DI Tremayne Books in Order
The complete DI Keith Tremayne series by Phillip Strang — all 10 novels in reading order
Detective Inspector Keith Tremayne is ageing, cynical, and refusing to retire. Set in the shadow of Salisbury Cathedral and among the ancient monuments of Wiltshire, the Tremayne novels follow an old-school detective who investigates murders where history, ritual, and revenge collide. Alongside Sergeant Clare Yarwood, Tremayne confronts crimes that test not just his detective skills, but his failing health and iron determination to see justice done — no matter the cost.
1. Death Unholy
All that remained were a man's two legs and a chair full of greasy ash. Spontaneous combustion — or murder? The answer pulls Tremayne and Sergeant Clare Yarwood into the murky world of paganism and its ancient rituals, centred on an abandoned church in a village that time forgot. The villagers are unfriendly, the secrets are dark, and as the body count rises, Tremayne and Yarwood find themselves facing death at the hands of a mob with no help in sight.
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2. Death and the Assassin's Blade
Amateur dramatics was never meant to be so deadly. The daggers were only theatrical props — plastic and harmless. A summer's night, a production of Julius Caesar among the ruins of an Anglo-Saxon fort. Then the actor playing Caesar collapses, and real blood pools beneath his costume. Tremayne and Yarwood were there in the audience and saw nothing. Now they must unpick a cast full of secrets to find which of the amateur players wanted Gordon Mason dead.
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3. Death and the Lucky Man
Sixty-eight million pounds in lottery winnings. Now he's dead, found naked with his throat cut on the Altar Stone at Stonehenge. The question isn't who wanted him dead — it's who didn't. Two young lovers who took a short cut through a cemetery witnessed a killing. More deaths follow, seemingly unconnected, but Tremayne knows better. The threads all lead back to one man's extraordinary luck and those who felt they deserved a share of it.
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4. Death at Coombe Farm
A man trampled by a horse on Salisbury Plain. From up high, overlooking the farmhouse below with the panoramic vista stretching out beyond, Tremayne and Yarwood find a body that wasn't a pleasant sight. The village, they soon discover, is anything but charming and picturesque — it's a hotbed of intrigue and wrongdoing. A young woman found dead near a commune preaching love and kindness. An elderly woman murdered. Two victims with no apparent connection, bound together by old sins and new crimes.
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5. Death by a Dead Man's Hand
Dead men don't commit murders. Or do they? A flawed heist of forty gold bars from a security van late at night. One of the perpetrators is killed by his brother as they argue over their haul. Eighteen years later, the murderer — released after serving his sentence — waits in a church for a man claiming to be the brother he killed. The threads stretch back a long way, and now more people are dying in the search for the missing gold. Tremayne's health is causing serious concern, but he's not done yet.
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6. Death in the Village
Nobody liked Gloria Wiggins — a woman who regarded anyone who didn't share her jaundiced view of the world with contempt. Her scurrilous outburst in the church one Sunday had hastened the previous vicar's death. And now, years later, she was found hanging from a beam in her garage. Nobody mourned. But she won't be the last. When someone outside the group is killed, Tremayne realises the killer is starting to enjoy it. None confessed to murdering the woman — but the body count is rising and secrets are unravelling fast.
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7. Burial Mound
An archaeological dig near Stonehenge uncovers human remains — far too recent to be Bronze Age. The victim turns out to be the mayor's brother, and every thread of the investigation leads back to Salisbury's most upright and respected public official. But is Tremayne right, or is he about to destroy an innocent man's reputation? With his health worsening and Clare Yarwood still seeking answers of her own, Tremayne pushes forward where others would stop.
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8. The Body in the Ditch
A day at the races. A dead horse, then the murdered daughter of its owner. Tremayne was there when they found the body — which makes him the perfect alibi for one of the key suspects. Was he deliberately placed in the wrong place at the right time? As jealousy, greed, and forbidden love spiral through the case, Tremayne's deteriorating health becomes as dangerous to the investigation as the killer. He was never meant to be a convenient witness. Now he intends to be anything but convenient.
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9. The Horse's Mouth
Tremayne is back in the saddle — figuratively speaking. A case that begins with a seemingly straightforward death draws Tremayne and Yarwood into a web of deception where nothing and nobody can be taken at face value. Old loyalties, hidden debts, and long-buried rivalries surface as the investigation widens. With his health still troubling him and Clare increasingly carrying the load, Tremayne relies on the instincts that have never failed him — even when the evidence points elsewhere entirely.
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10. Montfield's Madness
The homeless man with the shopping trolley was a genius — and someone killed him for it. Montfield's revolutionary weapons technology has attracted the attention of intelligence agencies, foreign operatives, and powerful corporations who all want his secrets. They also want Tremayne and Yarwood to stay well away. But Tremayne doesn't back down, even when it puts their lives directly on the line. The final case in the series takes Salisbury's most stubborn detective into the world of international espionage — well out of his usual patch, and entirely in his element.
Buy on Amazon →If You Enjoy DI Tremayne, Try These
Love Tremayne's gritty, old-school detective fiction set in rural England? Here are three acclaimed series that deliver the same atmospheric, character-driven crime writing.
Inspector Rebus — Ian Rankin
The series that defined Tartan Noir. Edinburgh's most maverick detective — cynical, uncompromising, and refusing to play by the rules. If you love Tremayne's refusal to bend to authority, Rebus is your next read. 25 novels set in the gritty underbelly of Edinburgh.
Read the Series Guide →
Vera — Ann Cleeves
DCI Vera Stanhope — brilliant, obsessive, and utterly compelling. Set in the wild landscapes of Northumberland, Vera shares Tremayne's instinct-driven approach and refusal to let a case go. 11 novels, now a major TV series.
Read the Series Guide →
Roy Grace — Peter James
Detective Superintendent Roy Grace tackles Brighton's darkest crimes with meticulous detail and relentless determination. If you enjoy Tremayne's procedural depth and Southern English setting, the Roy Grace series is essential reading. 22 novels.
Read the Series Guide →Frequently Asked Questions
How many DI Tremayne books are there?
There are 10 DI Keith Tremayne novels, published between 2017 and 2022. The series is complete, making it an ideal binge read from start to finish. All 10 books are available in Kindle, paperback, and audiobook formats.
Should you read the DI Tremayne books in order?
Yes — ideally from Book 1. While each novel presents a self-contained mystery, Tremayne and Sergeant Clare Yarwood develop significantly across the series. Tremayne's health deteriorates progressively, and the relationship between the two detectives deepens in ways that reward readers who follow the series from the beginning. Start with Death Unholy.
What is the best DI Tremayne book to start with?
Start with Death Unholy (Book 1) — it introduces both Tremayne and Clare Yarwood and establishes the atmospheric Wiltshire setting that defines the series. If you want a taste of the series at its most inventive, Death and the Assassin's Blade (Book 2) is frequently cited as a fan favourite for its extraordinary locked-room premise.
Where are the DI Tremayne books set?
The series is set primarily in and around Salisbury, Wiltshire — a setting rich in history, from Salisbury Cathedral to the ancient monuments of the surrounding plain including Stonehenge. The landscape plays a significant role throughout the series, giving it a distinctly atmospheric feel quite different from city-based crime fiction.
Is DI Tremayne similar to Inspector Rebus?
Yes — Tremayne shares much of Rebus's DNA. Both are ageing, old-school detectives who are politically incorrect, cynical about authority, and driven by a genuine moral compass beneath the gruff exterior. Where Rebus has Edinburgh, Tremayne has the ancient, atmospheric landscape of Wiltshire. Readers who love one series tend to love the other.