Reading order · 19 books · 1993 to 2023 · Set in London
Kincaid and James Books in Order
Detective Superintendent Duncan Kincaid of Scotland Yard and Sergeant Gemma James begin as colleagues, become partners, and later marry and raise a blended family in Notting Hill. Their cases range from London to Yorkshire, the Cotswolds and Scotland.
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Series facts
- Books
- 19
- Published
- 1993 to 2023
- First book
- A Share in Death
- Latest
- A Killing of Innocents (2023)
- Setting
- Set in London
The reading order
Every Kincaid and James book in publication order. Choose a title for its cast and summary.
19 books · Set in London
- 1A Share in Death1993With Duncan KincaidDuncan Kincaid is on holiday at a timeshare in Yorkshire when a member of staff is found dead in the whirlpool bath, and he finds himself investigating among his fellow guests.Buy on Amazon
- 2All Shall Be Well1994With Duncan Kincaid and Gemma JamesDuncan Kincaid’s neighbour, a woman who was terminally ill, is found dead in her flat, and he is not convinced she took her own life.Buy on Amazon
- 3Leave the Grave Green1995With Duncan Kincaid and Gemma JamesThe son-in-law of a famous opera singer and conductor is found drowned in a lock on the Thames, and Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James find the family has a long history of tragedy.Buy on Amazon
- 4Mourn Not Your Dead1996With Duncan Kincaid and Gemma JamesA senior police commander is found murdered in his Surrey home, and Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James investigate a man few people liked.Buy on Amazon
- 5Dreaming of the Bones1997With Duncan Kincaid and Gemma JamesDuncan Kincaid’s ex-wife asks for his help: she believes a poet who died years ago in Cambridge was murdered.Buy on Amazon
- 6Kissed a Sad Goodbye1999With Duncan Kincaid and Gemma JamesA woman’s body is found in a park on the Isle of Dogs, and the case reaches back to the Second World War and the children evacuated from London.Buy on Amazon
- 7A Finer End2001With Duncan Kincaid and Gemma JamesIn Glastonbury, a man begins writing messages in the hand of a medieval monk, and Duncan Kincaid’s cousin asks for his help as the messages become dangerous.Buy on Amazon
- 8And Justice There Is None2002With Duncan Kincaid and Gemma JamesA young woman is murdered in Notting Hill, and Gemma James, now pregnant, leads her first major case, which draws her into the antiques trade of the Portobello Road.Buy on Amazon
- 9Now May You Weep2003With Duncan Kincaid and Gemma JamesGemma James joins her friend Hazel on a holiday in the Scottish Highlands, where a murder is linked to a whisky distillery and Hazel’s family past.Buy on Amazon
- 10In a Dark House2004With Duncan Kincaid and Gemma JamesA fire in a warehouse in Southwark leaves a woman’s body, and other women are missing in the area, including one from a shelter.Buy on Amazon
- 11Water Like a Stone2007With Duncan Kincaid and Gemma JamesDuncan Kincaid and Gemma James spend Christmas with Duncan’s family in Cheshire, where the body of a baby is found in the wall of an old canal building.Buy on Amazon
- 12Where Memories Lie2008With Duncan Kincaid and Gemma JamesGemma James’s friend Erika Rosenthal, a German refugee, sees a brooch stolen from her decades ago up for auction, and the case leads to the past.Buy on Amazon
- 13Necessary as Blood2009With Duncan Kincaid and Gemma JamesA young mother disappears from Columbia Road market, and her husband is later found dead, leaving their daughter Charlotte alone.Buy on Amazon
- 14No Mark upon Her2012With Duncan Kincaid and Gemma JamesA police detective and Olympic-standard rower is found drowned on the Thames at Henley, and Duncan Kincaid is sent to investigate.Buy on Amazon
- 15The Sound of Broken Glass2013With Duncan Kincaid and Gemma JamesA barrister is found dead in a hotel in Crystal Palace, and Gemma James and her team investigate, with links to an old crime.Buy on Amazon
- 16To Dwell in Darkness2014With Duncan Kincaid and Gemma JamesA bomb goes off at St Pancras station in London during a protest, and Duncan Kincaid, newly transferred, investigates.Buy on Amazon
- 17Garden of Lamentations2017With Duncan Kincaid and Gemma JamesA young woman is found dead in a communal garden in Notting Hill, and at the same time Duncan Kincaid’s former boss is attacked.Buy on Amazon
- 18A Bitter Feast2019With Duncan Kincaid and Gemma JamesDuncan Kincaid and Gemma James are staying in the Cotswolds when a car crash kills a man, and a food festival at a country house brings more trouble.Buy on Amazon
- 19A Killing of Innocents2023With Duncan Kincaid and Gemma JamesA junior doctor is stabbed in Russell Square in London, and Gemma James and Duncan Kincaid follow the case to the hospital where she worked.Buy on Amazon
Do you need to read them in order?
Read the books in order, starting with A Share in Death. Duncan and Gemma’s relationship develops from book to book.
Who appears in which book
The series’ main characters, book by book. Lead means the book is told around them; minor covers cameos.
| Book | Duncan Kincaid | Gemma James | Toby | Kit Kincaid | Hazel Cavendish | Charlotte | Doug Cullen | Melody Talbot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 A Share in Death | LLead | MMajor | ·Minor | |||||
| 2 All Shall Be Well | LLead | LLead | ·Minor | |||||
| 3 Leave the Grave Green | LLead | LLead | ·Minor | |||||
| 4 Mourn Not Your Dead | LLead | LLead | ·Minor | |||||
| 5 Dreaming of the Bones | LLead | LLead | ·Minor | MMajor | ||||
| 6 Kissed a Sad Goodbye | LLead | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | ||||
| 7 A Finer End | LLead | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | ||||
| 8 And Justice There Is None | LLead | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | ||||
| 9 Now May You Weep | LLead | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | ||||
| 10 In a Dark House | LLead | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | |||
| 11 Water Like a Stone | LLead | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | |||
| 12 Where Memories Lie | LLead | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | |||
| 13 Necessary as Blood | LLead | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor |
| 14 No Mark upon Her | LLead | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor |
| 15 The Sound of Broken Glass | LLead | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor |
| 16 To Dwell in Darkness | LLead | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor |
| 17 Garden of Lamentations | LLead | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor |
| 18 A Bitter Feast | LLead | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor |
| 19 A Killing of Innocents | LLead | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor |
Characters in the Kincaid and James books
8 characters from Deborah Crombie’s chart, with the number of Kincaid and James books each appears in.
| Character | Books | First in this series |
|---|---|---|
| Duncan KincaidScotland Yard superintendent | 19 | A Share in Death 1993 |
| Gemma JamesDetective sergeant, later inspector, and Duncan’s wife | 19 | A Share in Death 1993 |
| TobyGemma’s son | 19 | A Share in Death 1993 |
| Kit KincaidDuncan’s son | 15 | Dreaming of the Bones 1997 |
| Hazel CavendishGemma’s friend | 10 | In a Dark House 2004 |
| CharlotteOrphan taken in by Duncan and Gemma | 7 | Necessary as Blood 2009 |
| Doug CullenDetective sergeant on Duncan’s team | 7 | Necessary as Blood 2009 |
| Melody TalbotDetective constable on Gemma’s team | 7 | Necessary as Blood 2009 |