John Carson Books In Order

Publication Order of Calvin Stewart Thrillers Books

Publication Order of DI Frank Miller Books

Publication Order of DCI Harry McNeil Books

Publication Order of DCI James Craig Books

Publication Order of DCI Sean Bracken Books

Publication Order of Max Doyle Books

Publication Order of Scott Marshall Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

John Carson is a mystery author born in Edinburgh, Scotland. In 2006, he moved to New York state with his wife and two daughters. He is the writer of DI Frank Miller, DCI Harry McNeil series, and DCI Sean Bracken series.

Sticks and Stones
Sticks and Stones is the first installment in the DCI Harry McNeil series. Fifteen years ago, a man killed his wife then took his own life afterward. Currently, DCI Neil is leading a major investigation group on the case when he receives a call to go to a small town located in the Scottish Highlands. He has spent many years investigating bad cops, and promotion is coming up, but a major investigation team is about to put his reputation in light.

He’s presented a case where the bride is missing on her wedding night. The bride is a daughter who vanishes from the honeymoon hotel in the Scottish Highlands castle. People have searched for her everywhere, but they’ve not found any sign of her. The investigation team led by Neil is backing up the local team along with another team from Glasgow. The bride and the groom come from powerful families in the west and east coasts, and the police have to be seen to be doing something helpful.

In the midst of the bride’s search, a body is found dead, killed in the same way as the women from fifteen years ago. Investigating alongside other officers from different divisions pushes McNeil near his breaking point after uncovering the charred corpse clothed in a wedding gown. He fears that the missing bride might meet the same fate.

The teams are under pressure to get the results as fast as possible, but how can they catch a serial killer who appears to be a step ahead of them and watch their moves? A trail of clues from fifteen years ago surrounded by vengeance, tragic murder-suicide, and false identities follow.
They will have to work extra hard to make sure the killer is brought to justice failure to which more dead bodies will be found. Will McNeil and the rest of the officers bring the killer to justice before things change to a mass funeral?

The novel grabs the reader’s attention right from the beginning and keeps them engaged as they flip pages. This is perfect for readers looking for something enjoyable but not too gritty a mystery. The characters are likable and come together, sharing a good spirit as they work to solve the murder mystery. John Carson’s twists and turns will keep you in suspense, wondering what might happen next.

Starvation Lake
Starvation Lake is the first novel in DCI Sean Bracken. The story is about a killer behind bars, and another on the loose, and a detective is caught between the mess. Ailsa Connolly was known as an intelligent psychologist and respected criminology and but 6 years ago, she turned out to be a serial killer.
Around six years ago, DCI Sean Bracken got hold of her just before he was about to be her seventh victim. Each year on the anniversary of her incarceration, she catcalls her through the phone, threatening him that once she gets out, she’ll kill him.

Recently Bracken has been transferred to Edinburgh for Fife and is put in a deep end on the first day of his new place of work. He comes back to his hometown after a breakup with his wife. He doesn’t have a house of his own, so he stays in a B&B operated by his retired ex-colleague. This is the same area he arrested Ailsa when she attempted to kill him 6 years ago.

Bracken is just in the process of settling when he gets a call from his DI informing him of a murder involving a young lady. The killer slashed her throat and took her eyes off her face. It appears there is another killer on the loose who uses using Ailsa’s tactics, threatening to outdo her body count.

This murder gives him a shivering feeling as it’s the same method Ailsa has been promising to kill him. Will Bracken ask the woman who has been threatening to kill him to help in the case?

Bracken needs her on his side to track down this killer, but she is adamant to get involved. As the case takes an unexpected twist, Ailsa agrees to help, but the new killer seems to be taking them in a twisted path where no one is aware of the results until they realize it’s too late. The twists will keep the reader guessing who the killer is and how the murders are connected.

Back to Life
Back to Life is the second novel in the DCI Harry McNeil series. It seems like a simple murder case, but it turns out that the victims had a false identity. DCI Harry’s dangerous line of work isn’t good for relationships, so when a lady officer’s dissected remains are washed up a canal, he feels that he made the right decision of leaving his girlfriend.

However, the investigation took an unexpected turn after discovering that the corpse had a police ID that belonged to a cop who was long buried. As McNeil digs deeper into the investigation, he finds out that the woman was a software engineer dealing with classified projects, including poking into government areas.

When a second emerges, McNeil is afraid that the truth is in the circles of greed and corruption of the government. It appears someone is working tirelessly to ensure the secrets stay underground. Will McNeil arrest the serial killer before the tables are turned?

The story is set against a tech company specializing in making self-driving cars. The owner sets up this private business by channeling his anger and grief against an accident that changed his life into a new passion. He creates a future so that an accident like the one he encountered could not happen.
This novel will be ideal for fans of tough detectives, snappy banter, and dark humor. The characters are well developed, with plenty of humor between Harry and his team, making them believable. The plot is intriguing and fast-paced to keep the reader at the edge of their chairs.

2 Responses to “John Carson”

1. Pauline Berkmann: 2 years ago

   I discovered John Carson’s books at the beginning of 2023. As a retired Geordie now living in Canada I have devoured each series. Including “Twist of Fate”. I love the banter between the various characters it always make me laugh. It amazes me how you come up with all the different plots I can’t wait for your next book. Keep them coming. Regards Pauline.

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2. Penelope Casana plasencia: 2 years ago

   Hi John I just want to say I can’t wait for a twist of fate to come out ! I know I have said this before in an email but as a new reader of your books and my husband also who is from Clyde bank you can hear us bursting out laughing on occasions with Calvin and some of the other characters and what is great are the vicious murders that go with it . Whatever you do keep them coming just love them kindest regards penny

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