About this series
Peculiar Crimes Unit is a series by Christopher Fowler. We list 17 books in this series so far, in reading order.
Start with Book 1: Full Dark House: A Peculiar Crimes Unit Mystery.
Tagged on most books in this series: Police detective, British, Male Protagonist and City (Historical).
If you like Peculiar Crimes Unit, try Hamish Macbeth Mysteries by M. C. Beaton, The Ernest Lamb Mysteries by Patricia Wentworth and Inspector Ramsay Series by Ann Cleeves.
What readers say
Readers love the Peculiar Crimes Unit books for their elderly odd-couple detectives, the eccentric Bryant and the steady May, whose cranky banter carries the series, along with impossible crimes, dark wit and a deep love of London's hidden history. Many say the books work well on their own and favor the later locked-room cases. Common criticisms are slow middles packed with red herrings, big casts that are hard to track, solutions that feel unfair or rushed, and digressions and gloom that wear on some readers.
Best for: Readers who want quirky, history-rich London puzzles with eccentric old detectives.
Summary of public reader reviews, updated November 2026.
📖 Reading Order
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