Ashley Dyer / Margaret Murphy Books in Order

Where to Start Reading Ashley Dyer and Margaret Murphy

If you are looking for the absolute best entry point, start with the Carver and Lake series written under the pen name Ashley Dyer. The debut novel, Splinter in the Blood (2018), serves as a perfect introduction to the author's hallmark style: a blend of high-concept serial killer plots, deeply flawed characters, and exceptionally detailed police procedures. Because this duology is highly serialized, it must be read in strict order.

For readers who want to explore her solo work written under her own name, Margaret Murphy, the best starting point is the Detective Cassie Rowan series, beginning with Before He Kills Again (2020). It offers a more traditional but equally intense look at undercover police operations and human trafficking in Liverpool. Alternatively, if you want a complete, completed trilogy, start with the Detective Jeff Rickman series (which has some title quirks explained below).

The Carver and Lake Series (As Ashley Dyer)

The Ashley Dyer pseudonym represents a highly successful collaboration between Margaret Murphy and forensics/policing expert Helen Pepper. Combining Murphy's psychological plotting with Pepper's real-world expertise as a senior forensic scientist and police trainer, this series is set in Liverpool and follows Detective Inspector Greg Carver and Detective Sergeant Ruth Lake.

• Splinter in the Blood (2018): Greg Carver is found shot in his own home, and his partner Ruth Lake is the first on the scene. As Carver recovers from near-fatal injuries, they must hunt down the 'Thorn Killer,' a serial murderer who meticulously tattoos his victims.
• The Cutting Room (2019): The sequel finds Carver and Lake back on the job, tracking a bizarre killer known as the 'Ferryman,' who turns his victims' bodies into public, theatrical art installations.

The Detective Jeff Rickman Series (aka Rickman & Foster)

This series introduces Detective Inspector Jeff Rickman and Sergeant Lee Foster, operating in the gritty underworld of Liverpool. Readers should be aware that the first two books in this series were originally published under different titles in the mid-2000s and were later retitled and re-released by publisher Joffe Books in 2020. The third book, Don't Scream, was released in 2020 to continue the series.

Publication and Retitling Order:

• Book 1: See Her Burn (2020): Originally published as The Dispossessed in 2004. The story follows Rickman as a body is found burned to death on a local beach.
• Book 2: See Her Die (2020): Originally published as Now You See Me in 2005. It features the team searching for a killer targeting vulnerable women in the local area.
• Book 3: Don't Scream (2020): The first brand-new book in the series in fifteen years, following Rickman as he is caught in a web of blackmail, murder, and high-tech stalking.

The Detective Cassie Rowan Series

Writing as Margaret Murphy, this series focus on Cassie Rowan, a detective who works deep undercover. The books are fast-paced and explore themes of human trafficking, modern slavery, and systemic corruption.

• Before He Kills Again (2020): Cassie Rowan goes undercover in Liverpool's criminal underbelly to investigate the murder of a young woman, only to find herself caught in a ring of human traffickers.
• The Scarecrow Killer (2023): Cassie is pulled into a dark investigation involving bodies displayed in rural fields like scarecrows.

The Clara Pascal Series

An early series written under Margaret Murphy's own name, these books focus on Clara Pascal, a defense attorney who finds herself targeted by a brilliant kidnapper in the first book, and investigating dark secrets in the second.

• Darkness Falls (2001): Defense attorney Clara Pascal is kidnapped and held in complete darkness by a captor who wants her to confess to a past legal sin.
• Weaving Shadows (2003): Clara Pascal returns to assist on a case involving a mute girl found wandering in a graveyard, leading into a cold case investigation.

Collaborations and Other Pseudonyms

Margaret Murphy's career is marked by her love for collaborative writing and specialized subgenres. In addition to Ashley Dyer, she has written under two other notable pen names:

As A.D. Garrett (with Dave Barclay)

Working alongside renowned forensic scientist Professor Dave Barclay, Murphy wrote a series featuring DCI Kate Simms and forensic scientist Professor Nick Fennimore. These books are highly recommended for fans of hard forensic science and procedural accuracy.

1. Everyone Lies (2013)
2. Believe No One (2014)
3. Truth Will Out (2016)

As M.K. Murphy

More recently, Murphy has launched the DS Rick Turner series under the name M.K. Murphy. These books focus on dark, fast-paced police procedurals with high stakes.

1. Dead Man Walking (2023)
2. Blood Debt (2024)

Standalone Novels & Reissue Guide

If you prefer self-contained stories, Margaret Murphy has written several standalone psychological thrillers. Like her Jeff Rickman series, several of these were reissued by Joffe Books with new, more suspense-focused titles. Below is the guide to mapping the original titles to their modern reissues:

• Dear Mum (2020): Originally published as Goodnight, My Angel in 1996. It follows a mother's desperate search for her missing daughter.
• The Darkest Hours (2020): Originally published as The Desire of the Moth in 1997. A gripping story of isolation, paranoia, and family secrets.
• Her Husband's Killer (2020): Originally published as Caging the Tiger in 1999 (also listed as 1998 in some records). A psychological game between a widow and the suspect in her husband's murder.
• The Lost Boy (2020): Originally published as Past Reason in 1999. A chilling tale about parental grief and dark neighborhood secrets.
• Dying Embers (2000): A standalone psychological thriller examining the aftermath of a tragic fire and the secrets hidden within a family.