How to Read the Duncan Kincaid & Gemma James Series
Deborah Crombie’s long-running mystery series is best read in publication order. While the individual crime investigations in each book are self-contained and resolved by the final page, the underlying lives of the protagonists are highly serialized. Over the course of the series, Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James progress through their careers at Scotland Yard, navigate complex personal relationships, marry, and build a family together. Reading out of order will spoil these significant life events and character developments.
Duncan Kincaid / Gemma James Books in Publication Order
Below is the complete list of Deborah Crombie's novels and short stories featuring Kincaid and James in order of publication. Note that minor publication year discrepancies exist between UK and US editions.
- A Share in Death (1993) – Kincaid’s Yorkshire holiday is interrupted by murder; Gemma James is introduced as his assistant.
- All Shall Be Well (1994) – Kincaid investigates the suspicious suicide of a neighbor, bringing Gemma in to assist.
- Leave the Grave Green (1995 / 1996) – A body is found in a Thames lock, leading Kincaid and Gemma into the secrets of a prominent family.
- Mourn Not Your Dead (1996) – Gemma and Kincaid travel to a Surrey village to investigate the murder of a high-ranking police officer.
- Dreaming of the Bones (1997) – Kincaid is asked by his ex-wife to investigate a poet's past death, a landmark entry in the series.
- Kissed a Sad Goodbye (1999) – The murder of a young businesswoman in the London docklands tests Gemma and Duncan's professional boundaries.
- A Finer End (2001) – Set in Glastonbury, Kincaid's cousin draws the duo into a mystery involving medieval history and mysticism.
- And Justice There Is None (2002) – Gemma, now promoted to Inspector, takes the lead on a murder in Notting Hill.
- Now May You Weep (2003) – Gemma travels to the Scottish Highlands for a cooking holiday, only to find herself a suspect in a murder.
- In a Dark House (2004 / 2005) – A body is found in a burned-out London warehouse, linking Kincaid and Gemma's separate investigations.
- Water Like a Stone (2007) – Kincaid takes Gemma and his family to his native Cheshire, where they stumble upon a body in a canal.
- Where Memories Lie (2008) – Gemma investigates a jewelry theft that uncovers decades-old wartime secrets.
- Necessary as Blood (2009) – A solicitor disappears from London's East End, dragging Kincaid and Gemma into the art and textile worlds.
- Nocturne (2012) – Short Story (Book 13.5). A bridge story following Kincaid immediately after his wedding to Gemma.
- No Mark Upon Her (2012) – The death of a Olympic rowing hopeful and Metropolitan Police detective leads the duo into competitive rowing circles.
- The Sound of Broken Glass (2013) – Gemma investigates the murder of a barrister in a Crystal Palace hotel room.
- To Dwell in Darkness (2014) – Kincaid takes a new post in South London, where a bomb threat at St. Pancras Station kicks off a dark case.
- Garden of Lamentations (2017) – Kincaid and Gemma must confront internal corruption at Scotland Yard to solve a colleague's murder.
- A Bitter Feast (2019) – A peaceful holiday in the Cotswolds turns deadly after a series of fatal car crashes and poisonings.
- A Killing of Innocents (2023) – Kincaid and Gemma investigate a seemingly random knife attack on a young doctor in London.
Chronological Caveats and the E-Book Bridge
The chronological timeline of the series aligns perfectly with the publication order, with one notable inclusion: the short story Nocturne. Published in 2012 as a limited-edition e-book, Nocturne is officially designated as Book 13.5. It serves as a direct bridge between Necessary as Blood (Book 13) and No Mark Upon Her (Book 14), depicting Kincaid's return to work directly following his wedding. Because Nocturne was a limited release, it is currently difficult to find in commercial storefronts, but readers can transition directly between books 13 and 14 without losing the thread of the main plot.
Due to the inclusion of Nocturne, numbering systems for the series sometimes vary. Some retailers and fans count Nocturne in the numbering sequence (making A Killing of Innocents Book 20), while others count only the 19 full-length novels.
Where to Start and What to Expect
The absolute best place to start is the debut novel, A Share in Death. It establishes the foundational dynamics between Kincaid and James. If you must start elsewhere, Dreaming of the Bones (Book 5) is widely regarded as one of Crombie's finest works and was nominated for the Edgar, Agatha, and Macavity Awards, though starting here will skip some of Kincaid's early relationship developments.
Readers should expect classic British police procedurals with a modern twist. Although Deborah Crombie is a native Texan, her deep love for British culture, frequent research trips, and period of residency in England ensure the locations—from the streets of London to the villages of Yorkshire—feel exceptionally authentic. The series is highly praised for keeping the core relationship engaging and realistic, avoiding the typical "will-they-won't-they" clichés by allowing the characters to actually grow, marry, and face real-world family challenges alongside their detective work.
Spin-Offs and Collaborations
Deborah Crombie has not written any standalone novels or spin-offs set in the Kincaid/James universe. Her entire output of fiction remains focused on this single, continuous series. However, she has participated in collaborative mystery projects, such as The Sunken Sailor (2004), a novel written in collaboration with 13 other members of the Detection Club, and has contributed stories to anthologies like Echoes of Sherlock Holmes.