Where to Start Reading Faraday & Winter
DI Joe Faraday and DC Paul Winter form one of the most compelling, contrasting partnerships in contemporary British crime fiction. To experience the full emotional weight of their journeys, you must read the series in publication order, starting with the very first novel, Turnstone (2000).
Because the series spans over a decade in real-time, the characters age, their personal relationships evolve, and the city of Portsmouth itself undergoes profound social changes. Reading these books out of order will not only spoil significant character developments and career shifts but will also make you miss the subtle, building tension that culminates in the series finale, Happy Days.
Faraday & Winter Main Series in Publication Order
The core series consists of twelve novels that trace the parallel lives of the quiet, bird-watching DI Joe Faraday and the streetwise, rule-bending DC Paul Winter. Follow them in this order:
- Turnstone (2000) - Introduces DI Joe Faraday, a principled widower raising his deaf son Sandy, and DC Paul Winter, a maverick cop. The search for a missing young man spirals into a deep look at Portsmouth's criminal underbelly.
- The Take (2001) - The disappearance of a local gynecologist exposes dark secrets, while the moral and professional differences between Faraday and Winter begin to widen.
- Angels Passing (2002) - The tragic death of a young girl falls on Faraday's shoulders, while Winter is tasked with investigating a vigilante group targeting local offenders.
- Deadlight (2003) - A murder investigation takes Faraday to the Isle of Wight, while Winter deals with a case involving a former colleague, highlighting the corruption risks of street-level policing.
- Cut to Black (2004) - As a young girl is murdered, the pressure from the media and upper management increases, leading to a major turning point in Winter's career.
- Blood and Honey (2006) - Faraday investigates the discovery of a headless body tied to human trafficking. Winter, now operating outside the traditional police framework, navigates the underworld from a different perspective.
- One Under (2006) - A tragic incident on the railway tracks leads to a complex investigation, while the paths of Faraday and Winter continue to cross in unexpected, tense ways.
- The Price of Darkness (2008) - The murder of a prominent local businessman brings the long-standing shadow of drug kingpin Bazza Mackenzie back into the spotlight.
- No Lovelier Death (2009) - A devastating arson attack claims the lives of a family, prompting Faraday to pursue a ruthless arsonist, while Winter deals with the fallout of his choices.
- Beyond Reach (2010) - The murder of a young woman leads Faraday to explore the corruption within his own ranks, highlighting the heavy emotional toll of the job.
- Borrowed Light (2010) - As Portsmouth prepares for major changes, Faraday finds himself investigating a cold case, while Winter's ties to the city's criminal elite grow more dangerous.
- Happy Days (2012) - The final novel in the series. A dramatic, high-stakes showdown brings the stories of Faraday, Winter, and Bazza Mackenzie to a definitive and shocking conclusion.
The Behind-the-Scenes Companion
To accompany the end of the series, Graham Hurley released a special companion book that provides a look behind the curtain of his fictional Portsmouth:
- Backstory (2012) - Published alongside the conclusion of the series, this companion guide is structured like a DVD 'extra features' package. It offers a detailed look into Hurley's transition from ITV documentary filmmaker to novelist, his research methods shadowing the real-life Portsmouth CID, and the 'lightbulb moments' behind the books' key plots and characters. It is best read after finishing the main series.
The DS Jimmy Suttle Spin-off Series
For readers who aren't ready to leave the universe, Graham Hurley created a direct spin-off focusing on Detective Sergeant Jimmy Suttle, a young detective who worked under Joe Faraday in the later novels. The Jimmy Suttle series relocates the action from Portsmouth to the West Country (Devon), offering a change of scenery but retaining the same realistic, procedurally detailed tone. Read them in this order:
- Western Approaches (2012) - Suttle relocates to the Exeter Major Crime Team, investigating the murder of a retired academic, while dealing with his wife's struggle to adjust to rural life.
- Touching Distance (2013) - Suttle investigates a suspicious death at a prestigious private boarding school, which quickly turns into a complex web of abuse and privilege.
- Sins of the Father (2014) - The murder of a wealthy businessman's daughter pulls Suttle into a dark investigation involving historical family secrets.
- The Order of Things (2015) - A brutal murder on a Devon farm leads Suttle on a desperate chase, testing both his policing skills and his fragile family life.
Chronological Caveats and Overlapping Continuity
Because Graham Hurley's novels are grounded in real-world timelines, chronological order aligns perfectly with publication order. However, the overarching continuity is highly serial. Key narrative threads span multiple books, including the relationship between Joe Faraday and his deaf son Sandy, Paul Winter's moral decay and career transition, and the rise of local drug baron Bazza Mackenzie. Reading these books out of order will spoil the major twists and the ultimate fates of the main characters.
What to Know Before You Start
Before you dive in, it helps to understand the unique style of the series. Author Graham Hurley spent months shadowing real Portsmouth CID officers to ensure the procedural detail is exceptionally accurate, capturing the mundane paperwork, administrative frustrations, and the real psychological cost of the job. Additionally, the city of Portsmouth is depicted with unvarnished honesty, acting as a character in its own right. The series was also adapted into a highly successful French television series titled Deux Flics sur les Docks, which relocated the action to the port city of Le Havre.