Jim Kelly books

Jim Kelly is a British crime fiction author known for three mystery series set in the English Fenlands: the Philip Dryden, DI Peter Shaw, and Nighthawk series, with nineteen books published since 2002.

DI Peter Shaw & DS George Valentine Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
De dood ging in wit gekleed 2008 N/A
Death Wore White 2008 Buy
Death Watch 2010 Buy
Death Toll 2011 Buy
Death’s Door 2012 Buy
At Death’s Window 2015 Buy
Death on Demand 2015 Buy
Death Ship 2016 Buy

Nighthawk Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
The Great Darkness 2018 Buy
The Mathematical Bridge 2019 Buy
The Night Raids 2020 Buy
The Cambridge Siren 2025 Buy

Philip Dryden Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
The Water Clock 2002 Buy
The Fire Baby 2004 Buy
The Moon Tunnel 2005 Buy
The Coldest Blood 2006 Buy
The Skeleton Man 2007 Buy
Nightrise 2012 Buy
The Funeral Owl 2013 Buy

Jim Kelly writes atmospheric crime fiction set in the flat, waterlogged landscapes of eastern England. His three mystery series each take a different angle on the same region: the Philip Dryden books follow a journalist in the Cambridgeshire fens, the DI Peter Shaw and DS George Valentine series moves to the Norfolk coast, and the Nighthawk books go back to the same territory during the Second World War.

Kelly’s writing is known for its strong sense of place. The fens — with their wide skies, isolated farms, and hidden waterways — are as much a character as the detectives themselves. He has won the CWA Dagger in the Library and been shortlisted for the John Creasey Award.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books has Jim Kelly written?

Jim Kelly has written nineteen books across three series.

What was Jim Kelly's first book?

Jim Kelly’s first book is The Water Clock, published in 2002.

What are Jim Kelly's mystery series about?

Kelly writes three crime series all set in the English Fenlands. The Philip Dryden books follow a journalist investigating crimes in the Cambridgeshire fens, the DI Peter Shaw series follows a Norfolk detective, and the Nighthawk books are set during World War II.

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