Where to Start with DI Mike Nash
If you are new to the grit and atmosphere of Bill Kitson's Yorkshire-based police procedurals, the absolute best place to start is at the very beginning with What Lies Beneath (originally published under the title Depth of Despair). This book establishes the foundation of Detective Inspector Mike Nash's character, explaining his background as a former Metropolitan Police rising star who fled the trauma of a brutal London serial killer case to seek peace in the quiet Yorkshire town of Helmsdale. Of course, Helmsdale proves to be anything but peaceful, and starting here allows you to watch Nash build his local investigative team and navigate his complex personal recovery.
While some procedural crime series allow readers to jump in at any point, the DI Mike Nash series relies heavily on character development, recurring side characters, and subtle personal arcs that span multiple books. Reading them out of order is possible, but you will miss the evolution of Nash's relationships, his healing from past trauma, and the recurring office dynamics of the Helmsdale police department.
The Complete DI Mike Nash Reading Order
To help you navigate the series, here is the complete publication order. Note that the series underwent a major repackaging when Joffe Books took over the publishing rights, resulting in dual titles for the first several entries. The list below includes both titles where applicable, along with original publication years to help you keep track:
- What Lies Beneath (originally published as Depth of Despair) (2010)
- Vanish Without Trace (originally published as Chosen) (2010)
- Playing with Fire (originally published as Minds That Hate) (2010)
- Killing Christmas (originally published as Altered Egos) (2011)
- Slash Killer (originally published as Back-Slash) (2011)
- Alone with a Killer (originally published as Identity Crisis) (2012)
- Snow Angel & False Witness (originally published as Snow Angel / False Witness) (2012) - Note: This is a collection of two short stories, often classified as Book 6.5.
- Blood Diamond (originally published as Buried in the Past) (2014)
- Dead and Gone (2015)
- Hide & Seek (originally published as Picture of Innocence) (2017)
- Running Scared (2018)
- The Bleeding Heart Killer (2020)
- Chain Reaction (2021)
- Cut-Throat (2021)
- Burial Grounds (2022)
- Skeletons in the Closet (2022)
- Guilty as Sin (2023)
- Death Sentence (2024)
- Dead or Alive (2025)
- Network of Evil (2025)
- Valley of Death (2026)
Understanding the Double Titles and Repackaging
One of the most common points of confusion for readers diving into the DI Mike Nash books is the presence of two different titles for the same novel. When the series was originally published, Kitson used titles like Depth of Despair and Chosen. However, when Joffe Books acquired the publishing rights, they gave the older books a modern face-lift. The stories were repackaged with punchier, classic crime-thriller titles (such as What Lies Beneath and Vanish Without Trace) and striking new covers.
If you are purchasing books online or looking for them in your local library, always check the copyright page or the synopsis to ensure you do not accidentally purchase the same book twice under different titles. The text inside remains the same; only the branding, covers, and titles have changed.
Chronological Caveats and Short Story Placement
For the most part, the chronological order matches the publication order. However, the seventh entry on our list, Snow Angel & False Witness, stands out as an exception. Unlike the full-length novels in the series, this volume compiles two shorter mystery stories featuring Nash. Many reading lists catalog this as "Book 6.5" because it fits between the events of Alone with a Killer (Book 6) and Blood Diamond (Book 8).
While you do not need to read these short stories to understand the main plots of the subsequent novels, they add delightful depth to Nash's character and his interactions with his team. If you are a completionist, we recommend inserting them right after book six to maintain perfect timeline continuity.
What to Know Before You Start: Tone, Setting, and Characters
Before you begin your journey with DI Mike Nash, it is helpful to understand the unique flavor Bill Kitson brings to the police procedural genre. The series is set in the fictional town of Helmsdale, nestled deep within the rugged landscape of North Yorkshire. Kitson uses his local roots to write atmospheric descriptions of the moors, the unpredictable Yorkshire weather, and the tight-knit rural communities. The setting functions almost like a character itself, providing a stark, beautiful backdrop to the gruesome crimes Nash investigates.
In terms of tone, these books strike a fine balance. They do not shy away from heavy themes—addressing dark issues like human trafficking, historical abuse, and rising social tensions—but Kitson handles these topics with sensitivity. What keeps the series from feeling overly bleak is Nash himself. He is a deeply compassionate detective who genuinely cares about the victims. He is backed by a loyal team of officers—most notably Detective Sergeant Clara Mironova—who bring a warm sense of camaraderie, professional rapport, and occasional lighthearted office humor to the station.
No Spin-Offs or Co-Authored Work
Unlike many long-running crime series that feature spin-off books focusing on side characters or co-authored installments with guest writers, the DI Mike Nash universe remains completely self-contained. Bill Kitson has written every single entry in this series on his own, ensuring a consistent narrative voice, plotting style, and character progression from the first page of book one through to the latest releases. If you are looking for more of Kitson's work outside of Helmsdale, he has written other standalone projects, historical sagas, and his Eden House Mysteries series, but none of these cross over with DI Mike Nash's cases.