Picture a Welsh storyteller spinning gripping tales of murder and mystery in the misty valleys of South Wales—meet Victoria Jenkins! This rising star of crime fiction burst onto the scene with her Detective King and Lane series, starting with the 2017 bestseller The Girls In The Water. With a knack for crafting complex characters and twisty plots, Jenkins balances her life as an English teacher by day and a master of suspense by night, captivating readers worldwide.
From her home in Caerphilly, Wales, Jenkins weaves stories that pulse with the gritty realism of her homeland. Her dynamic duo, Detective Inspector Alex King and Detective Constable Chloe Lane, tackle chilling cases that keep you guessing until the final page. Let’s dive into the life and works of this Welsh wordsmith who’s redefining contemporary crime fiction!
The Making of Victoria Jenkins
Born and raised in South Wales, Victoria Jenkins was a storyteller from a young age. At just ten, she co-wrote a whimsical tale, The Giraffe Who Sneezed, with her father, clinching a school writing competition and sparking a lifelong passion for narrative. Jenkins later earned an MA in Creative and Media Writing from the University of Wales, Swansea, honing her craft. By day, she teaches English, but her nights and weekends are devoted to crafting intricate mysteries. Her Welsh roots deeply influence her work, infusing her novels with vivid settings and a distinct Celtic cadence.
Jenkins’s journey to crime fiction wasn’t a straight path. A lover of Scrabble, marathon running, and cake decorating, she channels her diverse interests into richly layered stories. Her early love for storytelling, combined with a keen eye for human psychology, set the stage for her gripping debut and the series that would cement her reputation.
Victoria Jenkins’s Unforgettable Stories
Jenkins’s Detective King and Lane series is the heart of her literary legacy. Her debut, The Girls In The Water (2017), introduces DI Alex King, a seasoned investigator with a troubled past, and DC Chloe Lane, a brilliant but haunted young detective. The novel, a top 30 UK Kindle bestseller, follows the duo as they unravel a chilling murder in Cardiff’s icy waters. Readers praised its fast-paced plot and deep character development, with one calling it “a thrilling roller coaster” of suspense.
The series continues with The First One to Die (2017), where a young woman’s death reveals dark secrets among her friends, and Nobody’s Child (2018), tackling arson and vulnerable victims. The fourth installment, A Promise to the Dead (2019), weaves a decades-old mystery into a modern murder case. Beyond the series, Jenkins has penned standalone psychological thrillers like Happily Married (2023) and The Mother’s Phone Call (2025), showcasing her versatility. Her style blends police procedural precision with psychological depth, set against the evocative backdrop of Wales.
Jenkins’s short, snappy chapters and knack for unreliable narrators keep readers hooked. Her themes often explore grief, betrayal, and the complexities of human relationships, making her stories resonate emotionally while delivering heart-pounding suspense. Fans of Angela Marsons and Patricia Gibney find Jenkins’s work a perfect match for their love of gritty, female-led crime dramas.
Why Victoria Jenkins Matters
Victoria Jenkins has carved a niche in crime fiction by blending Welsh authenticity with universal themes of justice and redemption. Her portrayal of strong, flawed female detectives like Alex King and Chloe Lane challenges genre stereotypes, offering readers relatable yet heroic figures. The vivid Cardiff settings in her novels spotlight Welsh culture, contributing to the growing wave of Welsh crime fiction alongside authors like Clare Mackintosh.
With a dedicated fanbase and critical acclaim, Jenkins’s work inspires new voices in the genre. Her ability to balance teaching, family life, and prolific writing makes her a role model for aspiring authors. As she continues to explore new stories, Jenkins is poised to leave a lasting mark on crime fiction, one twisty plot at a time.
- Residence: Caerphilly, South Wales, with her husband and two daughters
- Key Works: The Girls In The Water (2017), The First One to Die (2017), Nobody’s Child (2018), A Promise to the Dead (2019)
- Education: MA in Creative and Media Writing, University of Wales, Swansea
Ready to get lost in a Welsh mystery? Snag The Girls In The Water and dive into Victoria Jenkins’s thrilling world of crime and suspense!