Andrew Lane Books in Order

Where to Start with Andrew Lane

If you are diving into Andrew Lane's books for the first time, your best entry point is Death Cloud, the opening novel of the Young Sherlock Holmes series. It is his most famous work, widely praised for its authentic historical atmosphere and fast-paced mystery. Because it was written with the official endorsement of the Conan Doyle Estate, it offers the perfect blend of canonical respect and youthful adventure.

However, if you prefer different genres, Lane has several other excellent starting points:

• For Spy Thriller Fans: Start with Dawn of Spies (the first book in the historical Crusoe Adventure trilogy) or Agent Without Licence (for a fast-paced, high-tech modern spy story).
• For Science Fiction Readers: Start with Netherspace, a dark, thought-provoking first-contact space opera co-authored with Nigel Foster.
• For Doctor Who and Sherlock Holmes Crossover Fans: Seek out the classic novel All-Consuming Fire, where the Seventh Doctor crosses paths with Sherlock Holmes himself.

Young Sherlock Holmes Series Reading Order

Set in the 1860s, this series follows a fourteen-year-old Sherlock Holmes as he is sent to live with his aunt and uncle in Hampshire, where he begins solving mysteries under the guidance of his tutor, Amyus Crowe. The series is best read in order of publication, as Sherlock's skills, relationships, and the overarching threat of secret societies build from book to book.

1. Death Cloud (2010)

Sherlock investigates two mysterious deaths linked to a black cloud and a sinister conspiracy involving the American Civil War.

2. Red Leech (2010)

Note: Released in the United States under the title Rebel Fire. Sherlock travels to America to track down an assassin and prevent a conspiracy to restart the Civil War.

3. Black Ice (2011)

When Sherlock's brother Mycroft is found holding a knife over a dead body, Sherlock travels to Russia to clear his brother's name.

4. Fire Storm (2011)

Sherlock's tutor, Amyus Crowe, vanishes, leading Sherlock into a deadly mystery involving a bizarre cult in Edinburgh.

5. Bedlam (2011)

Originally released as a short story, this entry is set between Fire Storm and Snake Bite. It finds a traumatized Sherlock trapped inside a Victorian asylum.

6. Snake Bite (2012)

Kidnapped and placed aboard a ship bound for China, Sherlock finds himself in Shanghai solving a mystery surrounding a mythological three-headed snake.

7. Knife Edge (2013)

Returning to Ireland, Sherlock gets caught up in a plot involving a sinister organization using a weaponized form of paralysis.

8. Stone Cold (2014)

Sherlock is sent to Oxford, where he investigates a series of murders that appear to be committed by a killer who can turn victims to stone.

9. Night Break (2015)

Sherlock must investigate a disappearance at his own family estate, uncovering dark secrets that shape the detective he will eventually become.

A Crusoe Adventure Series

In this historical action trilogy, Andrew Lane reimagines Robinson Crusoe and Friday not as shipwrecked survivors, but as teenage spies in late 17th-century London. Recruited by the writer and spymaster Daniel Defoe into a secret government branch called Segment W, they defend the Crown against domestic and international threats. Read them in the following order:

1. Dawn of Spies (2016)
2. Day of Ice (2017)
3. Night of Terror (2018)

AWOL (Agent Without Licence) Series

For a contemporary spin on espionage, the AWOL series centers on Kieron Mellor, a teenager who accidentally intercepts spy equipment during a mall kidnapping and becomes an operative. These fast-paced books must be read in order:

1. Agent Without Licence (2018)
2. Last Safe Moment (2018)
3. Last Boy Standing (2020)
4. Last Day on Earth (2020)

Netherspace Trilogy

Co-authored with Nigel Foster, this science fiction series presents a grim future where humans trade lives with alien beings in exchange for faster-than-light space travel. The books should be read in sequence:

1. Netherspace (2017)
2. Originators (2018)
3. Revelation (2019)

Lost Worlds Series

Inspired by Arthur Conan Doyle's adventure novels, this duo follows Calum Challenger, a modern teenager who uses his ancestor's journals to search for cryptids and prehistoric creatures. Read these two books in order:

1. Lost Worlds (2013)
2. Shadow Creatures (2014)

Doctor Who & Torchwood Tie-Ins

Andrew Lane is a major name in the expanded Whoniverse. It is important to know that while directories list complete series ranges like the Virgin New Adventures or Eighth Doctor Adventures, Lane wrote specific individual books within these wider shared-universe lines. Here are the novels he authored:

• Virgin New Adventures: Lane co-wrote Lucifer Rising (1993, with Jim Mortimore) and solo-wrote All-Consuming Fire (1994) and Original Sin (1995). Original Sin is highly notable for introducing the companion characters Roz Forrester and Chris Cwej.
• Virgin Missing Adventures: Lane wrote The Empire of Glass (1995), featuring the Fourth Doctor.
• Eighth Doctor Adventures (BBC Books): Lane co-authored The Banquo Legacy (2000) with Justin Richards.
• Torchwood: Lane wrote the spin-off novel Slow Decay (2007).

Additionally, Lane wrote the Big Finish Companion Chronicle audio drama The Mahogany Murderers (2009). This production served as the pilot for the popular Jago & Litefoot audio spin-off series, for which Lane went on to write several episodes, including "The Similarity Engine" (Series 1), "The Ruthven Inheritance" (Series 2), "Chronoclasm" (Series 3), and "The Backwards Men" (Series 8).

What to Know Before You Start

To get the most out of Andrew Lane's library, keep these key details in mind:

• Conan Doyle Estate Endorsement: Lane's Young Sherlock Holmes series is officially endorsed by the Conan Doyle Estate, granting him unique access to Holmes lore and ensuring his teenage Sherlock remains true to the spirit of the original detective.
• Alternate Titles: Be careful when purchasing the second Young Sherlock Holmes book. In the UK, it is titled Red Leech, while in the US, it is sold as Rebel Fire. They are the exact same book.
• Doctor Who Crossover: Lane's novel All-Consuming Fire actually features Sherlock Holmes meeting the Seventh Doctor, showing Lane's interest in combining the worlds of Holmes and science fiction long before he wrote the young adult books.
• Collaborations: Lane frequently collaborates with other writers, such as Nigel Foster for the Netherspace trilogy and Justin Richards or Jim Mortimore for his Doctor Who novels.