D.C.I. Daley Books in Order

Recommended Reading Order: The Main Novels

For the best reading experience, Denzil Meyrick’s main DCI Jim Daley novels should be read in publication order. This allows readers to watch Detective Chief Inspector Jim Daley and his loyal but chaotic partner, DS Brian Scott, develop over time, both professionally and personally. Here is the recommended sequence for the main novels:

1. Whisky from Small Glasses (2012) - The debut novel that introduces DCI Jim Daley as he is dispatched from Glasgow to the remote coastal town of Kinloch to investigate a woman's body washed ashore.
2. The Last Witness (2014) - Jim Daley faces a blast from his urban policing past when a supposedly dead Glaswegian crime lord resurfaces in the seemingly quiet town of Kinloch.
3. Dark Suits and Sad Songs (2015) - A high-stakes investigation that draws Daley and Scott into political corruption, drug cartels, and a conspiracy stretching far beyond Argyll.
4. The Rat Stone Serenade (2016) - Set during a bitter winter, Daley must navigate local aristocracy, historic family feuds, and a series of murders around the grand mansion of Castleton.
5. Well of the Winds (2017) - World War II secrets, espionage, and a mystery surrounding a missing plane collide on the remote island of Gigha.
6. The Relentless Tide (2018) - Daley investigates a historical cold case involving bones found on a local estate, which quickly links to modern-day greed and murder.
7. A Breath on Dying Embers (2019) - When a luxury cruise ship docks in Kinloch, it brings a passenger list harboring old rivalries, international espionage, and a killer on board. (Longlisted for the McIlvanney Prize).
8. Jeremiah's Bell (2020) - An investigation into a series of disappearances in the local woodlands digs up ancient local legends and dark, family secrets.
9. For Any Other Truth (2021) - Following a plane crash near Kinloch, Daley and Scott are thrown into a complex web of smuggling and international intrigue.
10. The Death of Remembrance (2022) - A dual-timeline mystery that contrasts Daley's early days as a young constable in Glasgow in 1983 with a modern-day threat that stalks his old colleagues.
11. No Sweet Sorrow (2023) - Daley and Scott must track down the source of a lethal new drug flood in Kinloch, complicated by a group of visiting Oxford University students.
12. Last Orders for the Condemned (2025) - The dramatic final novel of the series. DCI Jim Daley finds himself charged with murder, leaving it up to Brian Scott to uncover the truth and clear his partner's name.

The Main Characters: Jim Daley and Brian Scott

At the center of the series is Detective Chief Inspector Jim Daley. Daley is not your typical hard-drinking, self-destructive Tartan Noir investigator. While he faces deep personal trials—including a highly turbulent marriage and the intense psychological toll of his work—Daley is a deeply humane, portly, and dedicated detective. He is methodical, fair, and possesses a sharp analytical mind that contrasts with his physically imposing presence.

His counterpart, Detective Sergeant Brian Scott, is one of the most beloved figures in modern Scottish crime fiction. Scott is a complex character battling his own demons, including alcoholism and mental health struggles. Despite his flaws, his loyalty to Daley is unbreakable. Scott provides much of the series' black comedy through his wry observations and frequent, humorous malapropisms. The evolving dynamic between Daley and Scott, shifting from colleagues to brothers-in-arms, serves as the emotional anchor of the entire series.

Chronological Caveats and the Prequel Novellas

While the main novels follow a straightforward chronological sequence, Meyrick wrote several prequels and side-story novellas that complicate the timeline. If you want a purely chronological reading order, you should look at the specific placement of these shorter works:

• Single End (2016) - This short story is set in 1989. It serves as an early prequel showing Jim Daley as a young Detective Constable in Glasgow tackling his first major case involving a gangster's accountant.
• Two One Three (2015) - Another official prequel novella set during Daley's early career in Glasgow. It details his first major investigation and sets the stage for his crime-fighting career before his transfer to Kinloch.
• Dalintober Moon (2014) - This novella is set shortly after the events of Whisky from Small Glasses. It fits perfectly between Book 1 and Book 2.
• Empty Nets and Promises (2016) - A standalone Kinloch story focusing on skipper Sandy Hoynes and the crew of the fishing vessel Girl Maggie, dealing with local authorities and the daily struggles of coastal life.

Fortunately for physical book collectors, these individual stories (which were originally published as standalone digital eBooks) are compiled in the anthology One Last Dram Before Midnight (2017). This collection also features the title story "One Last Dram Before Midnight," "The Silent Man," and "Strangers." If you are reading the series for the first time, the easiest approach is to read One Last Dram Before Midnight after the first few novels to enjoy all the short stories in one place without interrupting the narrative flow of the main series.

The Humorous Spin-off: Tales from Kinloch

For readers who fall in love with the colorful local characters of the Kintyre Peninsula, Denzil Meyrick penned a lighter, comedic spin-off series known as the Tales from Kinloch (or Kinloch Tales). Unlike the gritty police procedurals of the main DCI Daley books, these novellas focus on the nostalgic, humorous, and occasionally supernatural adventures of the crew of the fishing boat Girl Maggie, set in the late 1960s.

The Tales from Kinloch series includes:

1. A Large Measure of Snow (2020) - Set in December 1967, the story follows the crew of the Girl Maggie as a massive blizzard cuts off the town of Kinloch from the rest of Scotland.
2. A Toast to the Old Stones (2021) - Set in January 1968, this tale follows the crew as they navigate local superstitions, ancient monuments, and eccentric townsfolk.
3. Ghosts in the Gloaming (2022) - A supernatural-tinged comedy featuring ghostly occurrences, whisky smuggling, and the antics of Hamish and Sandy Hoynes.

These stories can be read entirely on their own or alongside the main series. They are highly recommended for fans who enjoy cozy Scottish storytelling in the vein of Neil Munro's classic Para Handy tales.

What to Know Before You Start

Before diving into Meyrick's world, it is helpful to understand the background and tone of the series. Denzil Meyrick (1965–2025) was a former Strathclyde Police officer, distillery manager, and journalist. His real-life experience policing the streets of Glasgow and his childhood in Campbeltown on the Kintyre Peninsula heavily grounded the series. The fictional town of Kinloch is a thinly veiled stand-in for Campbeltown, and Meyrick's deep familiarity with the local geography, dialect, and maritime culture breathes life into every page.

The tone of the series is classic "Tartan Noir." It successfully balances the dark, gritty realism of modern crime—including gang violence, drug trafficking, and corruption—with dry, local humor. This humor is primarily delivered by DS Brian Scott, whose malapropisms and cynical outlook provide a brilliant counterpoint to Jim Daley's quiet, methodical dedication. A television adaptation of the series was announced with actor Rory McCann (famed for playing The Hound in Game of Thrones) cast to play the titular DCI Jim Daley, promising to bring the atmospheric rain-swept shores of Kinloch to the screen.