Simon Kernick Books in Order
The complete guide to Simon Kernick's adrenaline-fueled thrillers, including the Tina Boyd and Dennis Milne series, with book summaries and reading orders.
Last updated: June 7, 2026
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Publication Order
24 books
The Business of Dying
by Simon Kernick
2002
Dennis Milne is a cop with a dark secret: he kills the villains the law can't touch. But when he is paid to hit three drug dealers, he discovers he has been set up to kill innocent men. Now, his own colleagues are hunting him down.
The Murder Exchange
by Simon Kernick
2003
Ex-mercenary Max Iversson is hired to provide security for a meeting that ends in a bloodbath. DS John Gallan is investigating a poisoning that leads him to the same deadly event. Both men want answers, and they are on a collision course.
The Crime Trade
by Simon Kernick
2004
When an undercover operation goes wrong, a police officer is left fighting for his life. DI Tina Boyd is determined to find the man responsible, dragging her into a world of drug smuggling and betrayal where no one can be trusted.
A Good Day to Die
by Simon Kernick
2005
Ex-cop Dennis Milne is hiding out in the Philippines when he learns his friend has been murdered in London. Risking everything, he returns to the city to hunt the killer, only to find himself entangled in a conspiracy that reaches the highest levels of power.
Relentless
by Simon Kernick
2006
John Meron is an ordinary family man until he answers the phone and hears a friend being tortured. The friend shouts Meron's address just before he dies. Now Meron is on the run, framed for murder, and fighting to save his family.
Severed
by Simon Kernick
2007
Tyler wakes up next to a headless corpse with no memory of the night before. A phone call gives him a choice: deliver a briefcase for a mysterious criminal network, or take the fall for the murder. He has 24 hours to clear his name.
Deadline
by Simon Kernick
2008
Andrea Rossini returns home to find her mother missing and a ransom demand: pay half a million pounds in 48 hours or she dies. DI Tina Boyd is working the case, but the kidnappers are always one step ahead.
Target
by Simon Kernick
2009
Writer Rob Fallon witnesses a murder in a London apartment, but when the police arrive, the body is gone and everything looks normal. Now Fallon is the prime suspect—and the next target for a killer who erases all traces.
Siege
by Simon Kernick
2010
Gunmen storm the Stanhope Hotel in London, taking guests hostage and demanding a massive ransom. Among the captives is a man with a secret so dangerous that the terrorists will kill everyone to get it. The countdown has begun.
The Last 10 Seconds
by Simon Kernick
2010
A notorious serial killer known as the Night Creeper is snatched from police custody. Undercover cop Sean Egan and DI Tina Boyd must find him before his silence is bought permanently, plunging them into a race against a powerful conspiracy.
The Payback
by Simon Kernick
2011
Dennis Milne returns to London for a hit, only to cross paths with DI Tina Boyd. She is hunting the man responsible for her lover's death—the same man Milne has been sent to kill. Two dangerous paths are about to collide.
Ultimatum
by Simon Kernick
2012
A bomb explodes in a London cafe, and a prisoner claims he knows who did it. He offers the names in exchange for freedom, but as DI Mike Bolt and Tina Boyd investigate, they realize a second, bigger attack is just hours away.
Wrong Time, Wrong Place
by Simon Kernick
2012
You are on a hiking trip in the Scottish Highlands when you stumble upon a kidnapping. Now the kidnappers have seen you. You have no phone signal, no weapon, and nowhere to hide. The hunt is on.
Stay Alive
by Simon Kernick
2013
Amanda Rowan finds her husband murdered and a killer waiting for her. She escapes, but now she is being hunted. Two strangers on a canoeing trip try to help her, but they soon realize they are up against a relentless enemy.
The Final Minute
by Simon Kernick
2015
Matt Barron wakes up with no memory, haunted by a dream of a dead woman. When the past catches up with him, he turns to PI Tina Boyd. Together, they must uncover the truth about who he is before his enemies silence him for good.
The Witness
by Simon Kernick
2016
Jane Kinnear witnesses her lover's murder and is placed in protective custody. It turns out her lover was an MI5 informant. DI Ray Mason is tasked with keeping her alive, but the killer already knows where she is hiding.
The Bone Field
by Simon Kernick
2017
Bones discovered in a field are linked to a woman who vanished in Thailand in 1990. DI Ray Mason and PI Tina Boyd team up to investigate, uncovering a trail of corruption and a killer who has been active for decades.
The Hanged Man
by Simon Kernick
2017
Seven bodies are found in a house in the countryside. A witness escapes, but the killers are hot on his trail. DI Ray Mason and Tina Boyd must find the witness first to expose a ring of powerful and sadistic criminals.
