Neil Lancaster Books in Order
Neil Lancaster has written 12 books, published between 2019 and 2026. The first book is Going Dark (2019) and the newest is The Dark Heart (2026). One more title is announced: A Safe Place to Die (2027). Publication order is the reading order below. 8 of the 13 books listed here are in the DS Max Craigie series, which has its own page: DS Max Craigie books in order.
- Books
- 12 + 1 announced
- Published
- 2019–2026
Neil Lancaster is catalogued with 13 books across three series: DS Max Craigie, Tom Novak and Josie Chapman. Going Dark (2019) opens the run, which continues through Dead Man's Grave (2021), The Blood Tide (2022), The Night Watch (2022), Blood Runs Cold (2023), No Mercy (2025) and When Shadows Fall (2025) to The Dark Heart (2026). A Safe Place to Die is scheduled for 2027.
Lancaster is a former Metropolitan Police detective. His novels are set in the UK, including the Scottish Highlands.
How many Neil Lancaster books are there?
Neil Lancaster has 12 published books, released between 2019 and 2026. They include 3 separate series. One more, A Safe Place to Die (2027), is announced.
Neil Lancaster Books in Publication Order
The table lists all 13 Neil Lancaster books in the order they were published, with the release year and how many independent book listings confirm each title. Catalogue data as of September 2026.
- 12019–2/4
- 22019–2/4
- 32020–2/4
- 42021–2/4
- 52022–2/4
- 62022–2/4
- 72023–2/4
- 82024–2/4
- 92025–1/4
- 102025–2/4
- 112026–1/4
- 122026–2/4
- 132027–1/4
Neil Lancaster series in order
The series linked below has its own reading-order page.
- DS Max Craigie books in order 7 books
Neil Lancaster books grouped by series
Each title below is a row in the publication-order table above. None of these groups has a reading-order page of its own on this site.
Tom Novak in order
3 books- 1. Going Dark
- 2. Going Rogue
- 3. Going Back
Josie Chapman in order
2 books- 1. No Mercy
- 2. No Way Out
Do you have to read Neil Lancaster books in order?
You only need to read Neil Lancaster books in order within each series: the books listed here span 3 separate series, and each series has its own publication order.
Where to start with Neil Lancaster
Start with Dead Man’s Grave (2021), the first DS Max Craigie book. The earliest catalogued title overall is Going Dark (2019).
What is the newest Neil Lancaster book?
The Dark Heart (2026) is the newest Neil Lancaster book released so far.
Is there a new Neil Lancaster book coming?
Yes. A Safe Place to Die (2027) is the next Neil Lancaster book announced in the catalogue. A publication year announced this far ahead moves, so it is worth rechecking: every announced title dated after 2026 sits on the upcoming book releases page.
Neil Lancaster at a glance
- Still publishing
- Neil Lancaster is still publishing. A Safe Place to Die is announced for 2027.
- Release pace
- Neil Lancaster books have appeared more than one a year on average.
- Busiest decade
- Most Neil Lancaster books, 10 of 13, were published in the 2020s.