DCI William Lorimer Books in Order: How to read Alex Gray’s Series?

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Coming from Scottish writer Alex Gray (pen name of Sandra Lang), the DCI William Lorimer series is a crime series that has sold more than a million copies worldwide.

More specifically, the series is set around Glasgow and features the title character, Detective Chief Inspector Lorimer, as he leads the investigation with the help of his psychological profiler Solomon Brightman. Alex Gray has been awarded the Scottish Association of Writers’ Constable and Pitlochry trophies for her crime writing.

How to read the DCI William Lorimer Series in Order?

Every entry in the William Lorimer book series works as a standalone story, but the lives of the different characters evolve from one novel to the other.

1. Never Somewhere Else – When three young women are discovered strangled and mutilated in a Glasgow park, it is up to DCI Lorimer to find their killer. Frustrated by a lack of progress in the investigation, Lorimer is forced to enlist the services of Dr Solomon Brightman, psychologist and criminal profiler. Together they form an uneasy alliance.
2. A Small Weeping – When a murdered prostitute is found in a Glasgow train station, DCI Lorimer is perplexed by the ritualistic arrangement of her body. It isn’t long before there is another murder and he realizes there’s no time to waste if he is to stop Glasgow’s latest serial killer.
3. Shadows Of Sounds – When George Millar, the City of Glasgow’s orchestra leader, is brutally murdered in his dressing room before a performance, his colleagues are shocked. As the show goes on, DCI Lorimer and psychologist Solomon Brightman uncover a series of irrevocably tangled relationships between the orchestra members.

4. The Riverman – When a dead body is fished out of Glasgow’s River Clyde the morning after an office celebration, it looks like a case of accidental death. But an anonymous telephone call and a forensic toxicology test give DCI William Lorimer reason to think otherwise. Probing deeper into the life and business of the deceased accountant, a seemingly upright member of the community, Lorimer finds only more unanswered questions.
5. Pitch Black – When Chief Inspector Lorimer returns from his holiday on the island of Mull, he feels a welcome sense of calm. But it doesn’t last long. Kelvin Football Club’s new star midfielder is found brutally stabbed to death in his own home, and while his wife is apprehended trying to leave the country, a seemingly straightforward new case begins.
6. Glasgow Kiss – Eric Chalmers is one of the most popular teachers at Muirpark Secondary School in Glasgow. Gentle and kind, he is the one adult students trust as a confidant. So when precocious teenager Julie Donaldson accuses Chalmers of rape, the school goes into shock. And then the situation gets much worse – Julie Donaldson goes missing, and the police are called in. For DCI William Lorimer, this is the second missing persons case in a week.

7. Five Ways To Kill A Man – An unpredictable killer is loose on the streets of Glasgow, experimenting with death. Beginning with brute force, the murderer moves on to poison and drowning, greedy for new and better ways to kill. Faced with a string of unconnected victims, DCI Lorimer turns to psychologist and friend Solomon Brightman for his insights.
8. Sleep like the Dead – Marianne Brogan can’t sleep. She’s plagued by a nightmare: someone in the shadows, whispering threats, stalking her every move. To make matters worse, Marianne can’t get hold of her brother, Billy. Despite knowing some shady characters from Glasgow’s underworld, Billy’s always been there for her – until now. Meanwhile, DCI Lorimer and his team are faced with a string of seemingly unconnected but professional killings.
9. A Pound of Flesh – This is Detective Inspector Lorimer’s worst nightmare and beyond anything he’s faced in his many years on the force. Can he find a link between the brutal slaying of prostitutes in the back streets of the city and the methodical killing of several unconnected businessmen?

