Title
1	Sense & Sensibility(By: Joanna Trollope) 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Emma(By: Alexander McCall Smith) 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Northanger Abbey 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Eligible(By: Curtis Sittenfeld) 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

8 books (2021–2026)

Darkland Tales is an ongoing series of seven books published between 2021 and 2025, with each installment written by a different author and inspired by Scottish history and legend. The series should be read in publication order, beginning with Rizzio by Denise Mina. Contributors to the collection include Jenni Fagan, David Greig, Alan Warner, and Graeme Macrae Burnet, among others. This collaborative mystery and thriller series draws on Scotland's dark historical narratives and cultural heritage.

Start with Rizzio(By: Denise Mina), the first of 7 books in the Darkland Tales series.

#	Title
1	Rizzio(By: Denise Mina) 2021Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Hex(By: Jenni Fagan) 2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Columba's Bones(By: David Greig) 2023Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Nothing Left to Fear From Hell(By: Alan Warner) 2023Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Queen Macbeth 2024Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Queen Macbeth 2024Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Benbecula(By: Graeme Macrae Burnet) 2025Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	This Door of the Seas(With: Jo Sharp) 2026Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

1 book (2021–2021)

#	Title
1	Resistance 2021Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

8 books (2003–2025)

Val McDermid's Inspector Karen Pirie series spans eight books published between 2003 and 2025, with the most recent entry arriving in 2025. The series remains ongoing and should be read in publication order, beginning with The Distant Echo. Readers will follow detective Karen Pirie through investigations that unfold across the complete sequence: The Distant Echo, A Darker Domain, The Skeleton Road, Out of Bounds, Broken Ground, Still Life, Past Lying, and Silent Bones.

Start with The Distant Echo, the first of 8 books in the Inspector Karen Pirie series.

#	Title
1	The Distant Echo 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	A Darker Domain 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Skeleton Road 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Out of Bounds 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Broken Ground 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Still Life 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Past Lying 2023Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Silent Bones 2025Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

6 books (1992–1998)

The Kate Brannigan series comprises six mystery novels by Val McDermid, published between 1992 and 1998. The complete series should be read in publication order, beginning with Dead Beat and concluding with Star Struck. Each installment follows the cases of private investigator Kate Brannigan as she navigates the criminal underworld of Manchester, England.

Start with Dead Beat, the first of 6 books in the Kate Brannigan series.

#	Title
1	Dead Beat 1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Kick Back 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Crack Down 1994Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Clean Break 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Blue Genes 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Star Struck 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

7 books (1987–2003)

The Lindsay Gordon series consists of seven mystery novels published between 1987 and 2003, following the investigations of a determined journalist navigating crime and corruption. The complete series should be read in publication order, beginning with Report For Murder and concluding with Hostage To Murder. Val McDermid's crime fiction series offers a full narrative arc across its standalone yet interconnected cases spanning nearly two decades of publication.

Start with Report For Murder, the first of 7 books in the Lindsay Gordon series.

#	Title
1	Report For Murder 1987Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Common Murder 1989Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Final Edition / Open and Shut / Deadline for Murder 1991Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Union Jack / Conferences Are Murder 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Booked For Murder 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Final Edition(With: V.L. McDermid) 1997Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Hostage To Murder 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

7 books (2016–2022)

Val McDermid's Murderous Christmas Stories series spans seven books published between 2016 and 2022, presenting a collection of festive-themed mystery stories. The series appears to be complete and should be read in publication order, beginning with Murder under the Christmas Tree. Each installment offers standalone Christmas and winter-related tales within the broader series framework, making this an ideal choice for readers seeking seasonal mystery entertainment across multiple volumes.

Start with Murder under the Christmas Tree, the first of 7 books in the Murderous Christmas Stories series.

