John Madden is a detective defined by his ghosts. Having survived the horrors of the First World War, he returns to England a changed man—somber, reflective, and possessing an uncanny ability to understand the darker impulses of the human mind. He is not a flashy investigator; his methods are quiet, thorough, and deeply intuitive.
Unlike the “Golden Age” detectives of the same era who view murder as a puzzle, Madden sees it as a tragedy. He carries the weight of every case, driven by a need to restore some semblance of order to a world shattered by violence. His journey is one of finding peace, first through his work, and later through his life on the farm with his family.
Reading Order
See the complete John Madden reading order for all books in the series.