Author guide
Val McDermid Books in Order
Val McDermid is a Scottish novelist, journalist, playwright, and broadcaster. Her major series include Lindsay Gordon, Kate Brannigan, Tony Hill and Carol Jordan, Karen Pirie, and Allie Burns. She has also written standalone thrillers, historical fiction, novellas, short-story collections, nonfiction, a picture book, a graphic novel, and collaborative works.
crime fictionmysterythrillerhistorical fictionnonfiction
Val McDermid's Newest Book
Not sure where to begin?
Start with one of these
The Mermaids Singing
The first Tony Hill and Carol Jordan novel and the series that established McDermid's best-known psychological crime partnership.
The Distant Echo
The first Karen Pirie novel and the beginning of the Scottish cold-case series.
Report for Murder
McDermid's first published novel and the first Lindsay Gordon mystery.
1979
The first Allie Burns novel and the entry point to McDermid's newest crime series.
A Place of Execution
A widely acclaimed standalone novel that introduces McDermid's psychological and historical-thriller range.
Read in order
Books by series
crime-fiction-series · complete
Kate Brannigan
Crime novels featuring Manchester private investigator Kate Brannigan.
crime-fiction-series · ongoing
Tony Hill and Carol Jordan
Psychological crime novels featuring clinical psychologist Tony Hill and police detective Carol Jordan.
- 1 The Mermaids SingingAmazon ↗
Book 1 · novel · 1995
- 2
The Wire in the BloodAmazon ↗Book 2 · novel · 1997
- 3
The Last TemptationAmazon ↗Book 3 · novel · 2002
- 4
The Torment of OthersAmazon ↗Book 4 · novel · 2004
- 5
Beneath the BleedingAmazon ↗Book 5 · novel · 2007
- 6
Fever of the BoneAmazon ↗Book 6 · novel · 2009
- 7
The RetributionAmazon ↗Book 7 · novel · 2011
- 8
Cross and BurnAmazon ↗Book 8 · novel · 2013
- 9
Splinter the SilenceAmazon ↗Book 9 · novel · 2015
- 10
Insidious IntentAmazon ↗Book 10 · novel · 2017
- 11
How the Dead SpeakAmazon ↗Book 11 · novel · 2019
crime-fiction-series · ongoing
Karen Pirie
Scottish cold-case crime novels featuring Detective Chief Inspector Karen Pirie.
- 1 The Distant EchoAmazon ↗
Book 1 · novel · 2003
- 2
A Darker DomainAmazon ↗Book 2 · novel · 2008
- 3
The Skeleton RoadAmazon ↗Book 3 · novel · 2014
- 4
Out of BoundsAmazon ↗Book 4 · novel · 2016
- 5
Broken GroundAmazon ↗Book 5 · novel · 2018
- 6
Still LifeAmazon ↗Book 6 · novel · 2020
- 7
Past LyingAmazon ↗Book 7 · novel · 2023
- 8
Silent BonesAmazon ↗Book 8 · novel · 2025
crime-fiction-series · ongoing
Allie Burns
Crime novels following investigative journalist Allie Burns at ten-year intervals.
multi-author-literary-adaptation-series · complete
The Austen Project
A multi-author series of contemporary reimaginings of Jane Austen's novels.
- 2
Northanger AbbeyAmazon ↗Book 2 · novel · 2014
multi-author-historical-fiction-series · ongoing
Darkland Tales
A multi-author series in which Scottish writers reimagine episodes, figures, myths, and legends from Scotland's history.
Outside the series
Bibliography by category
Novels (14)
- A Place of ExecutionAmazon ↗
novel · 1999
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Killing the ShadowsAmazon ↗novel · 2001
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Naked Came the PhoenixAmazon ↗novel · 2001
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The Grave TattooAmazon ↗novel · 2006
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Trick of the DarkAmazon ↗novel · 2010
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The Vanishing PointAmazon ↗novel · 2012
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Inherit the DeadAmazon ↗novel · 2013
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CleanskinAmazon ↗novella · 2006
- Ghost WriterAmazon ↗
novella · 2013
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A Suitable Job for a WomanAmazon ↗nonfiction · 1994
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Forensics – The Anatomy of CrimeAmazon ↗nonfiction · 2014
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My ScotlandAmazon ↗nonfiction · 2019
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WinterAmazon ↗nonfiction · 2025
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ResistanceAmazon ↗graphic-novel · 2021
Short fiction (4)
Essays and speeches (1)
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Imagine a CountryAmazon ↗essay-collection · 2020
Children's books (1)
- My Granny is a PirateAmazon ↗
picture-book · 2012