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Constable Nick Mystery (Nicholas Rhea) Books in Order

Part ofNicholas Rhea Books in Order

See Nicholas Rhea's Constable Nick Mystery books in order, with summaries, reading guidance, series background, and a simple starting point.

Last updated: July 15, 2026

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Constable Nick Mystery (Nicholas Rhea) books in publication order

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38 books

1

Constable on the Hill

by Nicholas Rhea

1979

The first Constable book introduces Nick's 1960s Yorkshire beat and the unforgettable people on it. Escaping ponies, naked runners, and Greengrass's excuses set the tone beautifully.

2

Constable On The Prowl

by Nicholas Rhea

1980

Still new to the job, Nick draws awkward shifts and learns that a sleeping village is never really asleep. Night duty, farming life, and small emergencies keep him constantly on the prowl.

3

Constable Around the Village

by Nicholas Rhea

1981

As Nick settles into Aidensfield, every corner of village life seems to produce a fresh case. Dogs, buses, old traditions, and missing people all demand his attention at once.

4

Constable Across the Moors

by Nicholas Rhea

1982

Nick moves across the moors dealing with odd insurance schemes, grieving neighbours, and missing sheep. The humour is gentle, but the problems are still real.

5

Constable in the Dale

by Nicholas Rhea

1983

A village competition, a dirty-tricks campaign, and a mysteriously burning henhouse keep Nick on the move. Even the prettiest dale can hide hard feelings and foolish plans.

6

Constable by the Sea

by Nicholas Rhea

1985

Nick's duties reach the coast, where holidaymakers and locals create a different sort of trouble. The sea air changes the scenery, not the need for sharp observation.

7

Constable Along the Lane

by Nicholas Rhea

1986

The quiet lanes around Aidensfield are full of gossip, farmers, and incidents that are never quite what they seem. Nick keeps the peace while the village tests his patience again.

8

Constable at the Double

by Nicholas Rhea

1988

Nick deals with a thieving dog, hints of witchcraft, and a motorist determined never to make a right turn. Small problems multiply fast on the Aidensfield beat.

9

Constable Through the Meadow

by Nicholas Rhea

1988

Modernisation reaches Nick's beat when his old police bike is replaced, but village life stays as tangled as ever. Lovers in the fog and a respectable shoplifter are only the beginning.

10

Constable in Disguise

by Nicholas Rhea

1989

Nick gets a taste of CID work and quickly learns that going undercover is not quite as smooth as it sounds. One roof-top blunder turns a quiet watch into comic chaos.

11

Constable Among the Heather

by Nicholas Rhea

1990

Out on the heather, distance and weather make every call a little harder. Nick works remote corners of the moors where rumours travel faster than facts.

12

Constable by the Stream

by Nicholas Rhea

1991

Bathing beauties, a postman who cannot read, and a thief with charm to spare all land on Nick's beat. It is a particularly lively stretch of village policing.

13

Constable Around the Green

by Nicholas Rhea

1993

The people around Aidensfield's green are mostly harmless, but not always easy. Nick must manage long-running feuds, strange newcomers, and the daily work of keeping a village civil.

14

Heartbeat Constable on Call

by Nicholas Rhea

1993

A Heartbeat tie-in that brings back Aidensfield's mix of rural policing, neighbourly drama, and 1960s Yorkshire atmosphere. Nick is on hand for the latest calls, quarrels, and mishaps.

15

Constable Beneath the Trees

by Nicholas Rhea

1994

Woodland paths and quiet corners hide more than villagers expect. Nick investigates rural secrets, odd behaviour, and the sort of trouble that grows best out of sight.

16

Constable in Control

by Nicholas Rhea

1995

Nick faces a busier, more demanding stretch of police work as routine calls threaten to spin out of control. The result is another steady blend of humour, pressure, and rural mystery.

17

Constable in the Shrubbery

by Nicholas Rhea

1995

A grand birthday party, an uninvited Greengrass, and a suspicious death pull Nick into one of his knottier investigations. Village politics and murder make an uneasy mix.

18

Constable Versus Greengrass

by Nicholas Rhea

1995

When anything goes wrong, Greengrass is usually near the middle of it. Nick and Sergeant Blaketon try once again to pin down Aidensfield's slipperiest rogue, with predictably chaotic results.

