Jim Kelly Books In Order

Publication Order of Philip Dryden Books

Publication Order of DI Peter Shaw & DS George Valentine Books

Publication Order of Nighthawk Books

Jim Kelly is a British author who was born on April Fool’s day in the year 1957. He took birth in the Victoria Maternity Hospital, which is situated in Barnet, Hertfordshire. Each and every person in his family took birth in London except him. His father, Brian B Kelly was a detective in London’s elite metropolitan police force. His father also served in the second world war as an Army Commando. Author Jim Kelly’s maternal grandfather was a JP and a special constable. Author’s mother was born when his maternal grandfather was 75 years old. In the childhood English author Jim Kelly went to Finchley Catholic Grammar School and Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School. Jim’s obsession with books started at the W H Smith’s that was nearby to his house. He would stand there reading books as there was no money to buy them. Another place he mentions is the Barnet Library, which was located just behind the Church. His two very much older brother left home to pursue their careers, leaving him the only child in the house. Bob, one of the elder brother after earning a degree in Sheffield emigrated to Canada and the other brother John shifted to Leeds. Barnet Football Club became a life-time’s love affair. His genre of writing includes mystery & thriller.

Author Kelly moved to Sheffield in 1975 and joined the staff of Darts, which was the university newspaper. He stayed in Sheffield for three years. He tried to get a job in the Sheffield Star after getting a degree in geography, but he failed. He then spent the next full year searching for jobs and worked here and there to carry out daily expenses. He finally got a job in the Bedfordshire Times in the year 1979. As a local reporter he spent five years at this place. Later he had many ups and downs in his life and he finally decided to become a writer. As of 2013, about eleven novels have been written by the British author Jim Kelly. The Water Clock written by him won an award. In the field of literature author Kelly won the New Angle Prize in the year 2010. He currently lives with Midge Gillies, who is a biographer and together they have a daughter.

The English novelist Kelly writes novels of crime fiction. The two series written by him ‘Philip Dryden’ series and ‘D.I. Peter Shaw & D.S. George Valentine’ series. The first book in the Philip Dryden series is titled ‘The Water Clock’ and was published by Minotaur Books on 9th December of the year 2003. The story of the book begins with a mutilated body of a man that is discovered in the Cambridgeshire Fens’ snowbound and bleak landscape. The body of the man is covered in a block of ice. Soon, the second body is discovered at the highest point of the Ely Cathedral. This body is found on the ancient stone gargoyle. It is found that for more than thirty years the decaying corpse of the man has been there. The main character of the book is Philip Dryden, who works in The Crow, a local newspaper as a lead reporter. The forensics find out that both the victims are from the year 1966 and are part of the one same terrifying crime. After finding this Philip Dryden knows that this is going to be a great story. Apart from all these things another key that Philip Dryden finds out is about his personal mystery. It is about the car accident that happened to him two years ago on a foggy night. It is about the person who saved his life on that day and left Laura, his wife to die. Philip Dryden frequently visits his wife Laura, who has been in coma since the accident and amidst all these things he finds the truth that will take him to a great urgency. Philip Dryden will face his own fears, his own guilt and a ruthless and cold killer once he finds out the answer to everything. This book is very brilliantly written and is a great murder mystery book. As the best first crime novel of the year, this book was shortlisted for John Creasey Award of Britain. Soon, Jim Kelly became a master of twists, turns and suspense. It is promised that this book will keep you on the edge of your seat and will surely blow your mind.

The second book written by the English crime fiction novelist Kelly is titled ‘The Fire Baby’ and was published by Minotaur Books on 9th December of the year 2004. The beginning of the second book is with fire. In the early 1976, Maggie Beck is living at Black Bank Farm along with her infant son and her parents. Soon a US plane crashes from the nearby airbase on the Black Bank Farm. From the accident, Maggie walks out with an infant baby in her hand. This baby is not hers but someone else. Her baby and her parents died in the accident. The son Maggie is carrying is the child of the captain of US Air Force and his wife and the two-week old boy has the name Lyndon Koskinski. Soon Maggie sends the boy to his grandparents in Texas who were waiting for him. Twenty-seven years later Philip Dryden visits Laura every day and lying alongside her bed is Maggie who is dying from cancer. Philip knows Maggie for a long time as Philip’s father died when he was eleven and then Maggie moved in with the Drydens to help the mother of Philip. Laura also starts regaining consciousness after four years and Maggie tells them that she has to tell a story. The story is a terrible one full of secrets and lies. Apart from the hospital there is another story that draws the attention of Philip. It is about someone who is trafficking women in a container and soon one woman is found dead. Now Lyndon Koskinski returns after twenty-seven years later to meet the woman who saved his life. Lyndon is also in US Air Force just like his father and meets Estelle, Maggie’s daughter and they start a romance. The couple is on a holiday when Maggie’s health deteriorates she begs to see them one last time. The book is a great one that tells about secrets and lies.

One Response to “Jim Kelly”

1. Barr: 3 years ago

   Happy birthday Jim
   I’m reading all your books in order for the second time
   Keep them rolling!
   Best regards
   Baz

   Reply