A ruined priory, a windswept coastline, and a quiet village where secrets linger – these are the settings in LJ Ross’ DCI Ryan mysteries. They might make you want to visit Northumberland, but it’s best to leave the murder investigations to the detectives.
Detective Chief Inspector Ryan first appeared in Holy Island in 2015. Since then, the series has blended crime, friendship, romance, and a vivid sense of place. While Ryan faces dangerous killers, a team of memorable characters keeps readers returning.
Table of Contents
Who is Detective Chief Inspector Ryan?
Maxwell Finley-Ryan, known as Ryan, is a detective with confidence and sharp instincts, but he also carries personal baggage. When readers first meet him, he is on enforced leave, trying to recover from the pressures of his job.
He is intelligent, determined, and fiercely protective of those close to him. Still, even though he understands dangerous criminals, he is not immune to the harm they cause.
Ryan works with several recurring characters. Frank Phillips is loyal and brings humor, Denise MacKenzie offers resilience and experience, and historian Dr Anna Taylor is central to Ryan’s life. His relationships with them add warmth to the darker investigations.
Should you read the DCI Ryan series in order?
If you’re new to the DCI Ryan series, it’s best to read the books in publication order. Each book has its own case, but relationships, personal losses, and recurring enemies develop over several books.
If you start in the middle, you might come across spoilers from earlier storylines. The first few novels are closely connected, so it’s best to begin with Holy Island and read through the series in order.
There is one prequel in the series, The Infirmary. Even though its events happen before Holy Island, it’s better to wait until you’ve read at least the first five books. You can read it as book six or follow the publication order and read it as book eleven.
DCI Ryan books in order
There are 25 DCI Ryan books in total, including a new one set to be released in 2028.
Holy Island (2014)
Ryan goes to Lindisfarne hoping for some peace, but just before Christmas, a young woman is found dead among the priory’s ancient ruins. Dr Anna Taylor returns as a police consultant, bringing her knowledge of the island’s history and her own difficult memories. Together, they investigate a community that keeps its secrets well hidden.
Sycamore Gap (2015)
A skeleton found inside Hadrian’s Wall during the summer solstice brings a ten-year-old mystery back to light. The young woman had been missing for a decade, and Ryan must find out who she was and what happened. At the same time, links to his own past make the case more difficult.
Heavenfield (2016)
When a man is found dead at a remote church, Ryan is nearby and there are no other clear suspects. He is already suspended and now risks losing more than just his job. As more deaths connected to the mysterious Circle occur, clearing his name becomes urgent.
Angel (2016)
DCI Ryan hopes for a quiet Easter, but those plans end when a woman is found in a Newcastle cemetery. Her killer arranged her body with wings, making a disturbing angel-like scene. More discoveries point to a serial killer, and the detectives have little time to find who is responsible.
High Force (2017)
The Hacker, a serial killer tied to Ryan’s past, escapes from prison and kidnaps one of Ryan’s colleagues. Ryan joins the search, fully aware of the danger. With a friend’s life on the line, his professional duty and personal fears collide.
Cragside (2017)
A Victorian murder mystery party at Cragside turns real when the lights go out, and an elderly man dies. At first, it seems like an accident, but DCI Ryan’s investigation raises doubts. When a second death occurs, it’s clear someone in the community has a deadly secret.
Dark Skies (2017)
Three friends went camping, but only two came back. Thirty years later, a teenage boy’s body is found in Kielder Water, bringing old questions back to the surface. Ryan must solve a long-hidden crime while also facing a new superintendent who threatens his place in Northumbria CID.
Seven Bridges (2018)
Ryan plans to go after a killer who escaped justice, but trouble in Newcastle changes his focus. An explosion on the Tyne Bridge brings a new and urgent threat. Ryan’s team must stop an attacker whose plans put the city’s bridges and its people at risk.
The Hermitage (2018)
An elderly man is found dead in the historic hermitage at Warkworth Castle, giving Northumbria CID a difficult case. At the same time, Ryan is abroad, chasing a dangerous suspect who is shielded by fame, wealth, and influence.
Longstone (2018)
Anna joins an exciting archaeological project after Viking treasure is found under the North Sea. When a shipwreck diver is found dead, things take a darker turn. DCI Ryan goes to Seahouses, where the investigation reveals fierce rivalries and hidden secrets around the discovery.
The Infirmary (2019)
Set in summer 2014, this prequel follows DCI Ryan as he hunts The Hacker before the events of Holy Island. When the lead detective dies, Ryan takes over the case, but he is still an outsider and must learn to trust his team.
The Moor (2019)
A ten-year-old girl comes to Ryan, saying she saw a murder. Her story leads him into the world of a visiting circus, where performers are wary of outsiders. As an old secret comes to light, protecting the young witness is just as important as finding the killer.