19

Constable about the Parish

by Nicholas Rhea

1996

Parish life gives Nick no shortage of small scandals, awkward calls, and quietly complicated cases. These are classic Aidensfield stories, warm, funny, and sharper than they first look.

20

Constable at the Gate

by Nicholas Rhea

1997

New arrivals and old grudges meet at the edges of Nick's patch. He must sort out petty crime, wounded pride, and the everyday confusion of village life before it worsens.

21

Heartbeat Constable at the Dam

by Nicholas Rhea

1997

This Heartbeat-branded edition returns to Aidensfield as the proposed reservoir stirs up anxiety and unrest. Nick faces construction-site trouble, local tempers, and the latest round of village complications.

22

Constable at the Dam

by Nicholas Rhea

1998

Plans for a new reservoir throw Aidensfield into uproar. As construction begins, Nick has to handle village resistance, youthful recklessness, and the ordinary drama that change always brings.

23

Constable Over the Stile

by Nicholas Rhea

1998

A stumble over a stile uncovers hidden treasure and sets off a run of new complications. With escaped criminals, village oddballs, and Greengrass in the mix, Nick has his hands full.

24

Constable in the Farmyard

by Nicholas Rhea

1999

Aidensfield's farmers are more than enough to wear down any policeman. Runaway cows, wild schemes, and a phantom milk-bottle thief keep Nick racing between real crime and pure rural chaos.

25

Constable Under the Gooseberry Bush

by Nicholas Rhea

1999

Domestic secrets and village rumours keep bubbling up around Nick's beat. It is another collection where the comic and the suspicious sit side by side in country Yorkshire.

26

Constable Along The Highway

by Nicholas Rhea

2001

Roadside incidents, passing strangers, and local mischief give Nick a fresh set of problems to solve. The open highway brings outside trouble straight into Aidensfield's orbit.

27

Constable Over The Bridge

by Nicholas Rhea

2001

Crossing from one corner of the district to another, Nick finds that every community has its own secrets and troublemakers. Another round of wry, affectionate village policing follows.

28

Constable Along The River Bank

by Nicholas Rhea

2002

Nick starts thinking about promotion, but the riverbank and the village keep offering fresh distractions. Rural policing, local characters, and everyday trouble once more make up the casebook.

29

Constable Goes to Market

by Nicholas Rhea

2002

Market days bring gossip, scams, quarrels, and more work than a village constable could wish for. Nick has to keep order while the whole district seems determined to misbehave.

30

Constable Around The Park

by Nicholas Rhea

2004

Nick's patch widens again as parkland, visitors, and village gossip bring a new run of small mysteries and practical headaches. The tone stays funny, humane, and firmly rooted in Yorkshire life.

31

Constable in the Wilderness

by Nicholas Rhea

2004

Winter closes in on the North York Moors, but the weather does not stop police work. Snowdrifts, flood warnings, and a parade of eccentric villagers keep Nick busy from first page to last.

32

Constable Along the Trail

by Nicholas Rhea

2005

Nick follows fresh trails through village feuds, rural misunderstandings, and minor crimes that turn unexpectedly serious. It is another easygoing but sharp-eyed visit to Aidensfield.

33

Constable in the Country

by Nicholas Rhea

2006

More country policing for Nick means awkward neighbours, local gossip, and trouble that rarely stays small for long. These are warm, observant Yorkshire tales with a sturdy mystery spine.

34

Constable on the Coast

by Nicholas Rhea

2006

Sent to a busy seaside resort, Constable Nick swaps his familiar village lanes for holiday crowds and coastal puzzles. A message in a bottle and a string of odd incidents soon make it anything but a quiet posting.

35

Constable on View

by Nicholas Rhea

2008

Nick is once again on public display as the village bobby everyone turns to first. The book gathers more of Aidensfield's odd disputes, quiet mysteries, and slyly funny local characters.

36

Constable Beats the Bounds

by Nicholas Rhea

2009

Ancient boundaries, village custom, and local resentment give Nick plenty to untangle on his Yorkshire beat. As always, small incidents hint at deeper trouble beneath the moorland calm.

