If you love British crime fiction, atmospheric mysteries, and detective series you can binge for weeks, then L.J. Ross’s DCI Ryan books should be on your reading list.
The bestselling mystery series began with Holy Island in 2015 and has since grown into one of the most popular modern British detective series. Set primarily across Northumberland and the North East of England, the books combine murder mysteries with memorable characters, humor, romance, and some spectacular real-world locations.
But with more than 20 books, a prequel, Christmas installment, and now a separate series exploring Ryan’s earlier career, figuring out the L.J. Ross books in order can become a little confusing.
The easiest answer is to read the DCI Ryan books in publication order, beginning with Holy Island.
As of 2026, the main DCI Ryan sequence runs through Berwick, the 24th title included on L.J. Ross’s current series list. Ross’s official website describes the books as atmospheric mysteries set throughout the North East of England.
Here is the complete reading order.
DCI Ryan Books in Order
The DCI Ryan books in publication order are:
- Holy Island — 2015
- Sycamore Gap — 2015
- Heavenfield — 2016
- Angel — 2016
- High Force — 2017
- Cragside — 2017
- Dark Skies — 2017
- Seven Bridges — 2018
- The Hermitage — 2018
- Longstone — 2018
- The Infirmary — 2019
- The Moor — 2019
- Penshaw — 2019
- Borderlands — 2019
- Ryan’s Christmas — 2019
- The Shrine — 2020
- Cuthbert’s Way — 2020
- The Rock — 2021
- Bamburgh — 2022
- Lady’s Well — 2023
- Death Rocks — 2024
- Poison Garden — 2024
- Belsay — 2025
- Berwick — 2026
Ross’s official printable book list places these titles in this sequence, with one important exception to keep in mind: The Infirmary is a prequel story rather than the chronological eleventh adventure. The author notes that it can be read any time after Book 5.
Let’s take a closer look at every DCI Ryan book and what new readers should know.
1. Holy Island
Holy Island is where everything begins.
DCI Maxwell Ryan retreats to Holy Island after being forced to take leave from his work as a murder detective. His attempt to find some peace is shattered when a young woman is found murdered among the ruins of Lindisfarne Priory.
Ryan is pulled back into an investigation and works with Dr. Anna Taylor, beginning a relationship that will become extremely important throughout the series.
The setting is one of the novel’s greatest strengths. Lindisfarne is an actual tidal island off the Northumberland coast, giving Ross a naturally isolated location for her mystery.
For new readers, this is absolutely where you should start the DCI Ryan series.
2. Sycamore Gap
The second DCI Ryan novel takes readers to one of Northumberland’s most famous landmarks.
A skeleton is discovered near Sycamore Gap along Hadrian’s Wall, and investigators determine that the woman has been dead for years.
Ryan must uncover her identity and determine how her murder connects to events both past and present.
Sycamore Gap is also where the larger appeal of the series becomes clearer. Ross doesn’t simply use Northumberland as background scenery—the landscape becomes an important part of each mystery.
3. Heavenfield
Things become intensely personal for Ryan in Heavenfield.
A man is discovered dead at an isolated church, and Ryan happens to be the only other person nearby.
With no obvious weapon, motive, or alternative suspect, Ryan finds himself in the uncomfortable position of being investigated rather than conducting the investigation.
At the same time, the mysterious Circle continues to cast a shadow over events.
Ross’s official synopsis confirms that Ryan is already suspended from Northumbria CID when the discovery threatens both his career and much more.
4. Angel
The fourth book moves the mystery toward Newcastle and Gateshead.
As the title suggests, one of the major landmarks associated with the novel is the Angel of the North, Antony Gormley’s famous sculpture.
By this point, readers are no longer just following individual murder cases. The continuing relationships and conflicts established in the first three novels are becoming an equally important reason to continue reading.
That is why starting at Holy Island rather than jumping into a later installment is worth it.
5. High Force
High Force brings the first major phase of the DCI Ryan series toward a dramatic conclusion.
Ryan and his colleagues face an increasingly dangerous threat, with earlier storylines playing a significant role.
