Catherine Moloney Books in Order

The Best Place to Start Catherine Moloney’s Mysteries

For readers diving into the atmospheric world of British crime novelist Catherine Moloney, the choice of where to start is simple: you should begin with the first book, Crime in the Choir (initially published as A Walking Shadow). Unlike some episodic cozy mystery series where the order matters little, Moloney’s books feature a strong, continuous thread of character development and personal relationships that evolve over time.

The series centers on the compelling partnership between Detective Inspector Gilbert Markham and his veteran colleague, Detective Sergeant George Noakes. Markham is Oxford-educated, cerebral, and somewhat melancholy, while the uncouth but fiercely loyal "Noakesy" provides a perfect, down-to-earth counterweight. Alongside their investigations, Markham’s relationship with his girlfriend and soulmate, English teacher Olivia Mullen, grows and shifts across the novels. Reading the series in order allows you to appreciate these personal dynamics and the slow-burning development of the Bromgrove police team.

The Great Markham Title Rebrand: Solving the Name Confusion

One of the most common issues readers face when starting Catherine Moloney's novels is the confusion surrounding alternate titles. When the series was first launched, the first four books were published with titles inspired by classical literature and Shakespeare (specifically Macbeth). They were later repackaged and re-released by publisher Joffe Books to align with the simpler, setting-based "Crime in..." convention of the subsequent novels.

To help you avoid buying duplicate copies under different names, here are the original and current titles for the first four books:

• Book 1: A Walking Shadow was renamed to Crime in the Choir
• Book 2: Blood Will Have Blood was renamed to Crime in the School
• Book 3: Night's Black Agents was renamed to Crime in the Convent
• Book 4: A Mind Diseased was renamed to Crime in the Hospital

Catherine Moloney Books in Publication Order

Because the chronological order of the cases mirrors the order in which they were written, following the publication order is the ideal path for readers. Here is the complete list of the Detective Markham Mystery series:

1. Crime in the Choir (2018) – Originally published as A Walking Shadow. DI Markham investigates a murder at a historic cathedral school in Bromgrove.
2. Crime in the School (2018) – Originally published as Blood Will Have Blood. A teacher is found dead, bringing Markham and Noakes into a prestigious boarding school.
3. Crime in the Convent (2019) – Originally published as Night's Black Agents. Markham digs into dark secrets hidden behind the walls of a local convent.
4. Crime in the Hospital (2019) – Originally published as A Mind Diseased. A suspicious death in a psychiatric unit challenges the team.
5. Crime in the Ballet (2019) – A prima ballerina is targeted, exposing the cutthroat world of professional dance.
6. Crime in the Gallery (2019) – A murder at an art gallery pulls Markham into a web of forgery and greed.
7. Crime in the Heat (2020) – Set during a summer heatwave, the team races to catch a killer before tensions boil over.
8. Crime at Home (2020) – A domestic setting turns deadly, forcing Markham to look closely at family secrets.
9. Crime in the Ballroom (2020) – Sleek social dancing turns fatal when a dancer is murdered on the floor.
10. Crime in the Book Club (2020) – A local reading group becomes the center of a very real murder investigation.
11. Crime in the College (2021) – Markham returns to the academic world of Oxford to solve a collegiate killing.
12. Crime in the Kitchen (2021) – A professional kitchen turns chaotic when a chef is found dead.
13. Crime in the Spa (2021) – A luxury wellness retreat becomes a crime scene.
14. Crime in the Crypt (2021) – An ancient church vault reveals a modern corpse.
15. Crime in Oxford (2022) – Academic rivalries lead to murder in this atmospheric university mystery.
16. Crime in Carton Hall (2022) – A grand country house mystery filled with historic secrets.
17. Crime in Retirement (2022) – Markham investigates a series of dark events at a local retirement village.
18. Crime in the Boutique (2022) – A bridal shop becomes the backdrop for a deadly crime.
19. Crime in the High Street (2023) – A local shopkeeper is murdered, disrupting the town's commercial center.
20. Crime in the Allotment (2023) – A community garden yields a grim harvest.
21. Crime in the Salon (2024) – Secrets whispered over haircuts lead to a deadly confrontation.
22. Crime in the Tower (2024) – A murder mystery unfolding in an ancient stone tower.
23. Crime in the Garden (2025) – A beautifully landscaped estate hides a cold-blooded killer.

What to Know Before You Start

Catherine Moloney’s writing style is heavily influenced by her unique academic and professional background. Before she became a full-time novelist, she earned a degree in Jurisprudence from Oxford, qualified as a barrister, and completed a Ph.D. in Victorian Literature. This background brings a sharp legal precision to the police procedurals, combined with a gothic, atmospheric prose style reminiscent of classic Victorian mysteries.

While the setting of Bromgrove is entirely fictional, it evokes a classic British town feel with a dark underbelly. The books balance traditional "cozy" elements—such as self-contained settings like retirement villages, allotment gardens, and book clubs—with the gritty realism of modern police work, tackling themes of corruption, greed, and long-buried family trauma. There are no spin-offs or co-authored novels to worry about, making this a straightforward, highly addictive series to collect and read.