Inspector Faro Books in Order

Where to Start with Inspector Faro

For readers diving into Alanna Knight's atmospheric Victorian Scotland, there are two primary paths to follow: the Publication Order (recommended) and the Chronological Order. If you want to experience the series as it was originally written, start with the very first published novel, Enter Second Murderer. This book introduces Jeremy Faro as a mature, seasoned detective, establishing the core themes of the series, his complex family life (including his stepson, Dr. Vincent Laurie), and the dark, gothic ambiance of Edinburgh. Most fans prefer this order because the character growth and background lore unfold naturally.

Alternatively, if you prefer following Faro's career from its very beginning, you can opt for the chronological path. This means starting with the flashback prequels that Alanna Knight wrote later in her career: Murder in Paradise (set in 1860 during his first case in Orkney), followed by The Seal King Murders and Murders Most Foul (both set in 1861 when Faro was a young constable). After completing these three, you would transition into the main run starting with Enter Second Murderer.

Publication Order of the Inspector Faro Books

If you choose to read the books in the order they were published, the sequence is as follows:

• Enter Second Murderer (1988): Introduces Faro as he reopens the 'Gruesome Convent Murders' case to prove a convicted man's innocence.
• Blood Line (1989): Faro investigates a discovery of mummified remains inside Edinburgh Castle, leading to royal secrets.
• Deadly Beloved (1989): Faro is drawn into a personal and professional crisis involving domestic secrets and gothic suspense.
• Killing Cousins (1990): Faro is summoned to the family estate in the Highlands, where family secrets turn deadly.
• A Quiet Death (1991): A complex case of murder and missing persons that tests Faro's deductive limits.
• To Kill a Queen (1992): Faro must protect Queen Victoria during a royal visit to Edinburgh amidst threats of assassination.
• The Evil That Men Do (1993): Faro deals with the dark underbelly of Victorian high society and the moral hypocrisy of the era.
• The Missing Duchess (1994): Faro investigates the disappearance of a high-society figure tied to royalty.
• The Bull Slayers (1995): A trip to the Scottish borders pulls Faro into a pagan-themed murder mystery.
• Murder by Appointment (1997): The detective deals with a series of sinister murders that appear to target specific Edinburgh figures.
• The Coffin Lane Murders (1998): A dark tale of body snatching, old grudges, and Edinburgh's shadowy medical history.
• The Final Enemy (2003): Faro is forced to confront a ghost from his past in a highly personal investigation.
• Unholy Trinity / Death at Carasheen (2004): A mysterious death at a remote estate plunges Faro into a web of inheritance disputes.
• Faro and the Royals (2005): Faro is once again called upon to handle delicate, high-stakes matters involving the British royal family.
• Murder in Paradise (2009): A flashback prequel set in 1860 Orkney, depicting Faro's very first case as a young constable.
• The Seal King Murders (2011): Another flashback mystery set in 1861, taking Faro back to the remote northern islands.
• Murders Most Foul (2013): Set in 1861 Edinburgh, showing Faro's first major case on the city police force.
• Akin to Murder (2016): Faro unravels a complex mystery involving identities, inheritance, and long-held family secrets.
• The Dower House Mystery (2019): The final novel in the main Faro series, published shortly before the author's death.

Understanding the Chronological Order & Prequel Caveats

While the publication order is straightforward, Alanna Knight chose to flesh out Faro's backstory late in the series. Reading the books chronologically rearranges the reading list by moving three of the later books to the very front. Here is how the chronological timeline aligns:

1. Murder in Paradise (Book 15, set in 1860)
2. The Seal King Murders (Book 16, set in 1861)
3. Murders Most Foul (Book 17, set in 1861)
4. Enter Second Murderer (Book 1, set in the 1870s)
5. (Followed by Books 2 through 14, and then jumping to Books 18 and 19)

Caveat for Readers: Reading chronologically can result in a jarring shift in writing style and character dynamics. When reading the prequels first, you are experiencing the work of a seasoned author writing decades after she first created the character. Returning to Enter Second Murderer means jumping back to Knight's early writing style from 1988, which can feel different in tone. For this reason, Bookwrapt recommends starting with publication order first, and treating the prequels as enjoyable flashback stories when you reach them.

The Rose McQuinn Spin-Off Series

If you finish the Inspector Faro series and are eager for more of this Victorian universe, you are in luck. Alanna Knight wrote a highly successful spin-off series focusing on Faro's daughter, Rose McQuinn. Rose is introduced in the main series, but her spin-off begins with The Inspector's Daughter (2000). Having returned to Edinburgh from the American West as a young widow, Rose establishes herself as a 'lady investigator' in late Victorian and Edwardian Scotland.

The Rose McQuinn series runs for nine novels, beginning with The Inspector's Daughter (2000) and ending with Murder Lies Waiting (2018). The series features several direct crossovers where retired Inspector Faro assists his daughter. Most notably, the 2017 novel The Darkness Within (published in the Faro line as Book 20 by some guides and also counted as Rose McQuinn Book 9) brings both characters together in a joint investigation set in 1906 Orkney, dealing with the sudden death of Rose's brother-in-law.

What to Know Before You Start

Before you begin your journey with Inspector Faro, keep these elements in mind to enrich your reading experience:

• Atmosphere Over Gore: Unlike modern gritty noir, Alanna Knight’s novels skew closer to cozy historical mysteries, focusing on historical atmosphere, dialogue, and clever deduction rather than graphic violence.
• Faro’s Personal Life: A central appeal of the series is Faro's evolving personal life. His struggles as a widower, his complex relationship with his doctor stepson Vince Laurie, and his romantic interest in writer Imogen Crowe form a continuous narrative thread across the books.
• Historical Accuracy: Knight was a recognized expert on Victorian Scotland and Robert Louis Stevenson. Her meticulous research shines through in her descriptions of Edinburgh's divided classes, from the elegant New Town to the crime-ridden Old Town tenements.