How to Read the DI Zigic & DS Ferreira Series
Eva Dolan’s gritty police procedural series is best read in publication order. Because the books follow the same core team at Peterborough’s Hate Crimes Unit (and later CID), the personal lives, professional careers, and complex partner dynamics of DI Dushan Zigic and DS Mel Ferreira evolve significantly from one installment to the next. The chronological timeline matches the order in which the books were published, making this the cleanest and most rewarding path for readers.
DI Zigic & DS Ferreira Books in Publication Order
Here is the complete list of novels in the series, including the key themes and investigations that define each case:
1. Long Way Home (2014)
The series begins with the discovery of a migrant worker’s body inside a burned-out garden shed in Peterborough. DI Zigic and DS Ferreira are called in to lead the Hate Crimes Unit through a murky web of exploitation, local hostility, and illegal gangmasters. This debut immediately established Dolan’s reputation for tackling pressing, real-world social commentary alongside traditional procedural elements.
2. Tell No Tales (2015)
Peterborough is pushed to the brink of racial violence after a hit-and-run incident is followed by a series of targeted, brutal assaults. Zigic and Ferreira find themselves caught between far-right political groups and local migrant communities. This tense second installment was shortlisted for the prestigious Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award in 2016.
3. After You Die (2016)
A mother is found stabbed to death, and her severely disabled daughter is left to starve in the upstairs room. As the Hate Crimes Unit investigates, they uncover the painful reality of online harassment, caregiver burnout, and systemic hostility directed toward disabled individuals. This emotionally demanding novel was shortlisted for the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award in 2017.
4. Watch Her Disappear (2017)
When the body of a prominent transgender woman and local activist is discovered on a building site, Zigic and Ferreira must navigate a media storm and deep-seated prejudice to find the killer. The investigation exposes the vulnerabilities faced by the trans community and forces the detectives to examine their own preconceptions.
5. Between Two Evils (2020)
Following the disbandment of the Hate Crimes Unit, Zigic and Ferreira are reassigned to regular CID. They are tasked with solving the murder of Dr. Joshua Ainsworth, a whistleblower at an immigration detention center who had recently exposed abuse. Simultaneously, the team must monitor a dangerous serial rapist who was released on a technicality due to police malpractice. This thriller was nominated for the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger in 2020.
6. One Half Truth (2021)
A twenty-one-year-old student journalist, Jordan Radley, is shot dead in what initially looks like a random mugging. However, when his laptop and research notes are stolen from his apartment, Zigic and Ferreira realize he was targeted for silencing. The investigation leads them into the aftermath of a local factory closure, corporate malfeasance, and a suspicious helicopter crash.
What to Know Before You Start
Before diving into Eva Dolan’s work, here are a few practical tips to help you get the most out of your reading experience:
- Can they be read as standalones? Yes. Each book contains a self-contained mystery that is fully resolved by the final page. However, you will miss the deeper character arcs—such as Ferreira’s struggles as an outsider of Portuguese descent and Zigic's domestic life—if you read them out of sequence.
- The Setting is a Character: Unlike many British procedurals set in London or picturesque villages, this series takes place in Peterborough, a cathedral city in Cambridgeshire known for its rapid demographic shifts and industrial heritage. Dolan uses this real-world backdrop to ground her plots in authentic social realities.
- Tone Warning: The series deals directly with heavy topics including human trafficking, systemic racism, transphobia, and hate speech. Dolan writes with empathy, but does not shy away from the harsh realities of these crimes.
- Spin-offs and Standalones: Eva Dolan has also written standalone psychological thrillers, such as This Is How It Ends (2018) and The One That Got Away (2021). These do not feature Zigic or Ferreira and are entirely independent stories.