Douglas Reeman / Alexander Kent Books In Order

Publication Order of Richard Bolitho Books

Chronological Order of Richard Bolitho Books

Publication Order of Blackwood Family Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Short Story Collections

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Novelist Douglas Reeman was born in Thames Ditton, Surrey, England, in 1924. Although he came from an army family, when WWII broke out, Reeman decided to join the navy. He was only 16 years old at the time, but managed to enlist and start out as a midshipman on destroyers, a fete that was not to be scoffed at. Eventually he would transfer to work on motor torpedo boats, and was mentioned in two dispatches. His service took him to the Atlantic and Mediterranean campaigns, as well as the North Sea and Arctic campaigns. Eventually, he rose to the rank of Lieutenant.

After the end of WWII, Reeman took on many different jobs, sort of becoming a jack of all trades. He worked in many marine trades, including selling marine engines and even delivering new yachts to customers. He also worked as a police officer in London’s East End, both as a uniformed officer and as a plain-clothes detective for the Criminal Investigation Department. Then, the Korean War broke out, and Reeman went back to active duty. He then stayed on in the navy reserves while he changed careers yet again to become a children’s welfare officer, and worked for the London County Council.

Then, in 1957, he put his creative talents to great use, and began writing. He initially published two short stories, and then wrote his own fictionalized account of “his war” as a project for himself, never dreaming that it would also be published. Not only was “A Prayer for the Ship” published in 1958, (under the pseudonym “Alex Kent”, a friend and officer who perished in the war) it was just the start of what would be an amazing literary career.

Reeman is a master storyteller of sea stories, and tells stories of life on the sea from the Nelson era into the 20th century. He writes both under his pseudonym as well as his own name. Under his name, you will find great books that focus on life in the British Royal Navy and the action that is seen during war time. As Alexander Kent, he writes about Bolitho, and later Bolitho’s nephew Adam, and their adventures at sea in the “Age of Fighting Sail”. To date, there are over 34 million copies of Reeman’s books in print.

While writing about the war brought his initial success, Reeman’s one true love was always ships, as well as the men of Nelson’s day. So, he decided that it was time to return to his roots. Already established as one of the greatest modern writers of sea stories, now he was going to start a series of novels that featured one main character and an era of glory. Using his pseudonym, he published “To Glory We Steer” in 1968. This book introduced Richard Bolitho, who would be the hero throughout what would become a world-famous fiction series. His two famous characters can be found in 28 novels, and there are 35 other Reeman novels that document the fictional lives of other heroes.

Reeman’s books can be found in 14 different languages, including Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, and Japanese. The Bolitho books have sold over 23 million copies worldwide, and more are slated to be printed due to the overwhelming demand for books about these characters. There is also a high demand for digital download versions of these and other Reeman/Kent books. Not only have these books given Reeman an awesome fan base, they have also changed his life profoundly through one fan. In 1980 he met Kimberly Jordan, who he would later marry. Jordan was Reeman’s second wife, and they met while Reeman was on a Canadian book tour. She was a novelist herself, and was a fan of his work, particularly the Bolitho books. They married in 1985, which also happened to be the birthday of Bolitho.

The Bolitho series is nautical fiction that is set in the late 18th century. It seems like Reeman was taking a cue from his own life for at least some of the story ideas. Bolitho was 16 when he joined the navy, the same as Reeman. But, as they say, art often imitates life, and life often imitates art.

Midshipman Bolitho

While this is actually the eighth book in the series and not the first, it is set in an earlier time than the other books, so technically it can be considered the first. Hero Richard Bolitho arrives at an inn that is often frequented by midshipmen in Portsmouth, where he meets Martyn Dancer, a midshipman who is also 16 years of age.

They board the Gorgon, and set sail for West Africa, where they encounter a number of adventures, including boarding and inspecting the merchantman, “City of Athens”, which was empty save for crew members who had been killed. It is decided that the ship was raided by pirates, and the crew of the Gorgon were sent to investigate missing ships in the area. The rest of the book details the mission to take the ship and then go after the pirates who were pillaging ships in these waters.

Midshipman Bolitho and the Avenger

In this installment of the popular Bolitho series, Bolitho and his friend Dancer have leave from the Gorgon after it returns to Plymouth to be refitted. While on holiday, they stay at the Bolitho estate. Soon after their arrival, a taxi driver is killed, and the only agents available for the investigation are Bolitho and Dancer. This puts a quick end to their little vacation. It is suspected that the driver was killed by wreckers or smugglers. Hugh Bolitho arrives on the scene as the lead investigator of the death, and our two main characters are working under him. Throughout their investigation, they capture a vessel that is smuggling guns, and discover that this vessel has a connection to the wreckers. They set a trap, and are ambushed. Dancer is taken prisoner by the smugglers, but later released. The leader of the smugglers tries to flee to France, but is caught when trying to leave in a private yacht. This book is loaded with action and adventure, and will make you want to keep reading the rest of the series.