The Inspector Karen Pirie is a Crime Fiction / Psychological Thriller series by Val McDermid, made up of 8 books published between 2003 and 2025. It begins with The Distant Echo (2003), and is best read in publication order. The most recent entry is Silent Bones (2025), spanning 22 years of storytelling.
| # | Title | Year | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | |||
| 1 | The Distant Echo | 2003 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 2 | A Darker Domain | 2008 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 2010s | |||
| 3 | The Skeleton Road | 2014 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 4 | Out of Bounds | 2016 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 5 | Broken Ground | 2018 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 2020s | |||
| 6 | Still Life | 2020 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 7 | Past Lying | 2023 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 8 | Silent BonesLatest | 2025 | Search on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
Inspector Karen Pirie series: frequently asked questions
What order should I read the Inspector Karen Pirie series?
Start with The Distant Echo (2003), the first book in the Inspector Karen Pirie series by Val McDermid. Follow the books in publication order for the best reading experience.
How many books are in the Inspector Karen Pirie series?
There are 8 books in the Inspector Karen Pirie series by Val McDermid, published between 2003 and 2025.
What is the first book in the Inspector Karen Pirie series?
The first book in the Inspector Karen Pirie series is The Distant Echo, published in 2003 by Val McDermid.
What is the latest book in the Inspector Karen Pirie series?
The most recent book in the Inspector Karen Pirie series is Silent Bones (2025) by Val McDermid.
About the Inspector Karen Pirie series
Val McDermid's Karen Pirie novels are smart, contemporary Scottish crime fiction centred on cold cases. DCI Karen Pirie heads a Historic Cases Unit in Edinburgh, reopening long-unsolved crimes with tenacity, empathy and a sharp disregard for the politics of policing — work that repeatedly puts her in the path of fresh danger.
McDermid braids past and present, using old crimes to illuminate present-day injustice, and Karen — grieving, stubborn, deeply human — is one of her most engaging leads. The ITV adaptation has widened the audience.
Karen's personal life develops across the books, so reading in order from "The Distant Echo" is recommended.