10. The Swedish Girl – When Kirsty Wilson lands a room in a luxury Glasgow flat owned by Swedish student Eva Magnusson, she can’t believe her luck. But Kirsty’s delight turns to terror when she finds the beautiful Swedish girl lying dead in their home and their male roommate accused of her murder. Kirsty refuses to accept that he is guilty and, inspired by family friend Detective Superintendent Lorimer, sets out to clear his name.
11. The Bird That Did Not Sing – The Commonwealth Games 2014 is coming to Glasgow and security is extra tight particularly after a mysterious bomb explodes in a nearby rural Stirlingshire. But Detective Superintendent Lorimer has other concerns on his mind. One is a beautiful red-haired woman from his past whose husband dies suddenly on his watch. Then there is the body of a young woman found dumped in the countryside just south of the city who is proving impossible to identify.
12. Keep The Midnight Out – When the body of a red-haired young man is washed up on the shore of the beautiful Isle of Mull, DS Lorimer’s tranquil holiday away from the gritty streets of Glasgow is rudely interrupted. The body has been bound with twine in a ghoulishly unnatural position and strongly reminds Lorimer of another murder: a twenty-year-old Glasgow case that he failed to solve as a newly-fledged detective constable and which has haunted him ever since.

13. The Darkest Goodbye – When newly fledged DC Kirsty Wilson is called to the house of an elderly woman, what appears to be a death by natural causes soon takes a sinister turn when it is revealed that the woman had a mysterious visitor in the early hours of that morning – someone dressed as a community nurse, but with much darker intentions. DS William Lorimer is called in to help DC Wilson investigate.
14. Still Dark – New Year’s Eve should be a time for celebrating. A chance to spend time with loved ones and look forward to the year ahead. For DSI William Lorimer, however, this New Year’s Eve will be one that he will never forget. Called to a house after gunshots are reported, the carnage he finds there will have a powerful impact on his life – leaving him questioning his future with Police Scotland.
15. Only the Dead Can Tell – When Dorothy Guildford is found stabbed to death in her home, all signs point to her husband, Peter. The forensic psychologist is convinced there’s more to the case than meets the eye but Police Scotland are certain they have their man. While DC Kirsty Wilson searches for evidence that will put Peter away for good, she is shocked to discover a link with a vast human-trafficking operation that DS William Lorimer has been investigating for months.

16. The Stalker – The body of a young woman has been discovered in Bellahouston park, the second in a matter of months. It’s clear to Detective Superintendent William Lorimer of Police Scotland that they have a repeat killer on their hands, who is sure to strike again.
17. When Shadows Fall – When his old friend and former colleague is shot dead at his home, Detective Superintendent William Lorimer is devastated. And his problems are only just beginning. It’s not long before two further deaths are reported: both victims ex-policemen.
18. The Darkest Goodbye – When newly fledged DC Kirsty Wilson is called to the house of an elderly woman, what appears to be a death by natural causes soon takes a sinister turn when it is revealed that the woman had a mysterious visitor in the early hours of that morning – someone dressed as a community nurse, but with much darker intentions.

19. Echo of the Dead – After a stressful winter, DSI William Lorimer is enjoying some time away from Glasgow. He and his new friend, Daniel Kohi, have retreated to the wilds of the Scottish Highlands to unwind. But what awaits them is far from a holiday. Despite its troubled history, the mountain village of Glencoe is now a popular resort, famed for its close-knit community, its breath-taking scenery, and the warm welcome it offers weary travelers. So it’s particularly shocking when two bodies are discovered in quick succession on the nearby peaks . . .
20. Questions for a Dead Man – When a prominent MSP goes missing, DSI William Lorimer wastes no time in investigating. Robert Truesdale was fronting the controversial campaign to legalize drugs in Scotland, and his enemies were numerous. With every passing day, the chances of finding him alive grow slimmer. Then the worst happens. A car bomb explodes in a nearby village, and the blackened body pulled from the wreckage appears to be Truesdale’s. Yet there are details that don’t add up and soon Lorimer is questioning whether the victim was all he claimed to be.
21. Out of Darkness – DSI William Lorimer and his wife Maggie are taking their first extended holiday for the first time in years, and they’re looking for an adventure. What better place than Zimbabwe, with its bustling cities and beautiful scenery? Back in Glasgow, PC Daniel Kohi, former inspector with the Zimbabwean police, finds himself uncomfortably close to a murder investigation. Why did the murdered man appear at Daniel’s house just hours before he was killed? And how he is connected to the troubled family history of Netta Gordon, Daniel’s dear friend and lodger?

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