This is also an especially important book when deciding where to place The Infirmary.
According to Ross’s own book list, the prequel can be read any time after Book 5, meaning readers who want Ryan’s backstory earlier can read The Infirmary after completing High Force.
6. Cragside
Ross takes readers to another spectacular Northumberland location in Cragside.
The historic country estate provides an ideal setting for a murder mystery, giving the installment something of a classic country-house crime atmosphere.
One of Ross’s biggest strengths throughout the DCI Ryan books is matching each investigation with a distinctive location.
If you enjoy mystery novels in which the setting feels almost like another character, the series becomes increasingly rewarding.
7. Dark Skies
Dark Skies takes DCI Ryan into another part of Northumberland for a darker investigation.
By the seventh installment, Ross has firmly established the formula that makes these books so bingeable: an intriguing murder, a strong sense of place, recurring characters, and enough continuing personal storylines to make readers immediately want the next book.
8. Seven Bridges
Seven Bridges shifts attention toward the bridges spanning the River Tyne and the Newcastle area.
The novel continues Ryan’s investigations while once again using one of the North East’s most recognizable sights as part of the story.
At this stage, the books work especially well for readers who enjoy long-running police procedurals but don’t want each installment to feel completely disconnected.
9. The Hermitage
In The Hermitage, an elderly man is discovered dead inside the historic hermitage at Warkworth Castle.
Northumbria CID must determine who wanted him dead and why.
There’s one major complication: Ryan is thousands of miles away, pursuing a killer across Europe.
That allows some of the supporting characters to take on greater importance and demonstrates that the series has developed into more than simply Ryan solving one murder after another.
10. Longstone
Longstone takes readers toward the Northumberland coast and the Farne Islands.
The Longstone Lighthouse is famously associated with Grace Darling, and Ross once again takes advantage of a dramatic real-world location for her mystery.
By the end of Longstone, readers have completed the first ten main DCI Ryan mysteries.
Then the reading order gets slightly complicated.
11. The Infirmary
The Infirmary is a prequel.
That is the most important thing to know before reading it.
Although it appears as the eleventh entry on Ross’s publication list, its story takes place before Holy Island.
Ross’s official biography describes The Infirmary as a prequel to the DCI Ryan series and notes that it was also produced as an Audible Originals audio drama with a cast including Tom Bateman, Kevin Whately, Bertie Carvel, Hermione Norris, and Alun Armstrong.
When Should You Read The Infirmary?
For your first time through the series, you have two good options.
Option one: Read it in publication order after Longstone.
Option two: Read it after High Force, since Ross specifically says the prequel can be read any time after Book 5.
I would stick with publication order for your first read.
By that point you already know Ryan well enough for the earlier story to carry more weight.
12. The Moor
After the detour into Ryan’s past, The Moor returns readers to the main timeline.
This is where anyone attempting a purely chronological reading order will rejoin readers following the books as they were published.
13. Penshaw
Penshaw begins with a disturbing murder when an elderly man is burned alive in a former mining village.
Ryan quickly discovers that old grievances beneath the community’s peaceful appearance may be connected to the crime.
The novel also draws on Penshaw Monument, one of the North East’s most recognizable landmarks.
14. Borderlands
In Borderlands, a young woman is shot on remote army ranges inside Northumberland National Park.
Ryan’s investigation becomes connected with violent incidents occurring at historic locations elsewhere in the North East.
The combination of murder investigation and regional history is a perfect example of what distinguishes Ross’s series from many other police procedurals.
15. Ryan’s Christmas
Every detective deserves a Christmas mystery eventually.
In Ryan’s Christmas, Ryan and his colleagues are hoping for a quieter festive season when a snowstorm sends their car off the road.
Naturally, things don’t remain peaceful for long.
It is a shorter, more seasonal entry, but fans shouldn’t automatically skip it. Since Ross places it directly within the DCI Ryan reading order, completionists should read it between Borderlands and The Shrine.
16. The Shrine
The Shrine begins with devastating trouble for Ryan’s team when one of their colleagues is shot outside her home.
