Deborah Crombie Books in Order

How to Read the Duncan Kincaid & Gemma James Series

Deborah Crombie has crafted one of the most beloved modern police procedural series, featuring the Scotland Yard duo of Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James. What sets this series apart is not just the intricate whodunit mysteries, but the rich, evolving lives of its protagonists. Over the course of the novels, Duncan and Gemma grow from professional colleagues to romantic partners, navigate complex family dynamics, and experience profound personal milestones. Because of this deep character progression, we strongly recommend reading the series in publication order.

Duncan Kincaid & Gemma James Recommended Reading Order

Here is the complete list of Deborah Crombie's main series in the recommended reading order. Chronologically, the events of the books follow their publication sequence, making this the most straightforward and satisfying way to experience the characters' personal and professional evolution.

1. A Share in Death (1993) – The debut novel that introduces Scotland Yard Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and Detective Sergeant Gemma James. Duncan's holiday at a Yorkshire time-share is interrupted by a suspicious death, prompting him to call in Gemma for assistance.
2. All Shall Be Well (1994) – Duncan investigates the death of his neighbor, Jasmine Dent, who was suffering from terminal cancer. While it initially looks like assisted suicide, Duncan suspects foul play.
3. Leave the Grave Green (1996) – The discovery of a body in a Thames lock in Henley-on-Thames leads Duncan and Gemma into the lives of a prominent artistic family harboring dark secrets.
4. Mourn Not Your Dead (1996) – When a high-ranking police officer is murdered in a small village in Surrey, Duncan is sent to lead the investigation, facing local hostility and hidden conspiracies.
5. Dreaming of the Bones (1997) – Widely considered a masterpiece of the series, this installment takes the duo to Cambridge. Duncan is asked by his ex-wife, feminist academic Victoria McClellan, to investigate the decade-old death of a young poet, which soon leads to fresh tragedy.
6. Kissed a Sad Goodbye (1999) – The murder of a successful young businesswoman in London's East End forces Duncan and Gemma to delve into the history of wartime evacuations and long-held family grudges.
7. A Finer End (2001) – Gemma takes center stage in this mystery set in Glastonbury, Somerset, where Duncan's cousin Jack, a history professor, becomes entangled in a dangerous plot involving medieval manuscripts.
8. And Justice There Is None (2002) – Now working in different divisions, Gemma investigates the murder of a wealthy antiques dealer in Notting Hill, while Duncan investigates a separate murder in East London that begins to overlap with Gemma's case.
9. Now May You Weep (2003) – Gemma travels to the Scottish Highlands for a weekend cooking retreat, only for her friend to become the prime suspect when a local landlord is murdered. Duncan rushes to Scotland to help.
10. In a Dark House (2004) – A fire in an abandoned London warehouse reveals the body of an unidentified woman, drawing Duncan and Gemma into a disturbing web of human trafficking and modern slavery.
11. Water Like a Stone (2007) – Duncan takes Gemma and the children to Cheshire to visit his family for Christmas, but the holiday is upended when a body is discovered in a canal boat and a local teenager goes missing.
12. Where Memories Lie (2008) – Gemma is asked to assist an elderly friend in recovering a stolen family heirloom, leading to a cold case connected to Nazi-occupied Europe and a modern-day murder.
13. Necessary as Blood (2009) – Set in London's historic East End, this case involves the disappearance of a young mother and the subsequent murder of her husband, forcing Duncan and Gemma to navigate the complex world of the local art market.
14. Nocturne (2010) – A short transitional novella that acts as a direct prelude to the fourteenth novel. It focuses on the changing roles of Duncan and Gemma as they prepare for a new chapter in their professional lives.
15. No Mark Upon Her (2011) – The murder of an Olympic rowing hopeful, who was also a Met officer, drags Duncan and Gemma into the competitive and politically charged world of rowing on the River Thames.
16. The Sound of Broken Glass (2013) – Gemma investigates the murder of a prominent barrister in a Crystal Palace hotel, while Duncan deals with domestic challenges and tries to assist from the sidelines.
17. To Dwell in Darkness (2014) – Duncan is assigned to a new station in Holborn, where his first case involves a fatal bomb explosion at a historic London railway station during a protest.
18. Garden of Lamentations (2017) – Duncan secretly investigates corruption within the Met police department, while Gemma looks into the murder of a young woman found in a private London garden square.
19. A Bitter Feast (2019) – A weekend getaway to the Cotswolds turns deadly when a local car crash leads to a series of poisonings at a high-end restaurant, involving Duncan and Gemma in a complex rural mystery.
20. A Killing of Innocents (2023) – Duncan and Gemma investigate the seemingly random stabbing of a young medical student in London's Russell Square, racing against time to prevent further panic.

Upcoming Installment

• A Long Cold Sleep (expected 2027) – The highly anticipated twenty-first book in the Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James series.

Special Publications & Collaborative Anthologies

Aside from her main novels, Deborah Crombie has participated in unique collaborative projects that fans of her writing might enjoy exploring.

• The Sunken Sailor (2004) – This is a collaborative "round-robin" mystery novel written by fourteen different authors for Malice Domestic. Each author wrote a single chapter, passing the story along to the next. Crombie contributed to this classic English village house-party whodunit alongside authors like Simon Brett and Carolyn Hart.
• Echoes of Sherlock Holmes (2016) – A themed anthology of short stories inspired by the Sherlock Holmes canon, edited by Laurie R. King and Leslie S. Klinger. Crombie contributed the short story "The Case of the Speckled Trout", which features Sherlock Holmes's goddaughter investigating a mystery at a remote hunting lodge.

Chronological Order vs. Publication Order Caveats

Unlike some mystery franchises that jump back and forth in time with prequels, the Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James series moves forward in a linear, chronological fashion that matches its publication order. The only minor exception is the short story "Nocturne", which is numbered as Book 13.5 (or Book 14 in some database collections). It is best read between Necessary as Blood (Book 13) and No Mark Upon Her (Book 15 in standard chronological lists, though labeled Book 15 here to match the database). Skipping the short story will not ruin the main plot, but it provides a nice bridge between the two novels.

Where to Start Reading Deborah Crombie

The definitive starting point is the first novel, A Share in Death. Because the domestic lives, careers, relationships, and children of Duncan and Gemma grow and change dynamically from book to book, jumping into the middle of the series can leave you feeling lost regarding their personal backstories. However, if you prefer to start with one of Crombie's most acclaimed works, Dreaming of the Bones (Book 5) is widely praised as a high point of the series and offers a fantastic showcase of her blend of historical mystery and police procedural before you commit to the entire run.

What to Know Before You Start

One of the most fascinating aspects of Deborah Crombie's work is that she is a native Texan who lives in North Texas, yet she writes exceptionally authentic British police procedurals. Her deep familiarity with England stems from years of living there, coupled with regular research trips to ensure the geographical details, local slang, and police hierarchy are spot-on. Her novels are heavily character-driven, featuring a warm, domestic atmosphere that balances the dark, gritty nature of the crimes they investigate. If you enjoy authors like Louise Penny, P.D. James, or Elizabeth George, you will find a similar blend of atmospheric settings and deep emotional resonance here.