Dead Man's Gift and Other Stories
by Simon Kernick
2018
A collection of gripping short stories and novellas, including the MP who receives a suicide note from his dead son. Each tale delivers the author's trademark suspense, twists, and fast-paced action.
Die Alone
by Simon Kernick
2019
Alastair Sheridan is a popular politician with a dark secret: he is a serial killer. Former detective Ray Mason is broken out of prison and given a chance at freedom—if he assassinates Sheridan. But nothing is as it seems.
We Can See You
by Simon Kernick
2019
Brook Connor comes home to find her daughter missing and a note warning her not to call the police. The kidnappers know her every move. She must confront a past she thought she had buried to get her child back alive.
Kill a Stranger
by Simon Kernick
2020
Matt returns home to find his fiancée missing and a dead body in his bed. A blackmailer calls with a chilling demand: if he wants to see his fiancée again, he must kill a stranger within 24 hours.
Good Cop Bad Cop
by Simon Kernick
2021
Undercover cop Chris Sketty was hailed a hero after a terrorist attack. Years later, a wealthy man suspects Sketty was actually the villain. As Sketty tells his version of the story, the line between truth and lies blurs.
The First 48 Hours
by Simon Kernick
2023
A child is snatched, and the kidnappers warn against calling the police. As a detective hunts the gang and a desperate mother defends a murderer to save her daughter, three stories collide in a deadly race against the clock.
Where should I start?
If you want a gripping standalone thriller:
Relentless → Severed → The First 48 Hours
If you prefer a dark anti-hero series:
The Business of Dying → A Good Day to Die → The Payback
If you want to follow the recurring detective arc:
The Crime Trade → The Last 10 Seconds → The Bone Field
Author bio
Simon Kernick’s path to becoming one of the UK’s leading thriller writers wasn’t exactly a straight line. Before he was crafting high-speed chases and terrifying standoffs, he was living a very normal, grounding life that likely helped shape the "everyman" quality found in his characters.
Born in the town of Slough, Kernick didn't start out with connections in the publishing industry or a clear roadmap to success. His early years were defined by a series of ordinary, unglamorous jobs. He spent time picking fruit and stacking shelves, learning the value of hard work long before he ever sat down to pen a bestseller.
He eventually headed to Brighton Polytechnic, graduating in 1991. However, graduation didn't lead immediately to a writing career. Instead, Kernick entered the corporate world. He spent ten years working as a software salesman, a high-pressure role that is far removed from the creative freedom of writing.
Yet, he never let go of his ambition.
For a decade, he lived a bit of a double life. By day, he was closing deals and managing clients; in his spare time, he was quietly chipping away at his manuscripts. That persistence finally paid off in 2002. His debut novel, The Business of Dying, was picked up for publication, and it was an immediate signal to the crime fiction world that a fresh voice had arrived. This wasn't just a standard police procedural; it was gritty, violent, and introduced his signature high-octane style.
While his debut was a success, his career truly exploded a few years later.
In 2006, Kernick released Relentless, a standalone thriller that changed everything for him. It became a major bestseller and is often the book new readers start with. The story cemented his reputation for writing "race-against-time" narratives. Kernick loves to trap his characters in impossible situations that unfold over a single, terrifying day. It’s a technique that keeps the pages turning, as readers feel the same exhaustion and panic as the protagonists.
One reason these stories hit so hard is the authenticity behind the action.
Kernick doesn't just guess at how police operations work. Over the years, he has built extensive contacts within the Met’s Special Branch and the Anti-Terrorist Command. He talks to the people who actually do the job. This allows him to blend his blistering narrative pace with genuine police detail, making the gunfights and tactical maneuvers feel frighteningly real.
His books are also famous for their moral ambiguity. In Kernick’s world, the line between the good guys and the bad guys is often blurry.
This is best seen in his recurring characters. He has created a unique, overlapping universe where stories interconnect. Fans of the series love seeing characters cross paths in unexpected ways. You might be reading about the tough, no-nonsense detective Tina Boyd in one book, and then see her pop up in a story featuring the vigilante cop Dennis Milne. It makes his body of work feel like one large, living world.
Today, Kernick has left the software sales floor far behind. He currently lives in Oxfordshire, where he continues to write, sharing his home with his two daughters.
Edited by
Software engineer whose passion for tracking book recommendations from podcasts inspired the creation of MRB.
Lead investor at 3one4 Capital whose startup expertise and love for books helped shaped MRB and its growth.










































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