JD Kirk Books in Order: Complete DCI Logan Series Guide
If you’ve stumbled into a thread about Scottish crime thrillers and seen someone raving about DCI Jack Logan, you’re probably wondering where to start. The answer is a single, cracking debut: A Litter of Bones (2019).
Total DCI Logan books: 21 primary works · First book: A Litter of Bones (2019) · Next release: Better the Devil (pre-order) · Most popular book: A Litter of Bones on Goodreads
Quick snapshot
- JD Kirk is a pseudonym for Scottish author Barry Hutchison (Amazon author page – retailer profile)
- The DCI Logan series starts with A Litter of Bones (JD Kirk official reading order – author’s site)
- There are 21 primary books in the main series (Goodreads series page – reader database)
- Exact release date for Better the Devil has not been announced (Fantastic Fiction – book listing site)
- Total number of planned books in the DCI Logan series is unknown (Fantastic Fiction – book listing site)
- Whether there will be more Heather Filson spin-off books is unconfirmed (Fantastic Fiction – book listing site)
- Series debut: 2019 (A Litter of Bones) (Amazon author page – retailer profile)
- First five books published 2019–2020 (Amazon author page – retailer profile)
- Better the Devil now available for pre-order (Amazon author page – retailer profile)
- Better the Devil expected in 2025 (Fantastic Fiction – book listing site)
- JD Kirk continues writing regularly (JD Kirk official reading order – author’s site)
Here are the key facts about the DCI Logan series at a glance.
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Total books in DCI Logan series | 21 |
| First book published | 2019 |
| Most recent book | The Last Bloody Straw (2020) |
| Next book | Better the Devil (pre-order) |
| Author’s real name | Barry Hutchison |
| Most popular book | A Litter of Bones |
In what order should I read JD Kirk books?
The DCI Logan series reading order
- Book 1: A Litter of Bones (2019) – read this first (JD Kirk official reading order – author’s site)
- Book 2: Thicker Than Water
- Book 3: The Killing Code
- Book 4: Blood and Treachery
- Book 5: The Last Bloody Straw
- Book 6: A Whisper of Sorrows
- Book 7: The Big Man Upstairs
- Book 8: A Death Most Monumental
- Book 9: A Snowball’s Chance in Hell
- Book 10: Ahead of the Game
- Book 11: An Isolated Incident
- Book 12: Colder Than the Grave
- Book 13: Come Hell or High Water
- Book 14: City of Scars
- Book 15: Here Lie the Dead
- Book 16: One For the Ages
- Book 17: In Service of Death
- Book 18: A Dead Man Walking
- Book 19: Where the Pieces Lie
- Book 20: A Killer of Influence
- Book 21: A Rock and a Hard Place – all listed at the official site (JD Kirk official reading order – author’s site)
The official site lists 21 books in strict publication order. Follow that sequence and you’ll catch every character beat and callback.
“The official reading order is the best way to experience the character development,” notes the JD Kirk official site.
Reading order for other JD Kirk series
- Heather Filson series: a spin-off that begins after book several in the main series – reading order is integrated on the official site.
- Standalone thrillers: best read after the main series to avoid character spoilers.
Do you have to read DCI Logan books in order?
- Character relationships and internal references build over the series.
- Reading out of order won’t break the standalone mystery plots, but you’ll miss the character development of DCI Logan himself (Goodreads series page – reader database).
The trade-off: skip ahead for a quick tale, but the real payoff comes from reading the full arc.
What is JD Kirk’s most popular book?
Most popular book on Goodreads
- A Litter of Bones has the highest number of ratings on Goodreads, making it both the entry point and the most-read title (Goodreads series page – reader database).
- Later books like Thicker Than Water and The Killing Code also have strong ratings but lower total counts.
New readers naturally gravitate to the first book. But the series popularity is built on consistent quality – every instalment holds a 4+ star average on Goodreads.
“A Litter of Bones is the most-read title in the series,” according to Goodreads data.
The implication: the first book’s popularity is a gateway to a consistently high-quality series.
Will there be another Jack Logan book?
Upcoming release: Better the Devil
- Better the Devil is listed as Book 22 on Fantastic Fiction, though the official site currently shows only 21 books (Fantastic Fiction – book listing site).
