The Recurring Cast
Character guide · 24 books · 2015 to 2026 · Set in Newcastle upon Tyne

L.J. Ross

Crime and mysteryPolice procedural

Detective Chief Inspector Maxwell Ryan solves murders across Northumberland’s castles, islands and moors with his loyal friend Frank Phillips and Denise MacKenzie. He meets historian Anna Taylor on Holy Island and later marries her.

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. Ross’s other series are left out.

Vote for L.J. Ross as a favourite author, and for books and characters below. See the favourites

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Who appears in which book

Click a name to follow that character from book to book, or a book title to see its cast.

LLeadMMajor·MinorHas a note
The chart needs JavaScript. The reading order and character list below work without it.

L.J. Ross 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.

DCI Ryan

24 books · Set in Newcastle upon TynePolice procedural
  1. 1Holy Island2015With Maxwell RyanBuy on Amazon
  2. 2Sycamore Gap2015With Maxwell RyanBuy on Amazon
  3. 3Heavenfield2016With Maxwell RyanBuy on Amazon
  4. 4Angel2016With Maxwell RyanBuy on Amazon
  5. 5High Force2017With Maxwell RyanBuy on Amazon
  6. 6Cragside2017With Maxwell RyanBuy on Amazon
  7. 7Dark Skies2017With Maxwell RyanBuy on Amazon
  8. 8Seven Bridges2018With Maxwell RyanBuy on Amazon
  9. 9The Hermitage2018With Maxwell RyanBuy on Amazon
  10. 10Longstone2018With Maxwell RyanBuy on Amazon
  11. 11The Infirmary2019With Maxwell RyanBuy on Amazon
  12. 12The Moor2019With Maxwell RyanBuy on Amazon
  13. 13Penshaw2019With Maxwell RyanBuy on Amazon
  14. 14Borderlands2019With Maxwell RyanBuy on Amazon
  15. 15Ryan’s Christmas2019With Maxwell RyanBuy on Amazon
  16. 16The Shrine2020With Maxwell RyanBuy on Amazon
  17. 17Cuthbert’s Way2020With Maxwell RyanBuy on Amazon
  18. 18The Rock2021With Maxwell RyanBuy on Amazon
  19. 19Bamburgh2022With Maxwell RyanBuy on Amazon
  20. 20Lady’s Well2023With Maxwell RyanBuy on Amazon
  21. 21Death Rocks2024With Maxwell RyanBuy on Amazon
  22. 22Poison Garden2024With Maxwell RyanBuy on Amazon
  23. 23Belsay2025With Maxwell RyanBuy on Amazon
  24. 24Berwick2026With Maxwell RyanBuy on Amazon

Characters

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

Northumbria CID