Where to Start Reading A.J. Cross
For readers new to A.J. Cross, the best place to start is at the very beginning of her writing career with the Dr. Kate Hanson series, beginning with The Coldest Case (originally published as Gone in Seconds). Starting here allows you to appreciate her signature style: methodical police procedures, deep psychological insights, and gritty, atmospheric mysteries centered in Birmingham.
Alternatively, if you prefer stories focused on active criminal profiling rather than cold cases, you can jump straight into the Will Traynor series, beginning with The Killer Detail (also published as Dark Truths). A third entry point is her newest series featuring the neurodiverse forensic psychologist Teigan Craft, which starts with The Loose End.
The Dr. Kate Hanson Cold Case Series
Dr. Kate Hanson is a forensic psychologist lecturing at Birmingham's Central University who acts as a consultant to the local Unsolved Crimes Unit. Alongside DCI Joe Watts and the rest of the team, Hanson utilizes modern forensic profiling to crack decades-old cold cases. This series is highly praised for its authenticity, drawing directly on the author's real-life career as a forensic psychologist and court-appointed expert witness.
Important Title Note: When publisher Joffe Books acquired the rights to A.J. Cross's backlist, they re-released the entire Kate Hanson series under new, more thematic titles. If you are buying these books, be careful not to purchase the same book twice under different titles. Below is the series in recommended reading order:
- Book 1: The Coldest Case (Originally published as Gone in Seconds in 2012) – The discovery of a young woman's skeletal remains in a Birmingham garden pulls Dr. Kate Hanson into a dark, thirty-year-old mystery.
- Book 2: The Coldest Clues (Originally published as Art of Deception in 2013) – The Unsolved Crimes Unit investigates the murder of a former student whose body is found under the floorboards of a university building.
- Book 3: The Coldest Killer (Originally published as A Little Death in 2017) – A cold case involving a murdered schoolgirl is reopened, forcing Hanson to examine the dark secrets of a tight-knit community.
- Book 4: The Coldest Motive (Originally published as Something Evil Comes in 2017) – Hanson and her team investigate the historical murders of young women, looking for a common link that points to a serial predator.
- Book 5: The Coldest Death (Originally published as Cold, Cold Heart in 2018) – A chilling case comes to light when a confession points Hanson toward a buried secret that someone is still willing to kill to protect.
The Will Traynor Forensic Mystery Series
Moving away from cold cases, A.J. Cross introduced criminologist Will Traynor. Traynor is a brilliant but deeply troubled protagonist, haunted by the brutal murder of his wife. Working as a consultant for the West Midlands Police, Traynor uses his deductive reasoning to hunt active killers. The series is known for its fast pacing and psychological depth.
Similar to the Kate Hanson series, the Will Traynor books have been published under alternative titles in different editions (notably by Severn House and Joffe Books). The recommended reading order is:
- Book 1: The Killer Detail (Also published as Dark Truths in 2019) – Will Traynor is called in when a serial killer targets women in Birmingham, leaving bizarre clues at the crime scenes.
- Book 2: Devil in the Detail (Published in 2021) – A complex investigation unfolds after a body is discovered in a canal, leading Traynor into a web of local corruption and family secrets.
- Book 3: The Darkest Detail (Also published as A Dark, Divided Self in 2022) – Traynor must profile a killer who seems to be mimicking historical crimes, testing his psychological limits.
- Book 4: The Deadly Detail (Also published as Reflections of Deviance in 2023) – A string of suspicious deaths leads Traynor to confront the darkest corners of human behavior and deviant psychology.
The Teigan Craft Forensic Mystery Series
In 2024, A.J. Cross launched a new series centering on Professor Teigan "Tig" Craft. Like Kate Hanson, Tig Craft is a forensic psychologist working out of Birmingham's Central University. However, Craft is also neurodiverse, providing a unique cognitive lens through which she analyzes crime scenes, profiles offenders, and aids DCI Steve Thompson's team.
- Book 1: The Loose End (Published in November 2024) – Tig Craft is called to investigate after the mummified remains of a missing woman are uncovered during a renovation, exposing a connection to multiple unsolved cases.
- Book 2: The Fatal End (Scheduled for 2026) – The continuation of Tig Craft's profiling career as she tackles fresh cases in the West Midlands.
Continuity and Connections
All three of A.J. Cross's series are set in Birmingham and the wider West Midlands area. While they are written as distinct series with their own primary casts, they share a shared universe and atmosphere. The academic backdrop of Central University serves as a recurring anchor for both Dr. Kate Hanson and Professor Teigan Craft. Because the series are self-contained, you do not need to read one series to understand the other; however, reading them in order of publication (Hanson first, then Traynor, then Craft) offers the best sense of the author's stylistic evolution.
Publication Order vs. Chronological Order
For A.J. Cross's bibliography, chronological order matches publication order perfectly. There are no prequels or timeline jumps that disrupt the narrative flow. The only confusion readers face comes from the publisher retitlings. To read her work chronologically, simply follow each series in numerical order using either the original Severn House titles or the newer Joffe Books titles.