Detectives Donovan & Young books in order

The Detectives Donovan & Young series by Cath Staincliffe is a crime fiction duology set in the rural fells of northern England, starting with The Fells in 2024.

Reading order

# Title Published Author Buy on Amazon
1 The Fells 2024 Cath Staincliffe Buy
2 Fire on the Fells 2025 Cath Staincliffe Buy

Detectives Donovan and Young investigate crimes in the remote fell country of northern England. Cath Staincliffe launched this series with The Fells in 2024, followed by Fire on the Fells in 2025. The rural setting marks a departure from the urban Manchester backdrop of her earlier police procedurals, and the isolation of the landscape adds its own complications to the detective work.

The books pair two detectives with contrasting styles and backgrounds as they work cases in a part of England where communities are small and everyone knows everyone else. Staincliffe uses the harsh, open terrain to create atmosphere and to shape the kinds of crimes that occur. It is a newer series, and readers familiar with her Scott & Bailey or Janine Lewis novels will find the same attention to character and procedure, now transplanted to a very different part of the country.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books are in the Detectives Donovan & Young series?

There are two books in the Detectives Donovan & Young series, published between 2024 and 2025.

What is the first book in the Detectives Donovan & Young series?

The first book in the Detectives Donovan & Young series is The Fells, published in 2024.

Where is the Detectives Donovan & Young series set?

The series is set in the fells of northern England, a rural and remote landscape quite different from the Manchester settings of Staincliffe’s earlier work. The isolated terrain plays a significant role in the investigations and atmosphere of the books.

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