#	Title
1	Murder under the Christmas Tree 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Murder on Christmas Eve 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	A Very Murderous Christmas 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Murder at Christmas 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Murder in Midwinter 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Murder on a Winter's Night 2021Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Murder in the Falling Snow 2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

4 books (1994–2026)

Val McDermid's non-fiction series consists of four books published between 1994 and 2026, with the series still ongoing. These works should be read in publication order, beginning with A Suitable Job for a Woman. The collection spans diverse non-fiction topics including crime investigation, Scottish culture, and seasonal narrative, demonstrating McDermid's range beyond her acclaimed thriller writing.

Start with A Suitable Job for a Woman, the first of 4 books in the Non-Fiction series.

#	Title
1	A Suitable Job for a Woman 1994Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Forensics: What Bugs, Burns, Prints, DNA and More Tell Us About Crime 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	My Scotland 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Winter: The Story of a Season 2026Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

1 book (2012–2012)

#	Title
1	My Granny Is a Pirate 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

3 books (2006–2010)

Val McDermid's Short Stories/Novellas collection comprises three completed works published between 2006 and 2010: Cleanskin, Happy Holidays, and Life's Too Short. These mystery and thriller pieces should be read in publication order, beginning with Cleanskin. The series spans four years and offers a compact exploration of the author's signature genre work across shorter narrative forms.

Start with Cleanskin and read in order.

#	Title
1	Cleanskin 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Happy Holidays 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Life's Too Short 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

3 books (1997–2020)

Val McDermid's short story collections span over two decades, comprising three books published between 1997 and 2020. The series is complete and should be read in publication order, beginning with Writing on the Wall and Other Stories, followed by Stranded, and concluding with Christmas is Murder. These collections showcase McDermid's versatility across mystery and thriller storytelling in condensed form.

Start with Writing on the Wall and Other Stories and read in order.

#	Title
1	Writing on the Wall and Other Stories 1997Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Stranded 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Christmas is Murder 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

5 books (1999–2012)

Val McDermid's five standalone novels, published between 1999 and 2012, offer independent mystery and thriller narratives that need not be read in any particular order, though reading them in publication sequence allows you to follow the author's evolving craft. The complete series comprises A Place of Execution, Killing the Shadows, The Grave Tattoo, Trick of the Dark, and The Vanishing Point, each functioning as its own self-contained story. These works showcase McDermid's range across different mystery and thriller subgenres without relying on recurring characters or interconnected plots.

Start with A Place of Execution, the first of 5 books in the Standalone Novels series.

#	Title
1	A Place of Execution 1999Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Killing the Shadows 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Grave Tattoo 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Trick of the Dark 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	The Vanishing Point 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

11 books (2017–2019)

The MatchUp Collection is a complete anthology series of 11 books published between 2017 and 2019, featuring collaborations between bestselling mystery and thriller authors. Each installment pairs two renowned writers who contribute their own stories, making this an ideal series for readers who enjoy diverse voices within the crime and suspense genres. The books should be read in publication order, beginning with Deserves to Be Dead and concluding with Taking the Veil.

Start with Deserves to Be Dead(By: John Sandford,Lisa Jackson), the first of 11 books in the The MatchUp Collection series.

12 books (1995–2019)

This 12-book mystery series follows criminal psychologist Tony Hill and detective Carol Jordan as they investigate complex cases spanning from 1995 to 2019. The complete series should be read in publication order, beginning with The Mermaids Singing and concluding with How the Dead Speak, with one novel co-written by Peter James. Val McDermid's procedural mysteries blend psychological insight with crime investigation across the interconnected cases that define this concluded series.

Start with The Mermaids Singing, the first of 12 books in the Tony Hill/Carol Jordan series.

#	Title
1	The Mermaids Singing 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Wire In The Blood 1997Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Last Temptation 2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Torment of Others 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Beneath the Bleeding 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Fever of the Bone 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	The Retribution 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Cross and Burn 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Splinter the Silence 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Insidious Intent 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Footloose(With: Peter James) 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	How the Dead Speak 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible