Lynda La Plante Books in Order (Jack Warr, Tennison)

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A trained actress, Lynda La Plante started her professional life on the stage and soon appeared on TV in popular series, but she also wrote screenplays. After the success the Widows series, she became a popular crime writer. She didn’t stop working for television as she created Prime Suspect in 1991, a series that became a huge critical and popular success.

After that, Lynda La Plante formed her own television production company, producing more and more successful crime series, but she also published books, like the Lorraine Page series, then later the Anna Travis series, and even a new Jane Tennison prequel series.

How to read Lynda La Plante’s Books in Order?

The DC Jack Warr Series in Order

(A follow-up to the Widows series) DC Jack Warr and his girlfriend Maggie have just moved to London to start a new life together. Though charming, Jack can’t seem to find his place in the world – until he’s drawn into an investigation that turns his life upside down.

1. Buried (2020) – In the aftermath of a fire at an isolated cottage, a badly charred body is discovered, along with the burnt remains of millions of stolen, untraceable bank notes. Jack Warr’s search leads him deep into a murky criminal underworld – a world he finds himself surprisingly good at navigating. But as the line of the law becomes blurred, how far will Jack go to find the answers – and what will it cost him?
2. Judas Horse (2021) – Violent burglars have been terrorizing residents across the English countryside. But when a mutilated body is discovered in a Cotswolds house, it becomes clear that this is no ordinary group of opportunist thieves. As Detective Jack Warr investigates, he discovers locals with dark secrets, unearths hidden crimes – and hits countless dead ends. With few leads and the violent attacks escalating, he will have to act as audaciously as the criminals if he hopes to stop them.
3. Vanished (2022) – When an eccentric widow claims she is being stalked by her former lodger, Detective Jack Warr is the only person who believes her wild claims. Days later, she is found brutally murdered in her home. When the investigation uncovers an international drugs operation on the widow’s property, the case grows even more complex. And as the hunt for the widow’s lodger hits dead end after dead end, it seems that the prime suspect has vanished without a trace.
4. Pure Evil (2023) – It was supposed to be a simple case: a young man arrested for armed assault. But it was just the beginning. As Rodney Middleton awaits trial, Detective Jack Warr is warned by his mentor DCI Ridley that they have only scratched the surface of the man’s crimes. Then DCI Ridley is suddenly removed from his post. No one is to contact him – and no one will say why. As Warr digs into Rodney’s past, Ridley calls pleading for help, now accused of a murder he insists he didn’t commit.

The Tennison Series in Order

Initially, the series is about DCI Jane Tennison of Southampton Row Police Station in Central London who constantly battles to prove herself within a male-dominated profession in which many of her colleagues are determined to see her fail.

Since 2015, a second book series is published, it is a prequel, taking us back to 1973 at the beginning of Jane Tennison’s career.

For more information, go to our Jane Tennison Reading Order.

The original Jane Tennison Series

1. Prime Suspect (1991)
2. A Face in the Crowd (1992)
3. Silent Victims (1993)

1973’s Tennison

1. Tennison (2015)
2. Hidden Killers (2016)
3. Good Friday (2017)
4. Murder Mile (2018)
5. The Dirty Dozen (2019)
6. Blunt Force (2020)
7. Unholy Murder (2021)
8. Dark Rooms (2022)

The Anna Travis Series in Order (aka Above Suspicion)

The story starts with Anna Davis as a rookie detective determined to prove herself in the male-dominated police department by solving a trail of gruesome murders left by an unknown serial killer. As the series progressed, Anna worked on more murder mysteries and got promoted.

For more information, go to our Anna Travis Reading Order.

1. Above Suspicion (2004)
2. The Red Dahlia (2006)
3. Clean Cut (2007)
4. Deadly Intent (2008)
5. Silent Scream (2009)
6. Blind Fury (2010)
7. Bloodline (2011)
8. Backlash (2012)
9. Wrongful Death (2013)

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The Trial And Retribution Series in Order

Book series based on the ITV police procedural television drama series that first aired on ITV1 on 19 October 1997. Now mostly available on audiobooks.