Before Ryan can fully investigate, an explosion at Durham Cathedral creates another crisis.
The location also links directly into the next installment, making The Shrine and Cuthbert’s Way particularly important to read in sequence.
17. Cuthbert’s Way
Cuthbert’s Way picks up after the dramatic events involving Durham Cathedral.
Although the world believes a stolen artifact has been recovered, Ryan knows the truth: the cross returned to the cathedral isn’t the original.
The investigation is far from finished.
This is a perfect example of why reading DCI Ryan in order matters. Individual mysteries may have their own plots, but some storylines continue directly between novels.
18. The Rock
The Rock continues the series while taking inspiration from Marsden Rock and Marsden Bay near South Shields.
By now, Ross has created an impressive fictional tour of Northumberland, Newcastle, County Durham, and the surrounding region.
For readers outside the UK, the locations are one of the series’ biggest pleasures.
19. Bamburgh
One of the series’ most memorable settings arrives with Bamburgh.
When an older woman is discovered dead in the picturesque village, Ryan initially has little reason to suspect anything extraordinary.
Then another body appears near the sand dunes beneath Bamburgh Castle.
Adding another complication, Ryan’s wife happens to be connected to the discovery of the first body.
The combination of an enormous coastal castle and a murder mystery makes Bamburgh one of the titles likely to catch the attention of readers discovering the series for the first time.
20. Lady’s Well
Lady’s Well marked another milestone for the series as its twentieth entry.
At this point, DCI Ryan had evolved from a promising independent crime series into an extensive modern detective saga.
New readers reaching this point will also understand why jumping randomly between installments isn’t the best approach. The characters and their relationships have changed enormously since Holy Island.
21. Death Rocks
Death Rocks continued Ryan’s adventures in 2024.
As with previous installments, Ross combines a new investigation with the ongoing lives of the Northumbria CID team.
For longtime readers, the familiar ensemble has become almost as important as whatever murder Ryan happens to be investigating.
22. Poison Garden
The stakes become extremely high in Poison Garden.
Most of the world believes DCI Ryan is dead after an assassin targeted him at his home. Someone else took the bullet intended for Ryan, allowing him to remain hidden while those responsible believe their target has been eliminated.
Ryan uses the opportunity to hunt the people behind the attack before they discover the truth.
The premise alone shows how far the series has evolved from the relatively contained mystery of Holy Island.
23. Belsay
Christmas returns to the DCI Ryan series in Belsay.
Ryan and his team attend a celebration at Belsay Hall, hoping to enjoy a well-earned festive break.
Instead, dinner is interrupted by the arrival of a dead body.
So much for Christmas.
Ross describes Belsay as another fast-paced Northumbrian whodunit mixing murder, mystery, romance, and humor.
24. Berwick
The newest main DCI Ryan novel is Berwick.
And this time, the murder investigation could hardly be more personal.
Ryan learns that his wife Anna has been arrested for the murder of a well-known author.
He refuses to believe she could be responsible, but evidence begins accumulating against her.
Ryan knows Anna as an academic, wife, mother, and trusted partner. Yet investigators also know something disturbing about her history: her father was a killer who taught her how to use a gun.
Ryan is forced to confront a question he never expected to face, does he truly know the woman he married?
Berwick was released in 2026 and is currently the latest published main-series installment listed by Ross.
For readers who have followed Ryan and Anna since Holy Island, that premise alone makes it one of the series’ most intriguing installments.
What Is the Best Order to Read the DCI Ryan Books?
Read the DCI Ryan books in publication order.
That’s the easiest and best option for first-time readers.
Even though most installments feature a central mystery, Ryan’s relationships, career, friendships, enemies, and family life continue developing from one book to another.
Reading randomly means you will inevitably encounter spoilers for previous books.
The only real complication is The Infirmary.
Because it is a prequel, you could technically read it first chronologically. But Ross recommends waiting until at least after Book 5, and publication order places it after Longstone.
For first-time readers, publication order wins.
DCI Ryan Chronological Order
Readers doing a reread may want to experience Ryan’s story chronologically instead.
