Diane Janes Books In Order

Publication Order of Black & Dod Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

Diane Janes
Author Diane Janes was born and educated in Birmingham, where she learned to love reading and first tried her hand at writing. She has lived in various parts of the north of England for much of her adult life. Having worked in everything from engineering to mortgages, she is a full time writer of investigative non fiction and fiction, specializing in crime.

When she was still an unpublished author, she was short listed for the Crime Writers’ Association Debut Dagger and in the year 2010 was among the quartet of finalists in contention for the John Creasey Dagger.

“The Pull of the Moon” is the first stand alone novel and was released in 2010. Knowledge is power, however secrets are more powerful still, since secrets have a life of their own and a wake of working themselves center stage. When Kate Mayfield gets a letter from Mrs. Ivanisovic, she realizes that the secret she’s kept for over thirty years now isn’t as safe as she imagined.

Kate, haunted by the echoes of this vanished summer that forever changed her life, is forced to face memories that she would much rather just forget, a dead white face in this flickering beam, which doesn’t flinch when soil hits it. Mrs. Ivanisovic is dying and is demanding the truth, however is Kate’s story of lies, murder, and love truly what Mrs. Ivanisovic wants to hear? And just how much does she herself know already? The danger is always there that a secret could find a way out.

“Why Don’t You Come for Me?” is the second stand alone novel and was released in 2011. Jo still wakes up suddenly sometimes, thinking she can hear Lauren’s cry. Even though twelve years have gone by since her young daughter was kidnapped, pictures of her baby continue arriving by post with the words ‘I Still Have Her’ scrawled across the back. The cops believe it to be the work of this hoaxer yet Jo has always believed them to be quite genuine, and until there’s some hard evidence to the contrary, she will always hang onto the belief that Lauren’s still alive.

However if the pictures truly do come from this kidnapper it means they’ve been keeping track of Jo’s movements all of these years, and as of recently, Jo’s started feeling like she’s being watched, as well as that whoever has her daughter has been getting closer. Is her husband right to just dismiss her fears as paranoia or could Jo herself be in some danger? While her life starts unraveling Jo fears the truth might lie in some older events; in one half-forgotten childhood world, scarred by rumors of murder and insanity.

You never really know what is around the corner with this novel, which makes it highly entertaining to read and the ending is hugely shocking. Jo is a character fans of the book found themselves rooting for and siding with throughout the novel.

“Swimming in the Shadows” is the third stand alone novel and was released in 2014. One young woman’s past is just about to catch up with her in this gripping story of romantic suspense.

Susan McCarthy works as a health center manager in the Yorkshire Dales, engaged to be married to Rob Dugdale, a geography teacher. Susan’s life really couldn’t be happier. Except she’s not Susan McCarthy at all, but Jennifer Reynolds, this young woman that’s succeeded in escaping from a deeply unhappy past.

Then this TV program airs which examines the mystery of these three women that vanished without leaving a trace, one of whom is Jennifer Reynolds. The very next day, a local teen girl is discovered dead, and this town becomes the center of this major murder enquiry. With Rob, her fiance, under suspicion, and her fears that she will get recognized from the increasing national press coverage, she’s horrified by the idyllic new life that she’s worked so very hard to achieve is going to be destroyed.

Jennifer, once more bodies are found, realizes that in order to learn the truth she’ll have to revisit her troubled past. And put herself in grave danger in the process.

Diane delivers a novel that is twisting, strange, and spooky, with a chilling yet satisfying ending. This intricately plotted romantic suspense novel, and is guaranteed to keep the reader glued to their seats.

“The Magic Chair Murder” is the first novel in the “Black and Dod” series and was released in 2017. Introducing amateur sleuths Tom Dod and Frances Black in the first of this intriguing new historical mystery series which is set in the north of England.

1929. Linda Dexter, community member, vanishes the night before she is set to make this speech to the Robert Barnaby Society on the subject of the famous writer’s ‘magic chair’. Her body is discovered just two days later, Tom Dod and Frances Black, fellow members, determine to learn the truth behind the woman’s death.

Could Linda have learned something about Robert Barnaby that got her killed? Or could the answer lie in the dead woman’s past? While pursuing their investigations, Tom and Fran find that the Barnaby Society is a hotbed for clashing egos, ill-advised love affairs, and seething resentments. Could that mean that a killer lurks among them?

“The Poisoned Chalice Murder” is the second novel in the “Black and Dod” series and was released in 2018. Black and Dod have returned to investigate this trio of deaths in a sleepy little English village.

Tom’s Aunt Hetty is worried, three sudden deaths have occurred in this sleepy little village of Durley Dean. They may appear to be tragic accidents, yet Aunt Hetty’s not all that certain. After all, each of the three took a stand against Reverend Pinder, the new vicar of St. Agnes Church, whose controversial changes have divided the congregation.

However could there really be a killer among these parishioners? And as Fran jumps at the chance to spend a whole weekend at Aunt Hetty’s sleuthing with Tom, could this trip prove to be a poisoned chalice in more ways than just the one?