37

Constable at the Fair

by Nicholas Rhea

2010

A season of fairs sends Constable Nick into missing-person worries, old mysteries, and fresh village chaos. Rural tradition and police work collide in another lively Aidensfield collection.

38

Constable on Trial

by Nicholas Rhea

2016

Constable Nick looks back over a career full of village quarrels, moorland puzzles, and awkward local cases. It is a late return to Aidensfield, mixing reflection, humour, and one more round of rural police work.

Constable Nick Mystery (Nicholas Rhea) books in chronological order

  1. Book cover for "Constable on the Hill"

    Constable on the Hill

    by Nicholas Rhea

    1979Constable Nick Mystery, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "Constable On The Prowl"

    Constable On The Prowl

    by Nicholas Rhea

    1980Constable Nick Mystery, Book 2
  3. Book cover for "Constable Around the Village"

    Constable Around the Village

    by Nicholas Rhea

    1981Constable Nick Mystery, Book 3
  4. Book cover for "Constable Across the Moors"

    Constable Across the Moors

    by Nicholas Rhea

    1982Constable Nick Mystery, Book 4
  5. Book cover for "Constable in the Dale"

    Constable in the Dale

    by Nicholas Rhea

    1983Constable Nick Mystery, Book 5
  6. Book cover for "Constable by the Sea"

    Constable by the Sea

    by Nicholas Rhea

    1985Constable Nick Mystery, Book 6
  7. Book cover for "Constable Along the Lane"

    Constable Along the Lane

    by Nicholas Rhea

    1986Constable Nick Mystery, Book 7
  8. Book cover for "Constable at the Double"

    Constable at the Double

    by Nicholas Rhea

    1988Constable Nick Mystery, Book 8
  9. Book cover for "Constable Through the Meadow"

    Constable Through the Meadow

    by Nicholas Rhea

    1988Constable Nick Mystery, Book 9
  10. Book cover for "Constable in Disguise"

    Constable in Disguise

    by Nicholas Rhea

    1989Constable Nick Mystery, Book 10
  11. Book cover for "Constable Among the Heather"

    Constable Among the Heather

    by Nicholas Rhea

    1990Constable Nick Mystery, Book 11
  12. Book cover for "Constable by the Stream"

    Constable by the Stream

    by Nicholas Rhea

    1991Constable Nick Mystery, Book 12
  13. Book cover for "Constable Around the Green"

    Constable Around the Green

    by Nicholas Rhea

    1993Constable Nick Mystery, Book 13
  14. Book cover for "Heartbeat Constable on Call"

    Heartbeat Constable on Call

    by Nicholas Rhea

    1993Constable Nick Mystery, Book 14
  15. Book cover for "Constable Beneath the Trees"

    Constable Beneath the Trees

    by Nicholas Rhea

    1994Constable Nick Mystery, Book 15
  16. Book cover for "Constable in the Shrubbery"

    Constable in the Shrubbery

    by Nicholas Rhea

    1995Constable Nick Mystery, Book 16
  17. Book cover for "Constable in Control"

    Constable in Control

    by Nicholas Rhea

    1995Constable Nick Mystery, Book 17
  18. Book cover for "Constable Versus Greengrass"

    Constable Versus Greengrass

    by Nicholas Rhea

    1995Constable Nick Mystery, Book 18
  19. Book cover for "Constable about the Parish"

    Constable about the Parish

    by Nicholas Rhea

    1996Constable Nick Mystery, Book 19
  20. Book cover for "Heartbeat Constable at the Dam"

    Heartbeat Constable at the Dam

    by Nicholas Rhea

    1997Constable Nick Mystery, Book 20
  21. Book cover for "Constable at the Gate"

    Constable at the Gate

    by Nicholas Rhea

    1997Constable Nick Mystery, Book 21
  22. Book cover for "Constable Over the Stile"

    Constable Over the Stile

    by Nicholas Rhea

    1998Constable Nick Mystery, Book 22
  23. Book cover for "Constable at the Dam"

    Constable at the Dam

    by Nicholas Rhea

    1998Constable Nick Mystery, Book 23
  24. Book cover for "Constable Under the Gooseberry Bush"

    Constable Under the Gooseberry Bush

    by Nicholas Rhea

    1999Constable Nick Mystery, Book 24
  25. Book cover for "Constable in the Farmyard"