1. Trial and Retribution (1997) – It is every mother’s nightmare. Her child is missing, found murdered. Her lover is the prime suspect. It is every police officer’s dread. A child murder. A circumstantial case. It is every solicitor’s dream. Twelve men and women will decide the verdict. But only you can decide if justice is done for the victim.
2. Trial and Retribution II (1998) – Identical and brutal assaults on three women. One woman survives to give a detailed description of her attacker. The police arrest a suspect, Damon Morton, confident he is their man. But three of his employees admit to the crimes, and Morton’s wife and girlfriend provide him with an alibi. They all declare Damon Morton innocent. The police know he did it. But if people lie under oath in a court of law ­- who can the jury believe?
3. Trial and Retribution III (1999) – Fifteen-year-old Cassie Booth goes missing on her paper round. Then her bloodstained jacket is found in a boathouse belonging to Karl Wilding – but there’s little evidence against him. A routine visit by Detective Inspector Pat North to appease persistent complainer Stephen Warrington spirals into something far more sinister. As his behavior becomes increasingly obsessive, North is caught in a frightening web of deceit and lies that fuels her suspicion that Warrington has been involved in a far more horrific crime. Only one of the men is guilty of murder. Can the jury unravel the complex web of lies and find justice for Cassie?
4. Trial and Retribution IV (2000) – Eight years ago, James McCready was convicted of killing his partner, Gary Meadows. But McCready has always claimed that the stabbing was a tragic accident and, when fresh evidence comes to light, he wins his appeal for a retrial. Detective Inspector Pat North is assigned to the reinvestigation. But when North discovers that her partner, Detective Superintendent Mike Walker, led the original police inquiry, their fledgling relationship is put to the test – particularly when she starts to suspect that he is covering something up. Could Walker have tampered with evidence to frame an innocent man? And if so, who is the real killer?
5. Trial and Retribution V (2004) – A derelict house is being demolished when workmen discover the remains of a young girl. Detective Superintendent Michael Walker is far from happy at being assigned the 17-year-old murder case. When more skeletons are discovered, however, Walker suddenly finds himself in charge of one of the biggest investigations in years. But when a secret has been buried for 17 years, the path to justice is more tortuous than ever. Can Walker and his team dig up the truth behind one family and their shadowy past? Or is the truth buried too deep?
6. Trial and Retribution VI (2004) – When a woman is snatched from a wood, Inspector Superintendent Pat North seizes control of her first major inquiry – one that appears to be over before it begins, when a local sex offender quickly confesses. With no body and inconsistent statements, North and her team are not convinced. They investigate a strange family of musical geniuses – each with their own motive. But if the man who confessed isn’t the perpetrator – who is? And how far will they go to evade capture?

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The Governor Series in Order

Based on the popular TV series starring Janet McTeer, the complete and unabridged Governor series is now available for the first time in audio.

1. The Governor (1995) – Barfield Prison is one of the toughest high-security prisons in England, housing the country’s most dangerous criminals. And when an inmate is found dead in his cell, a riot breaks out, forcing the authorities to investigate a potential murder. Despite being Barfield’s youngest ever female Governor, Helen Hewitt is seen as the best woman for the job. But with a prison full of corrupt and suspicious officers, restless inmates, and a broken system, Helen has her work cut out – and no allies to help her…
2. The Governor II (1995) – A life-and-death hostage situation at Barfield High-Security prison brings Governor Helen Hewitt back to her old stomping ground. But things have changed at Barfield. A new, highly dangerous prisoner poses a threat to the peace, and when discord boils over, the prisoners join forces in an audacious escape attempt. As violence erupts among the officers and the inmates, Hewitt must once again restore order. Before it’s too late.

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The Lorraine Page Series in Order

1. Cold Shoulder (1994) – Lieutenant Lorraine Page had everything – a devoted husband, two beautiful daughters, and an impressive career with the Homicide Squad. It’s impossible to believe that she could be thrown out of the police force and end up on Skid Row. Lorraine’s ex-colleagues soon forget her, as the hunt for a nightmare serial killer spirals into an all-out search for a missing witness: a victim who escaped. Lorraine Page is that witness. Against her will, she is drawn into the investigation, and forced to face her past as well as her overwhelming guilt . . .
2. Cold Blood (1996) – Suspicion and fear surround the mysterious disappearance of a movie star’s daughter. The race to claim the reward for finding Anna Louise Caley – dead or alive – spirals into a deadly voodoo trail in the French quarter of New Orleans. In her desperation to succeed in this, her first case as a private detective, ex-Lieutenant Lorraine Page is caught in a web of deceit and violence that threatens to drag her back into the murky world she has fought so hard to escape. Continuing the investigation means risking everything. But the million-dollar bonus is one hell of an incentive not to back off from a case that could kill her – or give her the future and the professional respect she craves.
3. Cold Heart (1998) – Movie mogul Harry Nathan’s lonely death in a Beverley Hills swimming pool is the beginning of a trail of lust and conspiracy leading to the darkest corners of the international art world. Private investigator Lorraine Page faces her toughest fight ever as she takes on the case for fading starlet Cindy Nathan, Harry’s third wife. Lorraine believes the grieving widow’s story. Unlike her ex-colleagues in the police department who have already charged Cindy with murder… Can Lorraine prove Cindy’s innocence and find the killer before it’s too late?

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The Dolly Rawlins Series in Order

The basis for Steve McQueen’s critically acclaimed motion picture, Widows.

1. Widows (1983) – A security van heist goes disastrously wrong and three women are left widowed. When Dolly Rawlins discovers her gang boss husband’s plans for the failed hijack, an idea starts to form . . . Could she and the other wives finish the job their husbands started? As the women rehearse the raid, it becomes clear that someone else must have been involved. But only three bodies were found in the wreckage. Who was the fourth man? And where is he now?
2. Widows’ Revenge (1985) – Against all the odds, Dolly Rawlins and her gangland widows managed the impossible: a heist their husbands had failed to pull off – at the cost of their lives. But though they may be in the money, they’re far from easy street. Shocked by her husband’s betrayal, Dolly discovers Harry Rawlins isn’t dead. He knows where the four women are and he wants them to pay. And he doesn’t just mean getting his hands on the money. The women can’t keep running. They have to get Harry out of their lives for good. But can they outwit a criminal mastermind who won’t hesitate to kill? Especially when one of them has a plan of her own . . . to kill or be killed.
3. She’s Out (1995) – After serving a lengthy sentence for the murder of her husband, Dolly Rawlins is set free from prison, with only one thing on her mind – the six million in diamonds she stashed prior to her imprisonment. Waiting for Dolly is a group of women who all served time with her. They know about the diamonds and they want a cut. Also waiting is a detective sergeant in the Metropolitan Police. He holds her personally responsible for the death of his sister in the diamond raid ten years earlier. And now he wants her back inside.

