The Recommended Reading Order for the D.C. Ebony Willis Series
For readers diving into the dark, police procedural world crafted by Lee Weeks, the recommended reading path is straightforward: read the books in publication order. Because the narrative relies heavily on the psychological development of the protagonist, Detective Constable (later Detective Sergeant) Ebony Willis, reading the books sequentially is crucial to understanding her complex backstory, her evolving relationship with her superior officer DI Dan Carter, and the slow unfolding of her personal trauma.
Since the chronological events follow the publishing timeline exactly, there are no confusing timeline jumps or prequels to navigate. Below is the list of the D.C. Ebony Willis novels in their recommended reading order:
- Dead of Winter (2012)
- Cold as Ice (2013)
- Frozen Grave (2014)
- Cold Justice (2015)
- Cold Killers (2016)
- Cold Revenge (2017)
Why the Chronological Order Matters
While each novel in the series features a self-contained investigation—ranging from cold case murders to active kidnappings—the underlying character arcs are highly serialized. Ebony Willis is a deeply haunted investigator whose past is filled with secrets, trauma, and institutional distrust. The series starts with her as a young Detective Constable and follows her professional advancement within the Metropolitan Police's Murder Investigation Team (MIT 17).
As you progress through the series, her dynamic with Detective Inspector Dan Carter shifts from tentative professional cooperation to deep, mutual trust. Skipping books or reading them out of order will spoil significant developments regarding Ebony’s childhood, her undercover assignments, and the resolving arcs of her personal relationships.
The D.C. Ebony Willis Book-by-Book Breakdown
1. Dead of Winter (2012)
The series opener introduces readers to the atmospheric and gritty world of MIT 17 in London. The case begins when two bodies are discovered buried in a North London garden. A fingerprint found at the scene unexpectedly links the deaths to an unsolved case from over a decade earlier: the brutal slaughter of a family in a holiday cottage in Sussex. The prime suspect in that cold case is Callum Carmichael, a former police officer who has since vanished into Yorkshire. Ebony Willis is tasked with locating him, pulling her into a web of police corruption, old secrets, and a killer who is determined to keep the past buried.
2. Cold as Ice (2013)
In this second installment, the discovery of a young woman's body in a frozen London canal sets off a complex investigation. While DI Dan Carter initial suspects an accident, Ebony notes the garish make-up painted onto the victim's face and suspects a serial killer. The plot weaves together with the perspective of Tracy Collins, a woman desperately searching for the daughter she gave up for adoption twenty years prior. To draw out the perpetrator before another victim is claimed, Ebony agrees to go undercover as the killer's next target, putting her own life on the line.
3. Frozen Grave (2014)
The third novel raises the stakes with a series of gruesome murders in East London. The investigation kicks off when a woman's body is found in a run-down warehouse, followed shortly by another victim who is burned alive in her own home. Ebony and Dan Carter find themselves hunting a killer who uses online adult sites and financial fraud to target victims. The detectives must follow a trail of digital footprints and suspect J.J. Ellerman to stop the escalating violence.
4. Cold Justice (2015)
The fourth book shifts the setting from the urban landscape of London to the coastal towns of Cornwall. When a prominent London Member of Parliament, Jeremy Forbes-Wright, is found dead in a hotel, and his toddler grandson is kidnapped on the same day, MIT 17 is called in. The investigation reveals that the murder and abduction are directly tied to a drug-fueled party in Cornwall fifteen years prior, where a young woman was raped. Ebony and Dan Carter must break through the silence of a tight-knit seaside community to find the missing child and bring long-delayed justice to light.
5. Cold Killers (2016)
Returning to the heart of London’s gangland, this installment focuses on an underworld feud. Eddie Butcher, a member of a notorious East End crime family, is murdered while visiting London from Spain. DI Dan Carter and Ebony Willis are tasked with monitoring the funeral to keep the peace, especially with Terry Butcher, the victim's violent brother, plotting his next move under house arrest. The investigation becomes personal for Dan Carter, whose own history with the Butcher family threatens to compromise the safety of the entire team.
6. Cold Revenge (2017)
The final book in the Willis/Carter saga begins with the discovery of a woman's body in a lake. The forensic evidence connects the crime to a cold case from the year 2000 involving the disappearance of a fifteen-year-old girl named Heather Phillips. The chief suspect, Jimmy Douglas, was acquitted years ago due to lack of evidence. Now incarcerated for other crimes, Douglas engages in a psychological cat-and-mouse game with Ebony. To find the copycat killer operating in the present, Ebony must solve the decade-old mystery of Heather's final resting place.
What to Know Before You Start
Lee Weeks' crime fiction is inspired by her father's career as a police detective, bringing procedural authenticity and realistic bureaucratic hurdles to the series. Readers should be prepared for a very dark, gritty tone that tackles sensitive themes such as human trafficking, systemic police corruption, sexual violence, and organized crime. The series stands out for featuring Ebony Willis as a resilient Black female detective navigating a male-dominated field, balancing her deep personal vulnerabilities with an uncompromising drive for justice.
For fans wondering about crossovers, Lee Weeks has written another crime series featuring Detective Inspector Johnny Mann. However, that series is set primarily in Southeast Asia and is completely separate from the Ebony Willis books, with no overlapping characters or storylines. You can read either series independently without worrying about spoilers.