About Edward Marston
We list 61 books by Edward Marston so far, from 6 series.
Tagged on most of their books: Male Protagonist, Historical, British and Police detective.
Latest addition to our list: A Bespoke Murder: The compelling WWI murder mystery series (added October 2026).
If you like Edward Marston, try Anna Markland, Christianna Brand and Michael Gilbert.
What readers say
Edward Marston is best known for long-running historical mystery series, led by the Victorian Railway Detective books and the First World War Home Front Detective novels, alongside earlier Elizabethan theatre and other period sleuths. Readers praise his feel for each era, likable detective partnerships and quick, easy reads that fans return to for comfort. Frequent criticisms are that the books have become formulaic, with stilted, explain-everything prose, modern-sounding dialogue, predictable plots and endings that wrap up abruptly, and reviewers say quality varies from book to book.
Best for: Readers who want light, steady historical mysteries across many eras and don't mind a familiar formula.
Summary of public reader reviews, updated October 2026.