Penshaw (2019)
An elderly man is burned alive in a former mining village, giving Ryan a brutal case to solve. Under the community’s daily routines are bitter memories and old betrayals. With many people holding grudges, the detectives need to understand the past to solve the present crime.
Borderlands (2019)
A woman is shot dead on a remote army range in Northumberland National Park, ending Ryan’s hopes for a quiet summer. Meanwhile, violent incidents at historic sites all share a mysterious symbol. The team must figure out what links these crimes and if understanding the symbol can stop more deaths.
Ryan’s Christmas (2019)
A snowstorm forces Ryan and his team to take shelter in a remote castle during a candlelit ghost hunt. Their unexpected stop turns into work when a guest is murdered. The detectives must sort out real motives from the castle’s spooky atmosphere.
The Shrine (2020)
When a police colleague is shot, Ryan is drawn into an investigation clouded by suspicions of corruption. An explosion at Durham Cathedral adds chaos, and a valuable artefact linked to Saint Cuthbert goes missing. The detectives must find both the killer and the missing treasure, all while questioning who they can trust.
Cuthbert’s Way (2020)
The fallout from the cathedral theft continues. DCI Ryan realizes the artefact’s story isn’t over yet. As the case becomes personal, he follows historical clues through the borderlands, hoping an old secret will provide answers.
The Rock (2021)
A wrecked fishing boat and a young woman’s body near Marsden Rock send Ryan on a desperate search for missing people. Some from the boat may still be in danger. The investigation uncovers exploitation beneath Tyneside life as the detectives try to save lives and find those responsible.
Bamburgh (2022)
Anna finds an elderly woman’s body in Bamburgh, and at first, Ryan sees nothing unusual. But when another body turns up in the sand dunes, things change. Alongside the coastal mystery, DC Melanie Yates searches for answers about her sister, raising questions about when determination crosses into obsession.
Lady’s Well (2023)
Red water at Lady’s Well in Holystone first seems like a Halloween prank, but when poisoning spreads and an elderly man dies, it’s clear something more serious is going on. As suspicion grows in the village, Ryan must investigate a community divided by old grudges and beliefs, where nearly everyone has someone to accuse.
Death Rocks (2024)
A photographer’s body is found below Dunstanburgh Castle, but finding a clear motive is tough. Another death near Hadrian’s Wall adds more confusion, especially with a suspect who seems to have a solid alibi. DCI Ryan and his team must connect cases that don’t fit any clear pattern.
Poison Garden (2024)
While Ryan deals with a threat from the last book, his colleagues look into a suspicious death in Alnwick. When a second person shows the same symptoms, finding the poison becomes urgent. The town’s famous Poison Garden might be a clue, but the danger goes beyond just one case.
Belsay (2025)
Ryan’s team hopes to relax at a Christmas celebration at Belsay Hall after a tough year. But when a body turns up during dinner, their evening becomes another investigation. Behind the estate’s grand setting are secrets that need more attention than the holiday meal.
Berwick (2026)
DCI Ryan’s personal and professional worlds clash when Anna is arrested for the murder of a famous author. He believes she’s innocent, but the evidence puts him in a difficult position. This time, the main suspect is someone he thought he knew well.
Raby (2028)
Two poachers find a young woman’s body on the Raby estate but hesitate to report it because it would reveal their own actions. Eventually, an anonymous tip reaches Ryan. As bad weather threatens the evidence, the investigation leads to a disused mine.
Who is LJ Ross?
LJ Ross is the pen name of Louise Ross, a British author born in Northumberland. Before becoming an author, she studied law at King’s College London, and then continued her studies overseas before working as a lawyer in London.
Her debut novel, Holy Island, was published in 2015, and its success has launched LJ Ross’s writing career, built around mysteries, memorable characters, and landscapes she knows well.
Beyond the DCI Ryan series, Ross has written the Alexander Gregory thrillers and the Summer Suspense mysteries; however, Ryan’s investigations remain a natural starting point for readers discovering LJ Ross for the first time.
Frequently asked questions
How many DCI Ryan books are there?
As of October 2026, there are 24 books in the main DCI Ryan series, including the prequel The Infirmary. The next book, Raby, is expected in 2028. There’s also a separate Met Years series that covers another part of DCI Ryan’s career.
What is the first DCI Ryan book?
Holy Island is the first book published and is the best place to start. It introduces Ryan, Anna, and the Northumberland setting, and sets up storylines that continue in later books.
Should I read The Infirmary first?
Even though The Infirmary takes place earlier, it’s best to wait until you’ve read at least the first five books. Reading the earlier novels first will give you greater context for the background story.
Can the DCI Ryan mysteries be read as standalones?
Some cases are easier to follow on their own, but reading the series in order gives you a fuller experience. Ongoing enemies, growing relationships, and consequences from earlier cases mean that skipping ahead could spoil the story.