How to Read the Dan Starkey Series
For the best experience, the Dan Starkey series should be read in publication order. Colin Bateman’s series is written chronologically, meaning that Starkey’s chaotic personal life, his turbulent on-and-off relationship with his wife Patricia, and his transition from a heavy-drinking journalist to a weary private investigator build directly upon the events of previous books.
While the mystery in each novel is self-contained and resolved by the final page, reading out of order will spoil major plot points. Crucial developments, such as the fate of his marriage, personal tragedies, and his changing career paths, form a continuous narrative arc that makes starting at the beginning essential.
Dan Starkey Books in Publication Order
Here is the complete chronological path of Dan Starkey’s misadventures, spanning from the heights of the Troubles to post-conflict Northern Ireland:
1. Divorcing Jack (1995)
The novel that introduced Dan Starkey to the world. Dan is a cynical, heavy-drinking Belfast columnist whose life spirals out of control after a drunken encounter with a young student. When she is murdered, Dan is framed for the crime and finds himself on the run. Armed only with his sharp wit, he must unravel a complex political conspiracy involving a new prime minister candidate and a mysterious final tape. This debut earned Bateman the prestigious Betty Trask Award and set the tone for the entire series.
2. Of Wee Sweetie Mice & Men (1996)
Following the fallout of his debut adventure, Dan Starkey travels to New York. He is hired to write a column tracking a famous Northern Irish heavyweight boxer’s bid for the world title. However, the trip quickly devolves into a nightmare when the boxer's wife is kidnapped. Dan is thrust into a chaotic web of local gang rivalries, racial tensions, and bizarre characters, showcasing Bateman’s signature blend of international travel and Belfast cynicism.
3. The Turbulent Priests (1999)
Seeking a quiet break to patch up his marriage with Patricia, Dan retreats to a remote island off the coast of Ireland. The peace is short-lived when he discovers a bizarre, cult-like local community following a messianic child. Dan’s investigations put him in the crosshairs of religious extremists and eccentric locals, resulting in an absurd, dark, and fast-paced comedy-thriller.
4. Shooting Sean (2001)
Dan Starkey gets drawn into the glamour and danger of the film industry. Hired to look after a controversial Belfast filmmaker at the Cannes Film Festival, Dan finds himself out of his depth. What begins as a babysitting job among film stars turns lethal when mafia elements, kidnappings, and murder cross the red carpet, leaving Dan to rely on his survival instincts in the south of France.
5. The Horse with My Name (2002)
Dan is at an all-time low. Living in a grim Belfast bedsit, his marriage to Patricia has collapsed, and she has moved on with a new partner. Dan is pulled from his self-pity when a former colleague asks him to investigate a shady horse-racing entrepreneur. The investigation plunges him into the murky waters of race rigging, political corruption, and violent local enforcers.
6. Driving Big Davie (2004)
Back together with Patricia and attempting to settle into quiet domestic life, Dan’s plans are derailed by a call from his estranged childhood friend, Big Davie Kincaird. Agreeing to accompany Davie on what was supposed to be a honeymoon trip to Florida after Davie is dumped by his fiancée, Dan is forced to confront the dark grief of a personal family tragedy while surviving a disastrous, beer-fueled road trip.
7. Belfast Confidential (2005)
Following the murder of his best friend 'Mouse', Dan takes over the editorship of Belfast Confidential, a satirical celebrity gossip magazine. Dan uses the position as a cover to find Mouse’s killer, navigating a hit list of Belfast's most powerful elite while someone systematically assassinates local celebrities.
8. Nine Inches (2011)
After a multi-year hiatus, Dan Starkey returns as an established, albeit reluctant, private investigator. He is hired by a famous Belfast radio host whose young child was kidnapped for exactly one hour and returned with a chilling warning. Dan's search for answers drags him into a turf war involving rival drug syndicates and corrupt property developers in a modernized Belfast.
9. Fire and Brimstone (2013)
Dan faces two separate cases that inevitably collide. He is hired by a billionaire media mogul to find his missing daughter following a student party massacre, while also investigating the firebombing of a controversial new clinic. As he digs deeper, Dan must choose between his professional duty and the safety of his own family.
10. The Dead Pass (2014)
In this latest installment, Dan is hired by a retired activist to track down her missing son, Billy. When the activist is found murdered under Derry's Peace Bridge, Dan is pulled into the city's criminal underbelly, facing a dangerous new generation of post-Troubles gangster-terrorists.
The Colin Bateman Shared Universe
For readers who want to experience the full breadth of Colin Bateman's writing, the Dan Starkey books exist in a shared universe alongside his other series. Dan Starkey makes a notable guest appearance in the standalone Belfast-based crime novel I Predict a Riot (2007). Additionally, Starkey is occasionally referenced in Bateman's Mystery Man series, which centers around the real-life Belfast bookstore 'No Alibis'. While you do not need to read these companion books to understand Dan's story, they offer a fun treat for fans of Bateman's style.
What to Know Before You Start
The Dan Starkey novels are celebrated for their dark humor, fast pacing, and biting satire of Northern Irish politics and society. The backdrop of the Troubles and the post-conflict transition is heavily woven into the narrative, allowing Bateman to tackle serious topics like terrorism, grief, and corruption with a comedic, irreverent lens. For those interested in adaptations, the debut novel Divorcing Jack was adapted into a 1998 feature film starring David Thewlis as Dan Starkey, which captured the manic energy and dark tone of the books.