The Dales Detective books in order

The Dales Detective series follows ex-detective Samson O'Brien and dating agency owner Delilah Metcalfe as they investigate crimes in the fictional Yorkshire Dales town of Bruncliffe. The series mixes cozy mystery plotting with a gradually developing romance.

Reading order

# Title Published Author Buy on Amazon
1 Date with Death 2017 Julia Chapman Buy
2 Rendezvous mit Todesfolge: die Dales Detective Agentur : Kriminalroman 2017 Julia Chapman N/A
3 Date with Malice 2017 Julia Chapman Buy
4 Date with Mystery 2018 Julia Chapman Buy
5 Date with Poison 2019 Julia Chapman Buy
6 Date with Danger 2019 Julia Chapman Buy
7 Date with Deceit 2021 Julia Chapman Buy
8 Date with Betrayal 2022 Julia Chapman Buy
9 Date with Evil 2023 Julia Chapman Buy
10 Date with Justice 2024 Julia Chapman Buy
11 Date with Destiny 2025 Julia Chapman Buy

Set in the fictional town of Bruncliffe in the Yorkshire Dales, this series makes excellent use of its rural English setting. The tight-knit community, local rivalries, and familiar faces all feed into the mysteries, which range from missing persons to murder.

Samson and Delilah share office space in an unlikely professional arrangement, and their banter and history add texture to each book. Samson’s past as an undercover officer occasionally catches up with him, adding a harder edge to what is otherwise a warmly written series.

Start with Date with Death, the first book, which introduces both leads and the town. The books work best read in order, since character relationships and backstory carry through across the series.


Frequently Asked Questions

How many books are in the The Dales Detective series?

There are eleven books in the The Dales Detective series, published between 2017 and 2025.

What is the first book in the The Dales Detective series?

The first book in the The Dales Detective series is Date with Death, published in 2017.

Do Samson and Delilah get together in the series?

Their relationship develops slowly across the books, which is part of what keeps readers invested in the series beyond the individual mysteries.

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