19 Atmospheric British Novels Set Along the Canals
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Real narrowboating comes with all sorts of challenges – tiny bathrooms, difficult weather, limited food options in some areas, specialised parts that are difficult and/or expensive to replace…to say nothing of the oddballs you can encounter along the way.
Watching narrowboat TV (like Great Canal Journeys, Cruising the Cut, Britain's Best Canals, and Travels by Narrowboat) and reading books set in and around the canals can give you some of the benefits in a much easier and more accessible way. It can never replace the real thing, but if you just like soaking up the vibes, these books are worth checking out.
Some are historical fiction, some are romance, and many are crime – but they all incorporate the canals in one way or another.
The Canal Boat Killer | Joshua Black
This chilling mystery unfolds as a detective investigates a brutal murder on a canal boat. The victim's dark past hints at a possible connection to an 18-year-old cold case involving a missing infant. In a parallel narrative, a man wrestles with his criminal history as his former accomplice is released from prison. As the investigation progresses, long-buried secrets emerge, challenging the detective's perceptions and revealing unexpected links between seemingly unrelated events.
Get it: Amazon | Bookshop.org (supports independent bookshops)
The Narrowboat Girl | Annie Murray
Against the scenic backdrop of Birmingham's canals, a young woman seeks refuge from her tumultuous home life following her father's death. Her mother's hasty remarriage to a man with hidden malevolence forces her and her sister to bear a terrible secret alone. Finding solace aboard a narrowboat, she embraces a new life on the waterways. However, as romantic feelings blossom, painful memories resurface, prompting her to confront her past and make difficult choices about her future.
Get it: Amazon | Bookshop.org (supports independent bookshops)
The Canal Murders | JR Ellis
What begins as a tranquil canal holiday for two detectives quickly turns into a murder investigation. A retired folk musician is found stabbed under impossible circumstances, leading to a complex case involving a diverse cast of suspects. As a senior detective joins the inquiry, the team uncovers a tangled web of motives among the eclectic residents along the canal. With tension mounting and whispers of a curse circulating, the investigators must race against time to prevent further bloodshed and bring the cunning killer to justice.
If you're a big fan of reading series in order, you'll have nine other books before you get to this one – but it's a fun ride.
Get it: Amazon | Bookshop.org (supports independent bookshops)
Murder on the Oxford Canal | Faith Martin
This one unfolds as a female detective, already grappling with personal and professional turmoil, finds herself tasked with solving a new case. When a body is discovered in the Oxford Canal, what initially appears to be an accident quickly reveals itself to be more. As the investigation progresses, she'll have to untangle layers of deceit while fighting to clear her own name.
Get it: Amazon | Bookshop.org (supports independent bookshops)
Merciless | Heleyne Hammersley
In this crime thriller, DI Kate Fletcher is confronted with two seemingly unrelated deaths that prove to be intertwined in unexpected ways. A woman's body in a canal and a daughter's confession to killing her father lead the team down a winding path of investigation, and just as they uncover connections to a decades-old disappearance, a key suspect vanishes. Kate will have to piece together a puzzle spanning generations if she's to have any hope of finding out the truth.
Get it: Amazon | Bookshop.org (supports independent bookshops)
The Narrowboat Summer | Anne Youngson
Eve has left her long career to embrace a new, freer life; Sally has walked away from an indifferent husband and grown children; and Anastasia, an independent narrowboat dweller, faces a health crisis that leaves her stranded. Together, they embark on a journey through England’s canals, navigating challenges, eccentricities, and unexpected connections. As summer fades, each woman must choose whether to return to her old life or chart a new course forward.
Get it: Amazon | Bookshop.org (supports independent bookshops)
Murder in Gentleweir Canal | AS McClatchie
Genny Hadley, retired DI and bakery owner, is drawn into a new case when the patriarch of Yaxley Manor is found dead in the Gentleweir Canal during a high-profile wedding. Partnering with DI Remy Cochran, she must navigate a web of suspects among the wedding guests and the local community to catch the killer before they strike again.
Get it: Amazon | Bookshop.org (supports independent bookshops)
The NArrowboat Orphans | Daisy Carter
If you enjoy the kind of period tales that leave you in need of a tissue (like Call the Midwife), put this one on your TBR list. Orphaned after a tragedy, Dolly vows to protect her siblings from the workhouse, but life on a narrowboat in the West Country brings unexpected challenges. As they navigate poverty and prejudice, Dolly clashes with the entitled Dominic Smallwood, whose jealousy sparks dangerous events. When a shocking secret threatens her family, Dolly and her childhood friend Joe must risk everything for the ones they love.
