Bryant & May Books In Order

Publication Order of Bryant & May: Peculiar Crimes Unit Books

Publication Order of Bryant & May Graphic Novels

Publication Order of Bryant & May Collections

Publication Order of Bryant & May Companion Books

The ‘Bryant and May’ series is a novel series based on crime fiction and thriller genres. It comprises of 13 different novels written the award winning English author, Christopher Fowler, from 2003 to 2015. The series revolves around John May and Arthur Bryant, who work for the Peculiar Crime Unit, London, England. The time frame of the series is set between the second world War and the present times and often shifts into flashback to depict the related incidents from the past lives of the detectives. The author has frequently used the real life landmarks of London such as the St. Paul’s Cathedral, The Tate Gallery, underground rivers, tunnel networks and various theaters, throughout the series. Based on the fictional department of Bryant and May, the series is also referred to as the Peculiar Crimes Unit. John May and Arthur Bryant are introduced as Golden Age Detectives in the present modern time of London, England. The two together head the most venerable team of specialist policemen of London. The unit was founded during the time of the second World War in order to investigate the case that caused national scandals and major unrest among the people of London. Bryant is described as a technology-crazy and irascible man, whereas John May is said to be smooth-talking and modernist. The two lead a team of unusual misfits, based on above the London tube station. The members of his team seem likely to commit crimes instead of solving them. The cases depicted in the series showcase different styles of classic investigative stories. Being set in London, the series undergoes numerous flashbacks along with the progressive narration.

The first novel of the Bryant and May series was published under the title ‘Full Dark House’ by the Bantam publishing house in the year 2003. The novel introduces the central characters John May and Arthur Bryant, for the first time surrounded in a suspenseful, edge and darkly comic plot set in modern day London. The two characters have maintained a lifelong friendship and have spent their years solving criminal cases with the help of heir brilliant and cranky nature. Bryant and May work as detectives in the Peculiar Crimes Unit of the London Police Department. In this novel, the readers get to witness the first and last investigations of the detectives. The novel shows the attempts of the two detectives in fighting crimes with a modern style of detection. The plot of the novel starts with the description of a bomb blast in present day London. In this blast, detective John May loses his 80 year old partner Arthur Bryant. The plot undergoes a flashback to showcase the fifty year old partnership of John May and Arthur Bryant. After relishing the happy moments of their past, May sets out to find clues to catch the killer. While investigating, he finds some old notes written by Arthur Bryant related to their first case. He gets convinced that the killing is somehow related to their past and that one of the criminals has taken vengeance from Bryant and May.

The plot of the novel once again shows flashback events of their first case. The case ha begun with the murder of a dancer working in the production of Orpheus in Hell. The body of the dancer is found without her feet. The detectives, who were pretty young at that time, were forced to get pushed beyond their limits to solve the mystery. The drama grows even darker as the killer continues his sins against the theaters of London, at the time of the second World War. Bryant uses his unorthodox technique along with John May’s brilliant police work to catch the killer. The killer was able to escape from detection during that time and has returned in the modern time and claimed the life of Arthur Bryant as part of his vengeance. John May is also under constant threat of getting killed and so he has to act quickly in order to nab the killer and stop him from killing others. The novel is filled with numerous twists and turns, unforgettable characters and a mysterious plot that keeps the readers guessing. It is a witty and heartbreaking thriller featuring an inhuman killer. The success of the novel helped it to be nominated for the Barry Award for Best British Crime Novel in the year 2004. It even went on to win the British Fantasy Award for Best Novel in the same year.

The second novel of the Bryant and May series was titled ‘The Water Room’ and was published in the year 2004 by Bantam publishing house. In this novel, detectives Bryant and May continue to hunt the criminals using their 50 year old professional partnership. This time they are involved in a case of multiple murders filled with deep secrets and lies. The murders show glimpses of the extreme passion that drives ordinary men and women to commit shocking crimes. Bryant and May have been successful in solving tricky cases in the past using their unconventional style of investigation. They do not fear to opt for unauthorized means to bring out the truth related to the crimes. In this novel, the Peculiar Crimes Unit, headed by the two detectives is under the threat of being shut down forever, if they commit any further mistakes in their investigation. They seem to be getting close to making one such mistake when the elder sister of one of Bryant’s friends is murdered in the basement of her house in Kentish Town.

Bryant and May notice suspicious things about the dead body of Ruth Singh, who was fully dressed for an outing. This was contrary to the fact the she never used to leave the house and go out for anything. Although the doctors revealed her death to a heart attack, Bryant and May seemed convinced that she did not die a natural death. The case was very different from the normal ones as they were not able to find any motive nor any clue about the murderer. Soon, another death takes place in the city. Bryant and May become successful in discovering certain causes of the death of Ruth. She received constant threats from the real estate developers and racist threats to her two failed marriages. They also discover a network of antiquity collection running through the underground river system of London. The two detectives rely on their experience and instincts to solve the mysterious crimes and serve justice. The novel very well depicted the crazy attempts of the detectives to solve the unrelated murders. The author, Christopher Fowler has done a great job in showcasing the historical heritage of London as the readers enjoyed reading the eventful description of the ‘Bryant and May’ novel series.