Top 10 British Crime Authors You Should Be Reading Right Now

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If you love crime fiction, you already know how good British authors are at it. There’s something about the genre: the locations, the psychological depth and the dry wit underneath the darkness. That’s what keeps readers coming back.

As a crime thriller writer myself, I read widely across the genre. These are ten British crime authors in no particular order I think deserve a place on your shelf right now.

The ten authors at a glance

1. J.M. Dalgliesh — atmospheric police mysteries set in Norfolk and Yorkshire
2. Peter James — the Brighton-based Roy Grace series
3. Ann Cleeves — creator of Vera and the Shetland mysteries
4. Mark Billingham — dark and sharply written Tom Thorne novels
5. Val McDermid — psychological crime featuring Carol Jordan and Tony Hill
6. Simon Kernick — fast-moving British thrillers
7. Elly Griffiths — atmospheric Ruth Galloway mysteries
8. Lee Child — creator of the Jack Reacher series
9. Martin Edwards — the Lake District Mysteries
10. Stuart MacBride — dark Aberdeen crime featuring Logan McRae

Read on to discover what makes each author worth reading and the best book to start with.

1. J M Dalgliesh: the Hidden Norfolk and Dark Yorkshire series

J M Dalgliesh has quietly become one of the most read British crime writers around, with well over a million books sold. He writes two main series: Hidden Norfolk, featuring DI Tom Janssen, and Dark Yorkshire, featuring the troubled DI Nathaniel Caslin. His style blends classic British police procedural with a touch of Scandinavian noir, all atmosphere and rugged landscape. Start with One Lost Soul, the first Hidden Norfolk book, or Divided House if you prefer your crime fiction darker and grittier from page one.

If you have already finished the Hidden Norfolk books, see my recommendations for books and authors similar to J.M. Dalgliesh.

2. Peter James: the Roy Grace series

Peter James writes the Roy Grace series, set in Brighton. The detail is impressive, drawn from real conversations with Sussex Police, and it shows. Grace himself is a compelling character with enough personal baggage to keep things interesting across a long series. Start with Dead Simple, the first in the series, and you’ll want the next one before you’ve finished it.

3. Ann Cleeves: Vera and the Shetland series

Creator of both Vera and the Shetland series. Her plotting is patient and her settings do a lot of the heavy lifting. She takes her time building atmosphere and it pays off. Start with Raven Black, the first Shetland book, and you’ll quickly understand why the TV adaptation was so faithful to the source material.

4. Mark Billingham: the Tom Thorne series

The Tom Thorne series is sharp, dark, and often unexpectedly funny. Thorne is one of the most believable detectives in British crime fiction, flawed in ways that feel real rather than convenient. Sleepyhead, the first book, is a strong start and with its eerie creepiness, sets the tone perfectly.

5. Val McDermid: Carol Jordan and Tony Hill

One of the best in the business. Her Carol Jordan and Tony Hill series changed what psychological crime fiction could do, and her standalones are just as strong. The Mermaids Singing, the first Jordan and Hill novel, is genuinely unsettling and very hard to put down.

6. Simon Kernick: fast paced British thrillers

Pure pace. His thrillers move fast from page one and rarely let up. What separates Kernick from other thriller writers is that his plots stay credible even when the stakes are at their highest. The Business of Dying is a good place to start and gives you a clear sense of his style.

7. Elly Griffiths: the Ruth Galloway series

The Ruth Galloway series, set on the Norfolk coast, mixes archaeology, folklore, and crime in a way that feels completely its own. Quietly gripping rather than high octane, but no less compelling for it. The Crossing Places is the first book and one of the most atmospheric opening novels in recent British crime fiction.

8. Lee Child: the Jack Reacher series

Jack Reacher is American, but Lee Child is British, and that dry, precise writing style shows it. The books are built around a simple premise executed with real discipline. Killing Floor is the first and still one of the best. If you haven’t started the series, now is a good time.

9. Martin Edwards: the Lake District Mysteries

Martin Edwards is one of the most respected names in British crime writing, and rightly so. His Lake District Mysteries, featuring DCI Hannah Scarlett and historian Daniel Kind, make wonderful use of the Cumbrian landscape, with old cold cases and long buried secrets at their heart. Start with The Coffin Trail, the first in the series and shortlisted for the Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year. He also writes the Rachel Savernake novels and has won just about every award going, including the CWA Diamond Dagger, the highest honour in UK crime writing. A real master of the genre and a generous champion of other writers too.

10. Stuart MacBride: the Logan McRae series

The Logan McRae series is set in Aberdeen and has a tone all of its own. Dark and often gruesome, but with a black humour running through it that makes it oddly addictive. Cold Granite is the first book and sets up the world and characters with real confidence.

If any of these are new to you, pick one and see where it takes you. Crime fiction readers tend to find their people quickly.

Looking for another British crime series?

If you enjoy British detectives, fast-moving investigations and crimes that reach far beyond the UK, you may also enjoy my Detective Ratso thrillers. The series follows Scotland Yard detective Todd “Ratso” Holtom through dangerous cases involving organised crime, corruption and international conspiracy.

Discover the Detective Ratso books or start with Hard Place, the first book in the series.