In that case, The Infirmary belongs before Holy Island because its events occur earlier in Ryan’s life.
However, there’s now another complication.
Ross has launched a separate DCI Ryan: The Met Years series exploring a much younger Ryan.
The first announced installment is Time of Death, set in 2003, when Max Ryan is still a trainee detective constable working in London. The story begins with the disappearance of a clock mechanic from Big Ben and draws Ryan into a larger mystery beneath the Palace of Westminster.
Because The Met Years explores an earlier phase of Ryan’s career, anyone constructing a strict timeline will eventually need to account for those books separately.
But first-time readers should still begin with Holy Island.
What Is DCI Ryan: The Met Years?
L.J. Ross is expanding Ryan’s story beyond the original Northumberland mysteries.
DCI Ryan: The Met Years goes back to his earlier career in London.
Its first book, Time of Death, follows trainee Detective Constable Max Ryan in 2003 as he investigates the strange disappearance of a clock mechanic connected to the Palace of Westminster.
That means fans will get to see a much younger Ryan before he became the experienced DCI introduced in the original books.
It should be treated as a separate prequel series, rather than inserted into the middle of your first DCI Ryan read.
Finish, or at least become familiar with, the main books first.
Is There Another DCI Ryan Book Coming?
Yes, the series appears to be continuing.
Ross’s official DCI Ryan location page currently teases The Chapel as “coming soon,” although it does not provide a publication date on that page.
That means Berwick remains the most recent published main-series title for now.
Readers should expect the DCI Ryan universe to continue expanding both through the original series and The Met Years.
Who Is L.J. Ross?
L.J. Ross, whose full name is Louise Ross, is a British crime and thriller author from Northumberland.
Before becoming a full-time novelist, Ross studied law at King’s College London and worked as a lawyer.
She published Holy Island in 2015, and the novel became an international bestseller.
According to her official biography, Ross’s books have now sold more than 12 million copies worldwide, with more than 30 of her novels reaching No. 1.
Her knowledge of Northumberland also gives the DCI Ryan series its distinctive atmosphere.
Real places including Holy Island, Hadrian’s Wall, Bamburgh Castle, Durham Cathedral, Cragside, Penshaw Monument, Warkworth Castle, and Berwick-upon-Tweed appear throughout the books.
What Other Books Has L.J. Ross Written?
DCI Ryan may be Ross’s best-known creation, but it isn’t her only series.
Her other books include the Dr Alexander Gregory thrillers, beginning with Impostor, as well as the Summer Suspense mysteries and several other projects. Her official website also lists upcoming series including The Northumbrian Mysteries and The Reivers.
Readers who finish all the DCI Ryan mysteries therefore have plenty more L.J. Ross books to explore.
Why Are the DCI Ryan Books So Popular?
Part of the appeal is how easily these books can be binge-read.
Ross combines several ingredients that crime readers love:
- Compelling murder investigations
- Recurring detectives
- Atmospheric British settings
- Continuing character relationships
- Romance and humor alongside darker crimes
- Short, fast-moving mysteries
- Real Northumberland landmarks
The locations are particularly important.
Instead of inventing generic villages and castles, Ross frequently places murders around recognizable landmarks.
The result is part crime series and part literary tour of North East England.
And once you become invested in Ryan and his team, there are more than 20 mysteries waiting for you.
Should You Read the DCI Ryan Series?
If you enjoy British detective fiction, police procedurals, atmospheric murder mysteries, or long-running crime series, DCI Ryan is absolutely worth trying.
Start with Holy Island.
It gives you the introduction to Ryan, Anna, and the Northumberland setting that everything else builds upon.
And if you enjoy the first mystery, you won’t have to worry about running out of books anytime soon.
From Sycamore Gap and Heavenfield through Bamburgh, Poison Garden, Belsay, and Berwick, the series provides a huge reading journey across some of England’s most dramatic locations.
With the original mysteries still expanding and The Met Years opening another part of Ryan’s history, L.J. Ross’s detective universe looks set to become even larger.
For now, the simplest advice remains the best:
Start with Holy Island and read the DCI Ryan books in publication order
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