The Recurring Cast
Character guide · 24 books · 1978 to 2025

Ken Follett

Thriller and suspenseHistorical fictionSpy and espionageMedieval and TudorWartime and twentieth centuryFamily saga

Ken Follett's Kingsbridge novels follow a fictional English cathedral town from the Dark Ages to the Industrial Revolution, and the Century trilogy follows five families through the twentieth century. He began with Second World War spy thrillers such as Eye of the Needle.

Best estimate, compiled from series guides, publisher descriptions and reviews where available, and from memory otherwise. Book level only, not chapter level. Minor includes cameos and brief references. Each book carries a confidence rating in its tooltip.

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Who appears in which book

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LLeadMMajor·MinorHas a note
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Ken Follett books in order

Each series in publication order, with its lead characters. Where the story runs in a different order, switch to Story order. Crossover books are marked and listed under their main series. Use My books to track what you have read.

Kingsbridge

5 books · Set in the fictional Kingsbridge, England · story order differsMedieval and TudorFamily saga
  1. 1The Pillars of the Earth1989With Tom Builder and Prior PhilipBuy on Amazon
  2. 2World Without End2007With Merthin and CarisBuy on Amazon
  3. 3A Column of Fire2017With Ned WillardBuy on Amazon
  4. 4The Evening and the Morning2020With Edgar and RagnaBuy on Amazon
  5. 5The Armour of Light2023With Sal ClitheroeBuy on Amazon

Century

3 books · Set around the worldWartime and twentieth centuryFamily saga
  1. 1Fall of Giants2010With Ethel Williams and Billy WilliamsBuy on Amazon
  2. 2Winter of the World2012With Lloyd Williams and Carla von UlrichBuy on Amazon
  3. 3Edge of Eternity2014With Rebecca Hoffmann and George JakesBuy on Amazon

Standalone

16 booksSpy and espionageWartime and twentieth century
  1. 1Eye of the Needle1978With Faber and Lucy Rose · Set in LondonBuy on Amazon
  2. 2Triple1979Set in various placesBuy on Amazon
  3. 3The Key to Rebecca1980Set in CairoBuy on Amazon
  4. 4The Man from St Petersburg1982Set in LondonBuy on Amazon
  5. 5Lie Down with Lions1986Set in AfghanistanBuy on Amazon
  6. 6Night Over Water1991Set at seaBuy on Amazon
  7. 7A Dangerous Fortune1993Set in LondonBuy on Amazon
  8. 8A Place Called Freedom1995Set in Scotland and VirginiaBuy on Amazon
  9. 9The Third Twin1996Set in BaltimoreBuy on Amazon
  10. 10The Hammer of Eden1998Set in CaliforniaBuy on Amazon
  11. 11Code to Zero2000Set in FloridaBuy on Amazon
  12. 12Jackdaws2001With Felicity "Flick" Clairet · Set in Northern FranceBuy on Amazon
  13. 13Hornet Flight2002Set in DenmarkBuy on Amazon
  14. 14Whiteout2004Set in the Scottish HighlandsBuy on Amazon
  15. 15Never2021Set in various placesBuy on Amazon
  16. 16Circle of Days2025Set in Salisbury PlainBuy on Amazon

Characters

25 recurring and key characters, with the book each one first appears in.

Kingsbridge

Century

Standalone leads