    Constable in the Farmyard

    by Nicholas Rhea

    1999Constable Nick Mystery, Book 25
  26. Book cover for "Constable Over The Bridge"

    Constable Over The Bridge

    by Nicholas Rhea

    2001Constable Nick Mystery, Book 26
  27. Book cover for "Constable Along The Highway"

    Constable Along The Highway

    by Nicholas Rhea

    2001Constable Nick Mystery, Book 27
  28. Book cover for "Constable Along The River Bank"

    Constable Along The River Bank

    by Nicholas Rhea

    2002Constable Nick Mystery, Book 28
  29. Book cover for "Constable Goes to Market"

    Constable Goes to Market

    by Nicholas Rhea

    2002Constable Nick Mystery, Book 29
  30. Book cover for "Constable in the Wilderness"

    Constable in the Wilderness

    by Nicholas Rhea

    2004Constable Nick Mystery, Book 30
  31. Book cover for "Constable Around The Park"

    Constable Around The Park

    by Nicholas Rhea

    2004Constable Nick Mystery, Book 31
  32. Book cover for "Constable Along the Trail"

    Constable Along the Trail

    by Nicholas Rhea

    2005Constable Nick Mystery, Book 32
  33. Book cover for "Constable on the Coast"

    Constable on the Coast

    by Nicholas Rhea

    2006Constable Nick Mystery, Book 33
  34. Book cover for "Constable in the Country"

    Constable in the Country

    by Nicholas Rhea

    2006Constable Nick Mystery, Book 34
  35. Book cover for "Constable on View"

    Constable on View

    by Nicholas Rhea

    2008Constable Nick Mystery, Book 35
  36. Book cover for "Constable Beats the Bounds"

    Constable Beats the Bounds

    by Nicholas Rhea

    2009Constable Nick Mystery, Book 36
  37. Book cover for "Constable at the Fair"

    Constable at the Fair

    by Nicholas Rhea

    2010Constable Nick Mystery, Book 37
  38. Book cover for "Constable on Trial"

    Constable on Trial

    by Nicholas Rhea

    2016Constable Nick Mystery, Book 38

Series background & context

Nicholas Rhea's Constable Nick mysteries begin with a young policeman arriving in Aidensfield, a small North Yorkshire community where everyone has an opinion, a history, and sometimes a reason to avoid the local bobby. Nick soon finds that rural policing is never only about crime.

It is about people.

A typical day can involve an escaped animal, a family quarrel, a missing person, a dishonest trader, a pub argument, a moorland search, or a practical joke that has gone too far. Nick has to learn who can be trusted, which stories need checking, and when a minor nuisance is covering something more serious. The mysteries are usually human-sized, but the stakes can be real.

The setting is one of the main pleasures. Aidensfield and the nearby moors are not simply scenery for a case. Farming routines, poor roads, local events, weather, old customs, and the close connections between neighbours all affect how Nick works. Information travels quickly, though not always accurately, and the people who seem most difficult can sometimes be the ones who help solve a problem.

Nick has a useful group around him. Sergeant Blaketon provides seasoned advice and a firm hand. Claude Jeremiah Greengrass provides complications, usually with a story ready and a loophole in mind. A changing crowd of farmers, shopkeepers, clergy, visitors, and local rogues gives each book a fresh set of voices while keeping the world familiar.

The television drama Heartbeat grew from these books, but the novels are not scripts in prose. They are more episodic and reflective, with a close eye on the small details of a police officer's life. Rhea had worked in the police himself, and that shows in Nick's practical approach to calls, evidence, procedure, and the awkward business of telling someone bad news.

The tone is warm, but it is not sugary.

There is humour in the series, especially when Greengrass is involved, but there are also crimes, grief, violence, and hard choices. If you want a long sequence with one dependable lead, a memorable community, and mysteries that grow naturally from village life, begin with Constable on the Hill and follow Nick from there.

Edited by

Richard Reis

Software engineer whose passion for tracking book recommendations from podcasts inspired the creation of MRB.

Anurag Ramdasan

Lead investor at 3one4 Capital whose startup expertise and love for books helped shaped MRB and its growth.

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