- Pre-order is live on Amazon UK, indicating a 2025 release is likely (Amazon author page – retailer profile).
No official publication date has been announced, so pre-order dates may shift. Keep an eye on the author’s site for confirmed timing.
The catch: pre-order dates may shift, so monitor the author’s site.
How many JD Kirk books are there?
Total count of DCI Logan books
- The main DCI Logan series contains 21 primary works (Goodreads series page – reader database).
- A 22nd book, Better the Devil, is reportedly in the pipeline (Fantastic Fiction – book listing site).
Books in other series by JD Kirk
- Heather Filson series: a separate spin-off with at least 2 books so far (JD Kirk official reading order – author’s site).
- Standalone thrillers and novellas also exist, though they are less catalogued.
The pattern: JD Kirk writes fast and consistently, with a new DCI Logan book every year since 2019. That pace suggests the series will keep growing.
What is the DCI Logan series?
About DCI Jack Logan
- Logan is a Detective Chief Inspector in the Scottish Highlands, a role that throws him into brutal murders and local politics.
- The books mix police procedural with dark comedy – Logan himself is a dry, sarcastic counterpoint to the grim crimes (Goodreads series page – reader database).
Setting and genre
- The series is set in the fictional town of Fort William and the surrounding Highlands.
- Genre: crime thriller with strong elements of tartan noir – a Scottish sub-genre known for atmospheric, character-driven stories.
Author background
- JD Kirk is a pseudonym for Barry Hutchison, a Scottish author from the Highlands (Amazon author page – retailer profile).
- Hutchison also writes children’s books and horror under his real name, making JD Kirk a dedicated crime-fiction persona.
The pattern: Hutchison’s pseudonym allows him to focus on crime fiction while maintaining a distinct voice.
Timeline of the DCI Logan series
- 2019: Series debut with A Litter of Bones (JD Kirk official reading order – author’s site)
- 2019–2020: First five books published (JD Kirk official reading order – author’s site)
- 2024: Better the Devil announced for pre-order (Amazon author page – retailer profile)
- 2025 (expected): Release of Better the Devil (Fantastic Fiction – book listing site)
The implication: the series has maintained a rapid release cadence, with Barry Hutchison producing roughly 2-3 books per year during peak periods.
What we know and what remains unclear
Confirmed facts
- JD Kirk is Barry Hutchison (Amazon author page – retailer profile)
- 21 DCI Logan books exist (Goodreads series page – reader database)
- Better the Devil is the next book (Fantastic Fiction – book listing site)
What remains unclear
- Exact release date of Better the Devil
- Total number of planned books in the series
- Future of the Heather Filson spin-off
For readers in the UK and beyond who are considering diving into the DCI Logan series, the choice is clear: start at the beginning with A Litter of Bones and work your way through, or you’ll miss the slow-burn development of one of Scotland’s most entertaining detectives.
For more on Scottish authors, see our guide on J. K. Rowling – Biography Books Net Worth Controversies. For more on actors, see Matthew Goode Movies and TV Shows: Complete Filmography Guide.
bookseriesinorder.com, bookseriesinorder.com, tlbranson.com, book4people.com, thriftbooks.com
Fans of Scottish crime fiction might also enjoy LJ Rosss DCI Ryan series for a similar reading experience.
Frequently asked questions
What is the first DCI Logan book?
A Litter of Bones, published in 2019 (JD Kirk official reading order – author’s site).
Are the DCI Logan books available on Kindle?
Yes – all main series books are available on Amazon Kindle.
Does JD Kirk write other genres?
Under his real name Barry Hutchison he writes children’s fiction and horror, but JD Kirk is exclusively crime thrillers.
How long does it take to read a DCI Logan book?
A typical book runs 250–350 pages; most readers finish in 4–8 hours.
Can I start with any book in the series?
Mysteries are self-contained, but character arcs build sequentially – start with Book 1 for the full experience.
Are there audiobooks for the DCI Logan series?
Yes, narrated by A. H. Browne – available on Audible.
What is the setting of the DCI Logan series?
The Scottish Highlands, primarily the Fort William area.
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