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The Legacy Series in Order

One family. One legacy. One curse.

1. The Legacy (1987) – Hugh is a hardened miner from the Welsh Valleys who has seen the better part of his life pass him by. His daughter Evelyne, true to his fears, has lost her heart to a man from a troubled life on the road. Freedom, a handsome prizefighter is saved from the gallows only to do battle for the heavyweight championship of the world. From the poverty of the Welsh pit valleys to the glories of the prize ring, from the dangers of Prohibition America to the terrors of Britain at war, Lynda La Plante delves into the lives of a remarkable family and the curse that forged their names…
2. The Talisman (1988) – The Talisman is the key to a fortune, or so the tradition says. Each new generation can benefit if they remain selfless enough. Evelyne and Juliana, the fourth generation, are still haunted by the family’s past. Edward inherited his father’s looks – and his curse – while Alex’s quest for revenge will fuel an empire.

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Other Novels

• Bella Mafia (1990) – Four women–sole survivors of the once-great Luciano crime family–must contend with embezzlement, double-crosses, and attempts on their lives as they fight to hold onto the family assets
• Civvies (1992) – Published to coincide with the BBC series, this is a powerful and realistic story featuring six long-term Parachute Regiment soldiers and their often difficult and painful readjustment to civilian life. The thrill of crime is a strong temptation for the civvies and they each succumb.
• Entwined (1992) – No matter how cruelly twins are separated, their lives will always be entwined. In the newly liberated streets of modern Berlin two women, a pampered, beautiful Baroness, losing control of her mind, and a fearless wild animal trainer, facing the greatest challenge of her career, are drawn together by a series of tragic and extraordinary coincidences.

• Framed (1992) – After he arrests the elegant and charming escaped convict Eddie Myers, young cop Larry Jackson finds his ordered and principled world turning upside down.
• Seekers (1993) – As a TV drama, this book brings together Josette Simon and Brenda Fricker as two detectives who set up their own agency.
• Sleeping Cruelty (2000) – Sir William Benedict has always desired acceptance from society’s elite. Coming from a working-class background, the now very wealthy entrepreneur owns millions, alongside a small slice of paradise by way of an island in the Caribbean. William gets what he wishes for when the fast-rising Tory MP, Andrew Maynard enters his life. After pouring money into Maynard’s political campaign, William suddenly finds that he has the social status he has always craved. But his joy is premature…

• Royal Flush (2002 aka Royal Heist) – The immensely wealthy owner of a successful racing yard, Edward de Jersey, has set high hopes on a Derby win from his magnificent colt, Royal Flush. But de Jersey’s luck runs out when his adviser invests his fortune in a fledgling Internet company that crashes, leaving him with mounting debts. Afraid he will lose everything, de Jersey resurrects his criminal past and attempts to pull off the most audacious heist in history – the target, the Koh-i-noor diamond, Mountain of Light. Weighing over a hundred carats, the jewel has an estimated value of more than a billion pounds…
• The Little One (Quick Reads, 2012) – Barbara needs a story. A struggling journalist, she tricks her way into the home of former soap star Margaret Reynolds. Desperate for a scoop on the actress and her return to stardom, she finds instead a terrified woman living alone in a creepy manor house. A piano plays in the night, footsteps run overhead, doors slam in dark corners. The nights are full of strange noises. Barbara thinks there may be a child living upstairs, unseen. Who looks after her? And why is she kept out of sight? Little by little, actress Margaret’s haunting story of broken promises is revealed, and Barbara is left with a chilling discovery.
• Twisted (2014) – Marcus and Lena Fulford are the envy of their friends. Wealthy, attractive, and successful, the couple, with their strikingly beautiful teenage daughter Amy, seem settled and content. But appearances mask a strained relationship almost at breaking point. So when Amy arranges a sleepover with a school friend one weekend, neither parent sees the need to be in touch with her. It is only when Amy is reported missing from school and her friend’s mother reveals that, instead of staying with them, Amy was visiting her father – a fact vehemently denied by Marcus – that Lena contacts the police.

• The Escape (Quick Reads, 2014) – Colin Burrows is desperate. Recently sent to prison for burglary, he knows that his four-year sentence means that he will miss the birth of his first child. With his wife’s due date fast approaching, he had hoped that the prison authorities would allow him to be present for the birth, but they have said no.

If you like our article about the Lynda La Plante Books in order, don’t forget to bookmark it! You may also be interested in Faye Kellerman’s work, the author of the Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus series.