Shirley Wells Books In Order

Publication Order of Dylan Scott Mystery Books

Publication Order of Jill Kennedy and DCI Max Trentham Mystery Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Rainbow Cove Christmas Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

A contemporary British author whose status is growing day-by-day, the English writer Shirley Wells has been producing her novels for some time now to much acclaim, with her thrillers being easily accessible to a worldwide audience, as she fuses both suspense and intrigue in one addictive combination. With notable characters such as Jill Kennedy who stars in her own set of novels, she has a number of highly popular franchises that are enjoyed by many. Not only a master of the surprise twist in the story, she is also able to create engaging and unique characters that her audience can easily identify with.

Early and Personal Life

Growing up in the Cotswolds where she was both born and raised, she had an idyllic rural upbringing which helped her to become the writer that she currently is today, always taking in inspiration from her surrounding environment. With a keen passion for both writing and literature, something which she held from a very early age, she was able to create a style and tone all of her own, which was to build the basis for her profession in the years to come. Always looking for new ideas, she was constantly observing and feeding her findings back into her material, a practice which came to serve her well.

Just as keen a researcher as she is a writer, Shirley Wells revels in accuracy and truth in her novels, something which she excels in due to the precise way in which she plans and plots her characters and narratives, taking it to such a degree that she almost puts herself inside the action. Effectively writing about ‘what she knows’, she uses her surrounding environment and locations for the setting of many of her stories and franchises.

Now having moved up to the north of the United Kingdom, she currently lives in the east Lancashire Pennines where she continues to write to this very day, which is also where she sets the majority of her novels and action. Before this she spent some time living in Cyprus before moving on to live in the Orkneys where she lived on the island of Hoy, a time that helped inform much of her work that was to subsequently follow. With all of her experience it is no surprise that her novels are so rich and diverse, something which her many legions of fans can now attest to.

Continuing to write, she brings out more and more novels for an ever increasing international global audience. Looking after her dogs or listening to music, she is constantly on the lookout for her next novel, always ready for her next big idea. As more books are planned on the horizon it appears she is not going to be stopping anytime soon, as her career grows from strength-to-strength.

Writing Career

Largely known for her Jill Kennedy and DCI Max Trentham series of books, which she started back in 2007, she has now published over five books in the franchise so far and counting. This series was soon followed up with her Dylan Scott mysteries, which she begun in 2010 and has itself amassed over eight books so far, with more expected to follow. Known for her uncompromising style, she is easily able to evoke a sense of the eerie and foreboding in her work, whilst simultaneously not forgoing character in the process.

Appreciated by both critics and the general public alike she has built herself a large audience over the years, allowing her to continue with many eagerly awaiting each subsequent installment. Going through the Constable and Robinson publishing house, along with the Carina Press label, she has managed to carve herself a highly reputable niche within the industry. With more and more flocking to her work everyday, she has developed a voice that is unlike any other, as more books are expected to be released for some time yet.

Silent Witness

The third in the Dylan Scott mystery series of novels, this was initially brought out on the fifth of March, 2012, through Carina Press to an already sizable audience. Charting the cases of the eponymous Dylan Scott, it follows the private investigator in his northern England setting, as Shirley Wells bases the story around what she knows. Giving it a high degree of accuracy, the story manages to evoke the atmosphere and suspense of the first two novels, whilst also developing the character of Scott even further.

With a bathtub covered in his fingerprints on the scene of the crime, it appears that Aleksander Kaminski is guilty for the murder of ex-wife who has been found murdered there. Looking at life in prison both him and his current wife protest his innocence, as the case may not be so open-and-shut as it first seemed, with more to this than meets the eye. This then lays the scene for private investigator Dylan Scott as he reluctantly returns to Lancashire to take his case, as Scott himself was wrongfully incarcerated himself in the past. Who is the killer and can Dylan Scott find them in time? How does the victims second husband play into all this? What will become of them all as they uncover the truth behind the silent witness?

The Broken Circle

Setting up the fourth installment in the Jill Kennedy and DCI Max Trentham mysteries, this manages to carry forwards the action from the previous three novels. Following the forensic psychologist Jill Kennedy along with the DCI Max Trentham, it was originally published in 2010 on the first of March through the Soho Constable label. Continuing in the same vein as before, it recreates both the style and the tone of the previous novels, giving the readers more of what they’re looking for.

Found dead in the woods, the new and wealthy owner of the Kelton Manor located nearby is murdered, providing Jill Kennedy and Max Trentham with their latest case. In this Lancashire village it seems that most of the locals are out to hinder their investigations though, such as Jack Taylor who likes to take his dog for a walk near to where the body was found. Looking into the past of the victim they both hope to uncover the murky truth behind his death, speaking to people like Thomas McQueen; another wealthy businessman who may have ties to a previous murder case as well. Will they be able to find the true killer in time? Can Trentham efficiently question McQueen without harassment hearings being brought against him? What will become of them as they learn the truth behind the broken circle?