Discover the best books by Jane Adams

Anyone who loves crime fiction will sooner or later stumble upon Jane Adams. For nearly 30 years, the British author has written one excellent mystery novel after another, creating iconic protagonists such as Rina Martin, Naomi Blake, and Ray Flowers. The plot lines are tight, the twists and turns mesmerizing, and the suspense exemplary. With six major book series and three standalone novels, Adams ranks among the most notable crime writers of our time.

All of Jane Adams’s books can be enjoyed as single tomes. However, for maximum enjoyment, reading all the series in their entirety is best. This article provides a background of the author while listing all the best books by Jane Adams.

Who is Jane Adams?

Jane Adams was born in 1960 in Leicestershire, England, where she still lives with her husband and two children. She graduated in sociology and worked in numerous occupations, and was once the lead singer in a folk rock band.

She published her first major novel, The Greenway, in 1995. The book made it onto the nominees’ list for the Author’s Club Best First Novel Award and the CWA John Creasey Award.

The author continues to be amazed that writing has become her career and that readers want to read her books. But she also insists that once a story takes root in your mind, it must be told.

When Jane Adams isn’t working on another page-turner, she teaches creative writing while mentoring and reading for The Literary Consultancy. Her work as a Fellow of the Royal Literary Fund continues. She recently also became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

The best Jane Adams books

When introducing Jane A. Adams’s best books, it’s best to list them within the relevant book series and in chronological order:

The Greenway (1995)

Nominated for the CWA John Creasey Award and the Author’s Club Best First Novel Award, The Greenway is the first Mike Croft book.

Friends Suzie and Cassie take a shortcut through the greenway, but somewhere along this ancient path, Suzie disappears. Cassie never quite recovers. Twenty years on, she revisits the Norfolk landscape to find answers. But another child goes missing, and Cassie and detective Mike Croft begin the frantic search.

The Greenway is a haunting psychological thriller full of plot twists and intrigue.

Mike Croft appears in three other novels, including Cast the First Stone, Final Frame, and The Liar.

The Apothecary’s Daughter / The Angel Gateway (2000)

As captivating as any Stephen King bestseller, The Apothecary’s Daughter intertwines the mysterious stories of two protagonists centuries apart—Ray Flowers, a detective whose life has been blown apart by a petrol bomb, and Kitty Hallam, accused of witchcraft in the 17th century.

This is detective Ray Flowers’ first outing. The series includes Unwilling Son / Like Angels Falling, The Drowning Men / Angel Eyes, and The Sister’s Twin.

Murder on Sea / A Reason to Kill (2008)

Murder on Sea is Jane A. Adams’s first Rina Martin book. The book’s main character is a retired actor who, after playing a detective on screen, turns to real-life crime solving. A few doors down from her country guesthouse, someone bludgeons an old lady to death. With Detective Sebastian McGregor out of his depth, Rina Martin must assist him to keep her neighbors safe.

Not only is Rina Martin as likable as Miss Marple, but Adams also spins a mystery as well as Christie.

Other books in the series include Murder on the Cliff / Fragile Lives, Murder on the Boat / The Power of One, Murder on the Beach / Resolutions, Murder at the Country House / The Dead of Winter, Murder at the Pub / Cause of Death, and Forgotten Voices.

A Murderous Mind (2016)

Namoi Blake is another worthy protagonist. She appears in 12 novels, including Mourning the Little Dead, Touching the Dark, Blood Ties, Heatwave, Legacy of Lies, Night Vision, Gregory’s Game, Secrets, Fakes and Lies, Killing a Stranger, and Paying the Ferryman.

In A Murderous Mind, Blake helps discredited police officer Joe Jackson solve a string of brutal murders.

Bright Young Things (2021)

Bright Young Things is the seventh book in the DCI Henry Johnstone series. Other books include The Clockmaker, The Murder Book, Old Sins, The Good Wife, Death Scene, Kith and Kin, and The Girl in the Yellow Dress.

In this nail-biting novel, DCI Henry Johnstone must solve the brutal murder of Faun Moran. Set in the 1930s, the story packs atmosphere, intrigue, and suspense.

Bury Me Deep (2021)

Detective Rozlyn Priest faces three victims seemingly connected by a timeless weapon yet millennia apart.

In Bury Me Deep, the author threads crime across centuries, with the main character fearlessly unfolding murders most foul.

Honorable mentions

Several other books deserve a mention. For starters, the two books in the Merrow & Clarke series, Kidnap and Safe; secondly, the standalone books, including The Other Woman / Bird, The Woman in the Painting / Kiss Goodbye, and Then She Was Dead / Dangerous to Know.

Absorb yourself in crime fiction with Speechify Audiobooks

If you don’t want to head over to Amazon to order a hard copy of a Jane Adams book, check out the expansive audiobook library on Speechify. New books join bestsellers all the time, and the books are available to download on any device in 14 different languages. When you register, you can download the first title free of charge.

Start off with Murder on the Cliff or Murder on Sea, Adams’s thrillers featuring Rina Martin.

Speechify also provides numerous Agatha Christie classics, including Death on the Nile, The ABC Murders, and The Man in the Brown Suit. For another nail-biting British thriller, dive into Jeffrey Archer’s Hidden in Plain Sight.

FAQ

What series does Jane Adams write?

Jane Adams has written multiple series featuring different central characters, including the Mike Croft books, the Henry Johnstone Mystery series, Merrow & Clarke books, the Naomi Blake books, the Ray Flowers series, and the Rina Marin books. In 2021, she published Bury Me Deep, the first book featuring Detective Rozlyn Priest.

How many books has Jane Adams published?

Altogether, Jane Adams has written 41 books.