Alanna Knight Books in Order

The Recommended Reading Path: Where to Start

With a career spanning over fifty years and more than sixty books, navigating Alanna Knight's historical crime bibliography can feel like traversing a labyrinthine Edinburgh close. However, the author designed her major series to progress logically. The absolute best way to experience her universe is by following her primary family saga in publication order, which also functions as its chronological progression.

For the ultimate Alanna Knight experience, start with the Inspector Faro Series to build a foundation in Victorian Edinburgh's crime scene. Once you complete Faro's career, proceed to the Rose McQuinn Series, which follows Faro's daughter as she takes up the mantle of a lady detective. Finally, read their spectacular crossover novel, The Darkness Within, to see father and daughter unite on a single, high-stakes case.

The Inspector Faro Series: Victorian Edinburgh's Premier Detective

The Inspector Jeremy Faro books form the bedrock of Knight’s crime fiction legacy. Set during the late Victorian era (starting in the 1870s), Faro is an intuitive investigator navigating Edinburgh's deep social divides. To experience his full character arc, his family relationships, and the changing face of Scottish policing, read the books in order:

1. Enter Second Murderer (1988)
2. Blood Line (1989)
3. Deadly Beloved (1989)
4. Killing Cousins (1990)
5. A Quiet Death (1991)
6. To Kill a Queen (1992)
7. The Evil That Men Do (1993)
8. The Missing Duchess (1994)
9. The Bull Slayers (1995)
10. Murder by Appointment (1997)
11. The Coffin Lane Murders (1998)
12. The Final Enemy (2003)
13. Unholy Trinity / Death at Carasheen (2004)
14. Faro and the Royals (2005)
15. Murder in Paradise (2009)
16. The Seal King Murders (2011)
17. Murders Most Foul (2013)
18. Akin to Murder (2016)
19. The Dower House Mystery (2019)

For readers who want to enjoy some bite-sized Victorian investigations, the companion volume Inspector Faro's Crime File: Short Stories (2013) can be read at any point after the first few novels to add flavor to the main series.

The Rose McQuinn Series: A Trailblazing Lady Investigator

Spanning from 1895 onwards, the Rose McQuinn series serves as the direct successor to the Faro books. Rose, the daughter of Inspector Faro, returns to Edinburgh from the American Wild West after losing her husband and child. As she attempts to rebuild her life, she establishes herself as an independent lady detective. The series focuses on female agency, changing social structures at the turn of the century, and intricate local puzzles:

1. The Inspector's Daughter (2000)
2. Dangerous Pursuits (2003)
3. An Orkney Murder (2003)
4. Ghost Walk (2004)
5. Destroying Angel (2009)
6. Quest for a Killer (2010)
7. Deadly Legacy (2012)
8. The Balmoral Incident (2014)
9. Murder Lies Waiting (2018)

The Crossover Event: Faro and Rose Unite

In 2017, Alanna Knight delighted fans by officially bringing her two lead sleuths together in The Darkness Within. Set in 1906, this novel acts as both an Inspector Faro and a Rose McQuinn mystery. The family gathers in Orkney following a sudden death, leading to a tangled conspiracy involving a royal yacht. It is highly recommended to read this book after finishing the eighth Rose McQuinn book, The Balmoral Incident, to maintain character continuity and avoid spoilers regarding the family's fates.

The Tam Eildor Time-Travel Mysteries

For a unique departure from traditional historical fiction, Knight penned the Tam Eildor series. Blending science fiction with historical intrigue, the series follows Tam Eildor, a time-traveling detective whose faulty travel device continuously lands him in different historical eras where he must resolve local crimes and political conspiracies. The series should be read in publication order:

1. The Dagger in the Crown (2001)
2. The Gowrie Conspiracy (2003)
3. The Stuart Sapphire (2005)
4. Murder at the World's Edge (2021)

The Annie Kelty Trilogy

A lesser-known but highly engaging trilogy, the Annie Kelty books were all published in 1999. They are historical adventure-mysteries that should be read in sequence:

1. The Royal Park Murder (1999)
2. The Monster in the Loch (1999)
3. Dead Beckoning (1999)

What to Know Before You Start: Tone, Adaptations, and Standalones

Alanna Knight was heavily influenced by Robert Louis Stevenson and the dark, gothic history of Edinburgh. Her books feature meticulous historical research, focusing on real events, figures, and architectural details of 19th-century Scotland. Most of her mysteries are written as self-contained puzzles, meaning you can pick up individual books as standalones. However, the characters' personal lives, marriages, and family relationships evolve significantly over time, so reading in order remains the most rewarding approach.

Beyond her series, Knight wrote dozens of standalone novels spanning historical romance, suspense, and gothic thrillers. Her debut standalone, Legend of the Loch (1970), remains a fan favorite, as does her play Private Life of Robert Louis Stevenson (1983). She also published true crime studies and biographies, cementing her place as a versatile scholar of Scottish history.