Where to Start with Aline Templeton
For readers new to Aline Templeton's immersive Scottish crime fiction, the best place to start is at the beginning of her acclaimed DI Marjory Fleming series with the novel Cold in the Earth (2005). This book introduces 'Big Marge' and establishes the detailed, community-focused procedural style that Templeton is famous for. Alternatively, if you prefer a protagonist who travels across different parts of Scotland, you can begin with Human Face (also published as Death on Skye), the first book in the DI Kelso Strang series. The standalones can be read at any point in any order.
The DI Marjory Fleming Series (Kirkluce)
Set in the fictional Galloway town of Kirkluce, this series features Detective Inspector Marjory Fleming, a tall, determined detective balancing police work with a family farm. The series is best read in publication order to follow Marjory's personal life and career progression.
- Cold in the Earth (2005): Introduces DI Fleming as she investigates a body found during a devastating foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.
- The Darkness & the Deep (2006): A lifeboat tragedy in a small coastal community reveals dark secrets under the surface.
- Lying Dead (2007): The discovery of a body in a remote cottage exposes long-held grudges.
- Lamb to the Slaughter (2008): Tensions boil over when a controversial resident is murdered.
- Dead in the Water (2009): A body in the harbor leads Fleming into the dark side of the fishing industry.
- Cradle to Grave (2010): The death of a baby and a historical mystery collide in Kirkluce.
- Evil for Evil (2012): Family drama and old rivalries complicate a murder investigation.
- Bad Blood (2013): Fleming investigates a killing connected to a tight-knit farming family.
- The Third Sin (2015): A tense investigation involving a historic murder and modern-day threats.
The DI Kelso Strang Series
This series follows Kelso Strang, the head of Police Scotland's Serious Rural Crime Squad. Unlike the local setting of the Fleming books, the Strang mysteries take him to various remote regions of Scotland, including Skye, Caithness, and the Borders. A key element of this series is the dual titles: they were originally published by Allison & Busby under one set of names, and later re-released by Joffe Books with descriptive "Death in..." titles.
- Human Face / Death on Skye (2018): Strang travels to the Isle of Skye to investigate a cold case involving a missing person and a web of local secrets.
- Carrion Comfort / Death in Caithness (2018): Set in the windswept far north, Strang looks into a death linked to a tight-knit coastal community.
- Devil's Garden / Death in the Borders (2020): An investigation in the Scottish Borders involving historical disputes and modern crime.
- Old Sins / Death in Inverbeg (2021): Strang tackles a mystery in a village divided by a controversial rewilding project.
- Blind Eye / Death at St Abb's Head (2023): Set on the dramatic Berwickshire coast, Strang investigates a death with international connections.
- Deadfall / Death in the Black Isle (2024): Strang works to unravel a complex murder conspiracy in the Highlands.
The Interconnected Universe
While the DI Marjory Fleming and DI Kelso Strang series can be enjoyed independently, they share a single fictional universe. The connection is forged through Catriona (Cat) Fleming, Marjory’s daughter, who is a lawyer. Catriona becomes romantically involved with Kelso Strang during his series. As their relationship develops, a retired Marjory Fleming makes guest appearances, providing professional advice and maternal support to Strang during difficult investigations, particularly in Blind Eye / Death at St Abb's Head.
Aline Templeton Standalone Novels
Before launching her detective series, Templeton wrote several standalone psychological suspense and crime thrillers. These can be read in any order:
- Death Is My Neighbour (1984): Templeton's debut crime novel set in a quiet English village.
- Last Act of All (1996): A theatrical setting provides the backdrop for murder.
- The Trumpet Shall Sound (1997): A dark thriller exploring long-hidden family secrets.
- Past Praying For (1997): Tense psychological suspense in a rural parish.
- Night and Silence (1999): A gripping mystery about a family under threat.
- Shades of Death (2002): An atmospheric thriller focused on secrets and past crimes.
Anthology Contributions
- Scottish Girls About Town (2003): A collection of short stories by Scottish female writers, featuring a contribution from Aline Templeton before she began the Marjory Fleming series.