The Recurring Cast
Character guide · 33 books · 1987 to 2025 · Often set in the fictional Bradfield, England

Val McDermid

Crime and mysteryThriller and suspensePolice proceduralPrivate eyeAmateur sleuthPsychological suspense

Profiler Tony Hill and detective Carol Jordan hunt serial killers in the north of England, while Karen Pirie works Scotland’s cold cases. McDermid began with journalist Lindsay Gordon and Manchester investigator Kate Brannigan, and her newest series follows journalist Allie Burns.

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. Standalone novels are left out.

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Who appears in which book

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LLeadMMajor·MinorHas a note
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Val McDermid 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.

Tony Hill and Carol Jordan

11 books · Set in the fictional Bradfield, EnglandPsychological suspensePolice procedural
  1. 1The Mermaids Singing1995With Tony Hill and Carol JordanBuy on Amazon
  2. 2The Wire in the Blood1997With Tony Hill and Carol JordanBuy on Amazon
  3. 3The Last Temptation2002With Tony Hill and Carol JordanBuy on Amazon
  4. 4The Torment of Others2004With Tony Hill and Carol JordanBuy on Amazon
  5. 5Beneath the Bleeding2007With Tony Hill and Carol JordanBuy on Amazon
  6. 6Fever of the Bone2009With Tony Hill and Carol JordanBuy on Amazon
  7. 7The Retribution2011With Tony Hill and Carol JordanBuy on Amazon
  8. 8Cross and Burn2013With Tony Hill and Carol JordanBuy on Amazon
  9. 9Splinter the Silence2015With Tony Hill and Carol JordanBuy on Amazon
  10. 10Insidious Intent2017With Tony Hill and Carol JordanBuy on Amazon
  11. 11How the Dead Speak2019With Tony Hill and Carol JordanBuy on Amazon

Karen Pirie

8 books · Set in EdinburghPolice procedural
  1. 1The Distant Echo2003Buy on Amazon
  2. 2A Darker Domain2008With Karen PirieBuy on Amazon
  3. 3The Skeleton Road2014With Karen PirieBuy on Amazon
  4. 4Out of Bounds2016With Karen PirieBuy on Amazon
  5. 5Broken Ground2018With Karen PirieBuy on Amazon
  6. 6Still Life2020With Karen PirieBuy on Amazon
  7. 7Past Lying2023With Karen PirieBuy on Amazon
  8. 8Silent Bones2025With Karen PirieBuy on Amazon

Lindsay Gordon

6 books · Set in GlasgowAmateur sleuth
  1. 1Report for Murder1987With Lindsay GordonBuy on Amazon
  2. 2Common Murder1989With Lindsay GordonBuy on Amazon
  3. 3Final Edition1991With Lindsay GordonBuy on Amazon
  4. 4Union Jack1993With Lindsay GordonBuy on Amazon
  5. 5Booked for Murder1996With Lindsay GordonBuy on Amazon
  6. 6Hostage to Murder2003With Lindsay GordonBuy on Amazon

Kate Brannigan

6 books · Set in ManchesterPrivate eye
  1. 1Dead Beat1992With Kate BranniganBuy on Amazon
  2. 2Kick Back1993With Kate BranniganBuy on Amazon
  3. 3Crack Down1994With Kate BranniganBuy on Amazon
  4. 4Clean Break1995With Kate BranniganBuy on Amazon
  5. 5Blue Genes1996With Kate BranniganBuy on Amazon
  6. 6Star Struck1998With Kate BranniganBuy on Amazon

Allie Burns

2 books · Set in GlasgowAmateur sleuth
  1. 119792021With Allie BurnsBuy on Amazon
  2. 219892022With Allie BurnsBuy on Amazon

Characters

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

Tony Hill and Carol Jordan

Karen Pirie

Lindsay Gordon and Kate Brannigan

Allie Burns