Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prince’s Gate / The Embassy Murders | 2011 | Mark Ellis | Buy |
| 2 | Princes Gate | 2011 | Mark Ellis | N/A |
| 3 | Stalin’s Gold | 2014 | Mark Ellis | N/A |
| 4 | Stalin’s Gold / In the Shadow of the Blitz | 2014 | Mark Ellis | Buy |
| 5 | Merlin at War / The French Spy | 2017 | Mark Ellis | Buy |
| 6 | A Death In Mayfair | 2019 | Mark Ellis | N/A |
| 7 | A Death in Mayfair / Merlin Noir | 2019 | Mark Ellis | Buy |
| 8 | Dead In The Water | 2022 | Mark Ellis | Buy |
| 9 | Death of an Officer | 2025 | Mark Ellis | Buy |
The DCI Frank Merlin series by Mark Ellis is set in London during World War II, beginning in 1940 at the height of the Blitz. Detective Chief Inspector Frank Merlin, a seasoned officer at Scotland Yard, investigates murders and other crimes against the backdrop of wartime London — air raids, blackouts, rationing, and an influx of foreign spies and diplomats.
The series started with Princes Gate (2011), in which a body is found at the American Embassy. Stalin’s Gold (2014) involves a sunken ship and stolen Soviet treasure. Later entries, including Merlin at War and A Death in Mayfair, take Merlin deeper into cases connected to occupied Europe and wartime espionage. The books combine period atmosphere with traditional detective fiction plotting.