Get it: Amazon | Bookshop.org (supports independent bookshops)
Murder by the Canal | Judith Cutler
This one's kind of a fun option because it's set in late-90s Birmingham – not something you see very often (although Marie Tierney's recent breakout novel, Deadly Animals, was set in 1980s Birmingham). Detective Kate Power returns from holiday to find a businessman she’d just met dead, hanging from a canal bridge, with her card as his only ID. As Kate delves into the case, she uncovers a cryptic message he left for her and a far darker mystery than she imagined.
Get it: Amazon | Bookshop.org (supports independent bookshops)
Under Lock & Key | Sam Short
Penelope Weaver returns to Wickford, hoping for peace after months aboard her boat, but life in her quirky witch family is anything but calm. With Granny’s witch dementia, a brandy-loving talking goat, and a barking goose, chaos is the norm. When a murder shakes the town, Penny and her oddball crew team up to solve the mystery, uncovering secrets, laughter, and maybe even romance along the way in this charming cozy mystery.
Get it: Amazon | Bookshop.org (supports independent bookshops)
Body in the Canal | Diane M Dickson
DI Jordan Carr is drawn into a deeply personal case when his wife’s friend reports her mother missing. As the search intensifies, a woman’s body is found in a Liverpool canal, showing signs of restraint. With mounting pressure and overlapping investigations, Carr fears the missing woman may face the same fate. Post-lockdown tensions and missteps threaten the case, leaving Carr racing against time to prevent another tragedy.
Get it: Amazon | Bookshop.org (supports independent bookshops)
Narrowboat Goddess | ML Buchman
Alice, a talented narrowboat artist with a great reputation, is overwhelmed when her mentor retires and leaves her the business. Carl, dropping off his parents' boat for a fresh coat of paint, never expects the encounter to change his life. Can two uncertain hearts find a way to merge, like rivers meeting on the canal?
Get it: Amazon | Bookshop.org (supports independent bookshops)
The Canal Murders | Christina James
In England’s East Midlands, DI Tim Yates faces a tangled web of cases: a local philanthropist assaulted, missing farm equipment, and a decapitated body in the Fossdyke Canal. As more bodies are discovered, connections emerge between recent disappearances—a paper girl, a prostitute, and an immigrant woman—and an old case with eerie similarities. With mounting pressure and murky leads, Yates needs to get at the truth before more lives are lost.
Get it: Amazon | Bookshop.org (supports independent bookshops)
The NArrowboat Girls | Rosie Archer
In spring 1944, Elsie seeks a fresh start after her husband leaves, joining her friend Izzy to work on wartime canal boats. Alongside their kind but secretive boss Dorothy and Tolly, who’s searching for purpose after losing her dream job, the women face grueling work and forge deep bonds. As they carry on through the challenges of war and the canals, they discover that what began as an escape could lead to the lives they’ve always dreamed of.
Get it: Amazon | Bookshop.org (supports independent bookshops)
All Aboard: The Canal Boat Cafe | Cressida McLaughlin
Summer Freeman returns to Willowbeck to revive the struggling Canal Boat Café, once her mother’s pride and joy. With a broken coffee machine, lackluster cakes, and resistance from locals, she has her hands full—especially with Mason, the charming wildlife photographer next door, whose Border Terrier causes chaos. As Summer rebuilds the café and reconnects with the village, she embarks on a journey that could lead to smooth sailing or stormy waters.
Get it: Amazon | Bookshop.org (supports independent bookshops)
Canal Pushers | Andy Griffee
Newly divorced and out of work, Jack Johnson seeks a fresh start on his narrowboat, Jumping Jack Flash. But when a boy he befriends turns up drowned, Jack finds himself drawn into a police investigation that doesn’t add up. With help from his unexpected companion Nina, Jack will find himself Britain’s canals while evading a serial killer, an organized crime syndicate, and a media frenzy (at roughly 4 miles per hour).
Get it: Amazon | Bookshop.org (supports independent bookshops)
The Cosy Canal Boat Dream | Christie Barlow
For two years, Nell Andrews has found solace on her canal boat, The Nollie, as she mends her broken heart and dreams of a fresh start. Enter Guy Cornish, a charming Irishman whose easy demeanor makes him the ideal partner for her new project. But as their bond grows, Guy’s hidden past surfaces, threatening to derail Nell’s plans and her chance at moving on.
Get it: Amazon | Bookshop.org (supports independent bookshops)
Crime on the Canals | Anthony Poulton-Smith
For centuries, Britain’s canals have carried goods—and attracted criminals of all kinds. This book uncovers the untold history of crime along the waterways, from murders and muggings to smugglers and counterfeiters, with humor woven into tales of canal etiquette, hardships, and absurdities. Though it's not a novel, it's a fun way to learn more about the lesser-known side of life on the canals, where the unexpected always lurks beneath the surface.
Get it: Amazon | Bookshop.org (supports independent bookshops)
Killer on the Canal
This upcoming book of puzzles has you following retiree Harvey Rivers as he travels Britain's canal network, encountering murder and mystery at every turn.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org (supports independent bookshops)
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