Rachel Abbott Books in Order (Updated February 22, 2026)

Rachel Abbott writes two separate crime-thriller continuities: the long-running DCI Tom Douglas novels and the Sergeant Stephanie King novels. These lines do not depend on each other, but order matters within each line because relationships, reputations, and personal stakes carry forward.

If you want the least confusion and the fewest accidental spoilers, keep each series in publication order.

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Reading-order “router” (pick one lane)

Lane 1: Manchester-based investigations (longest continuity)

Start DCI Tom Douglas #1: Only the Innocent.

Lane 2: Cornwall-based investigations (shorter, tighter run)

Start Stephanie King #1: And So It Begins.

Want to read both without mixing details?

Read each series straight through, but you can alternate between lanes (e.g., one Tom Douglas book, then one Stephanie King book).

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Continuity boundaries (quick, clear, strict)

• DCI Tom Douglas: one continuity (Manchester-area setting for most books).
• Stephanie King: separate continuity (Cornwall setting).
• Nowhere Child: a Tom Douglas novella tied to the events/characters around Stranger Child.

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DCI Tom Douglas books in order

These are psychological crime thrillers with cumulative character consequences. Later entries assume you remember who has been burned before, and why.

1. Only the Innocent (2011): A wealthy man’s death pulls DI Tom Douglas into a case where money smooths the surface but sharpens the motives underneath.
2. The Back Road (2013): A crime rooted in old relationships turns the investigation into a map of who knew what, and when.
3. Sleep Tight (2014): A family-centered nightmare where the “safe” home becomes the most dangerous place in the story.
4. Stranger Child (2015): A missing-child case pivots into a wider pattern of deception, with consequences that don’t stay contained.
5. Nowhere Child (2015, novella; optional but best read here): A shorter, character-linked bridge that expands the shadow around Stranger Child.
6. Kill Me Again (2016): A murder with personal echoes forces Douglas to separate professional instinct from private bias.
7. The Sixth Window (2017): A case structured around perspective, what looks obvious from one “window” becomes dangerous from another.
8. Come a Little Closer (2018): A slow-closing trap of proximity and trust, where the threat is as much emotional as physical.
9. The Shape of Lies (2019): A story about constructed narratives, who controls them, and who gets erased by them.
10. Right Behind You (2020): A pursuit-driven novel where fear spreads through a community faster than proof can travel.
11. Close Your Eyes (2021): A case that weaponizes uncertainty, forcing the team to work with partial truth by design.
12. No More Lies (2023): A high-pressure investigation where the “official” story keeps collapsing under the weight of what people won’t admit.
13. Whatever It Takes (2025): Douglas is pushed into an escalation-driven hunt where loyalty, leverage, and risk spiral beyond routine procedure.

Best practice: If you’re going to read Tom Douglas, start at #1. Books can be read as individual cases, but the character arc is not episodic.

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Stephanie King books in order

This is a shorter, more contained run built around Sergeant Stephanie King in Cornwall. Read in order for the cleanest progression of character history and recurring relationships.

1. And So It Begins (2018): A community-facing investigation that quickly turns inward, testing who gets believed and who gets blamed.
2. The Murder Game (2020): A set-piece premise with tightly managed suspense, built around group dynamics and misdirection.
   • US title note: This book is also published as The Invitation in some editions.
3. Don’t Look Away (2023): A case that feeds on split-second decisions, what you choose not to see becomes evidence later.
4. The Last Time I Saw Him (2024): A relationship-driven mystery where the emotional timeline matters as much as the factual one.

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The recommended order (if you want one decisive answer)

Start with Only the Innocent → continue in Tom Douglas publication order → insert Nowhere Child after Stranger Child.
Then, if you want a second continuity with a fresh setting, begin And So It Begins and read Stephanie King in order.

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Latest release status (Feb 22, 2026)

• Latest Tom Douglas entry: Whatever It Takes (2025).
• Latest Stephanie King entry: The Last Time I Saw Him (2024).
• No later Rachel Abbott title was reliably confirmed in the checked listings for this update.

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FAQs

Do I have to read Nowhere Child?
No. It’s optional, but it’s best placed right after Stranger Child because it’s closely linked in characters and context.

Can I start with the Stephanie King books instead?
Yes. They’re separate from Tom Douglas and work perfectly as a shorter entry point.

How do I avoid buying the same Stephanie King book twice?
Watch for the alternate title: The Murder Game can appear as The Invitation depending on region/edition.

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Bottom line

If you want the broadest, most developed continuity: start Only the Innocent and stay in Tom Douglas publication order (slotting Nowhere Child after Stranger Child). If you want a shorter, separate run with a distinct setting, start And So It Begins and read Stephanie King straight through.