Where to Start Reading Doug Johnstone
Doug Johnstone's work spans two major series, a science fiction trilogy, and a large catalog of standalone psychological thrillers. How you begin depends on what kind of story you are looking for:
- For Crime and Dark Comedy Fans: Start with A Dark Matter. This introduces his acclaimed Skelfs series, which centers on three generations of women running a funeral home and private detective agency in Edinburgh. It is his most popular series and the best introduction to his blend of sharp humor, family dynamics, and crime solving.
- For Science Fiction and First Contact Enthusiasts: Start with The Space Between Us. This is the first book in his speculative fiction trilogy, bringing his signature human-centric storytelling into a sci-fi setting.
- For Fast-Paced Psychological Thrillers: Try Breakers, a standalone novel focusing on a young boy trapped in a family of burglars, showcasing Johnstone's talent for gritty, compassionate social noir.
The Skelfs Series in Order
The Skelfs series is highly continuous, with characters aging, relationships developing, and recurring subplots carrying over from book to book. For the best experience, you should read these in publication order:
- A Dark Matter (2019) – The family patriarch dies, leaving three generations of Skelf women to take over the family business.
- The Big Chill (2020) – The women deal with a series of strange deaths and threats closer to home.
- The Great Silence (2021) – Explores grief, space, and a series of dark crimes across Edinburgh.
- Black Hearts (2022) – The team takes on a pair of difficult cases involving missing persons and online harassment.
- The Opposite of Lonely (2023) – A body is found on a beach, pulling the family into a complex web of secrets.
- Living Is a Problem (2024) – The family navigates personal crises while solving high-stakes puzzles.
- Ghost Notes (Scheduled for August 2026) – The highly anticipated seventh installment in the series.
The Enceladons Trilogy in Order
A departure from his crime-thriller roots, this speculative fiction trilogy explores first contact with an alien intelligence, focusing on its impact on everyday people. Because it follows a single overarching narrative, it must be read in order:
- The Space Between Us (2023) – Three strangers in Scotland form a connection after witnessing a mysterious creature crash-land.
- The Collapsing Wave (2024) – The story continues as humanity tries to adapt to the alien presence while forces conspire to control it.
- The Transcendent Tide (2025) – The final, climactic volume of the trilogy.
Doug Johnstone's Standalone Novels
Before launching his series, Johnstone built a reputation as a master of standalone thrillers. These novels are completely self-contained, meaning you can read them in any order you choose. They are listed below in order of publication:
- Tombstoning (2006) – His debut novel set in his hometown of Arbroath, dealing with unresolved grief and a cliff-diving tragedy.
- The Ossians (2008) – A dark road-trip novel tracking a band on tour across Scotland.
- Smokeheads (2011) – A whisky-tasting weekend on Islay goes horribly wrong.
- Hit & Run (2012) – A tense, psychological look at a hit-and-run accident in Edinburgh and its fallout.
- Gone Again (2013) – A father searches for his missing wife and son after a sudden disappearance.
- The Dead Beat (2014) – Follows a trainee journalist working the obituary desk who gets caught in a mystery.
- The Jump (2015) – A mother tries to save a teenager from jumping off the Forth Road Bridge, leading to unexpected secrets.
- Crash Land (2016) – A survivor of a plane crash in Orkney finds himself entangled with a dangerous woman.
- Fault Lines (2018) – A volcano-themed thriller set in a geologically active Edinburgh.
- Breakers (2019) – A raw look at Edinburgh's criminal underbelly through the eyes of a vulnerable youth.