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JD Kirk's DCI Jack Logan series is one that seems to have come out of nowhere and taken the UK crime novel scene by storm. The first entry came out back in 2019, and there are now 15 books in total (with #16 on the way).

The series follows the activities of DCI Jack Logan, a homicide detective in Scotland. He's your classic tortured middle-aged guy with a screwed up family life and a history of alcoholism – but as you might expect, he has a strong sense of justice and a desire to make his country a better place by getting the worst criminals off the streets.

As unoriginal as that might sound, the books are compulsively readable. The locations are great, and the interactions between Logan and the team are what really drive the stories. They're fast-paced, with short chapters and not a lot of excess description – so if you like the kind of books that are suspenseful and hard to put down, this is a great series to try.

Most of the action takes place around Inverness and various Highland locations, but some parts are also set in Glasgow. If you've spent much time travelling around Scotland, you'll no doubt recognise many of the locations.

If the books leave you curious about the area, there are some great programmes you can watch to get a better sense of what the different places are like.

All of JD Kirk's DCI Jack Logan Books in Order

One of the DCI Logan books includes a memorable scene at the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct

Below, we've listed and described each of the current entries in the DCI Jack Logan series.

As a warning to more sensitive readers, the books *are* on the gritty side of things. The murders can be a bit gruesome, and there's a fair bit of cursing. Where Bob Hoon is involved, it's an art form unto itself.

Book 1 contains cat abuse, so if you're like us and you prefer to avoid books with that sort of thing, we recommend either skipping that one or just reading the first few chapters before skipping on to book 2. There's enough review that you won't be too lost.

DCI Jack Logan, Book 1 | A Litter of Bones (2019)

Nearly a decade ago, Glasgow's DCI Jack Logan ended the terrifying streak of a child serial killer known as Mr. Whisper – destroying his personal life in the process. When a child in the Highlands goes missing under similar circumstances, everything is called into question. As Jack heads north to lead the investigation, he'll find himself wondering whether he was wrong all those years ago.

Get it: Kindle | Audiobook | Hardcover | Paperback | Bookshop.org (supports independent bookshops)

DCI Jack Logan, Book 2 | Thicker than Water (2019)

DCI Jack Logan has decided to move to the Highlands for a quieter life. Now, the discovery of a mutilated body on the shores of Loch Ness makes him wonder about that decision. As the media speculates about a possible Nessie attack, Logan and his team will have to work quickly to get to the bottom of things before the killer strikes again.

Get it: Kindle | Audiobook | Paperback | Bookshop.org (supports independent bookshops)

DCI Jack Logan, Book 3 | The Killing Code (2019)

When a nurse is killed on her way home from a shift, it initially seems like a lone case. Unfortunately, Logan and his team soon realise they're hunting for a serial killer with no remorse

Get it: Kindle | Audiobook | Paperback | Bookshop.org (supports independent bookshops)

DCI Jack Logan, Book 4 | Blood and Treachery (2019)

While searching for a missing hillwalker, the Glencoe mountain rescue team encounters a body…but it's not the one they set out to find.

DCI Logan and his team head south to investigate the strange, gangland-style execution, quickly uncovering all manner of dark secrets from the victim's life. He'll have to act fast to prevent further carnage – especially since the investigation has seemingly put him in the killer's crosshairs.

Get it: Kindle | Audiobook | Paperback | Bookshop.org (supports independent bookshops)

DCI Jack Logan, Book 5 | The Last Bloody Straw (2020)

Still reeling from the loss of a colleague, DCI Logan is determined to bring down everyone involved in his fellow officer's death. Those efforts are cut short when a woman's body washes up on the remote island of Canna, and Logan soon finds himself packed up to the remote, poorly-connected island with only DC Tyler Neish for company.

Get it: Kindle | Audiobook | Paperback | Bookshop.org (supports independent bookshops)

DCI Jack Logan, Book 6 | A Whisper of Sorrows (2020)

Mr. Whisper – the child serial killer whose investigation destroyed Logan's personal life 10 years ago – has escaped. He's had 10 years to plan and find allies, and he wants revenge.

Get it: Kindle | Audiobook | Paperback | Bookshop.org (supports independent bookshops)

DCI Jack Logan, Book 7 | The Big Man Upstairs (2020)

After the trauma of everything that happened when Mr. Whisper escaped, DCI Jack Logan has spent 9 months living in self-imposed exile. Now, a mother and daughter have been murdered, staged to look like a suicide. In need of his assistance, Logan's colleagues drag him back to his old life.