D. I. Nick Dixon Crime Books in Order

The Recommended Reading Path for D.I. Nick Dixon

For readers diving into the gritty, highly authentic police procedurals of Damien Boyd, the recommended reading path is simple: follow the publication order. Because the series functions as a continuous timeline, the character relationships, professional ranks, and personal struggles of the protagonist evolve significantly from one book to the next.

Beginning with his introduction as a Detective Inspector (DI), Nick Dixon eventually faces promotions to Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) and later Acting Detective Superintendent. His romantic and professional relationship with Detective Sergeant (DS) Jane Winter, along with the fate of his beloved rescue dog Monty, develops sequentially. Reading the series out of order will spoil these major life events and milestones, such as their wedding day featured in the fifteenth novel.

D.I. Nick Dixon Main Series Order

1. As the Crow Flies (2013): The series debut introduces Detective Inspector Nick Dixon as he investigates the death of his former rock climbing partner, Jake Fayter, who fell from a cliff in Cheddar Gorge. Dixon suspects foul play, leading him into a complex conspiracy.
2. Head in the Sand (2013): Set in the coastal town of Burnham-on-Sea, the mystery begins when a severed head is discovered in a golf course bunker, forcing Dixon to link the crime to unsolved murders from the 1990s.
3. Kickback (2014): Dixon investigates a suspicious death at an exclusive rehabilitation clinic, exposing a web of financial fraud and medical malpractice.
4. Swansong (2015): Going undercover as a teacher at a local Somerset boarding school, Dixon attempts to solve the brutal murder of a teenage girl while battling his own past demons.
5. Dead Level (2016): Set during the devastating winter floods of the Somerset Levels, Dixon must solve a double murder while navigating the waterlogged landscape and tight-lipped local communities.
6. Death Sentence (2016): When a body is found inside a World War II pillbox in Dunster, Dixon's investigation uncovers a high-stakes military cover-up.
7. Heads or Tails (2017): A murder at a remote Somerset farm leads Dixon to coordinate with investigators in London to dismantle a dangerous criminal network.
8. Dead Lock (2018): A suspicious death at a Burnham-on-Sea marina reveals dark secrets tied to a local rugby club, testing Dixon's loyalties.
9. Beyond the Point (2019): Set against the multi-billion-pound construction site of the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station, Dixon investigates a young woman's murder that reveals industrial sabotage and corruption.
10. Down Among the Dead (2020): An archaeological dig at the historic Sedgemoor battlefield unearths a modern murder victim killed by a curved blade, throwing a fifteen-year-old conviction into doubt.
11. Dying Inside (2021): Newly promoted to Detective Chief Inspector (DCI), Nick Dixon finds himself buried in administrative paperwork until a series of crossbow killings targeting livestock escalates to human victims.
12. Carnival Blues (2022): During the Bridgwater Winter Carnival, a club president is killed by an explosive firework. Dixon investigates shady land deals while defending his own conduct against internal affairs.
13. Death Message (2023): A box containing human remains is pulled from a Somerset river, implicating a fellow police officer and dragging Dixon back from leave to investigate a cold case with modern repercussions.
14. From the Ashes (2024): Dixon leads a regional task force after a retired teacher is strangled in her home, revealing a serial killer targeting elderly residents across Somerset, Devon, and Dorset.
15. Blue Blood (2025): On Dixon's wedding day, the execution-style murder of a serving police officer in Bridgwater Bay forces him, now an Acting Detective Superintendent, to investigate internal police corruption.
16. Seeing Red (2026): Scheduled for release in August 2026, Acting Detective Superintendent Dixon investigates a body staged in a rural Somerset churchyard, pointing to a copycat killer mimicking a notorious Devon serial murderer.

Chronological vs. Publication Order: Are There Caveats?

There is no divergence between the chronological order of events and the publication order in the D.I. Nick Dixon series. Every book takes place in the year it was written and published, allowing the reader to experience Somerset's modern history in real time. Important local events—such as the real-world Somerset Levels floods and the Bridgwater Carnival—act as anchors for the timeline. The only minor caveat is the introduction of Damien Boyd's companion series, which takes place in an entirely different era.

Damien Boyd's Expansion: The DI Bob Willis Series

In 2025, Damien Boyd expanded his literary universe by launching a historical crime series featuring Detective Inspector Mungo 'Bob' Willis. While set in the same general region of South West England, this series serves as a retro companion rather than a direct spin-off. Mungo Willis does not appear in the Nick Dixon books, but his investigations offer a nostalgic look at the policing methods of the 1980s.

DI Bob Willis Series Order

• Deceived by the Light (2025): Introduces DI Mungo 'Bob' Willis—nicknamed after the famous English cricketer—as he investigates cold cases near the end of his career in the 1980s.
• Blast from the Past (2026): Willis returns to tackle complex investigations against the backdrop of late-20th-century social changes and policing challenges.
• Deliver Us from Evil (Forthcoming): The announced third volume in the Bob Willis chronological timeline.

What to Know Before You Start

Damien Boyd spent twenty-five years working as a solicitor specializing in criminal law, including time spent with the Crown Prosecution Service. This experience gives the D.I. Nick Dixon series its trademark authenticity. Rather than relying on generic detective tropes like alcoholism or rogue behavior, Dixon is a grounded professional who is a type 1 diabetic and an avid rock climber. His constant companion is Monty, a rescue white Staffordshire Bull Terrier who often features in the books' lighter moments.

The geography of Somerset is a character in its own right. Damien Boyd painstakingly researches actual locations, meaning readers can visit the exact pubs, cliffs, and streets mentioned in the novels, from Cheddar Gorge to the Burnham-on-Sea pier.