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Hillary Greene — by Faith Martin
Hillary Greene Series in Order: 21 books
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On the Straight and Narrow // Murder at the University
Book - 2
When a pretty French student is found dead in her room at an exclusive private Oxford college, everyone assumes it is yet another sad case of accidental drug overdose. But Detective Inspector Hillary Greene quickly begins to think otherwise. As the i...
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Narrow Is the Way // Murder of the Bride
Book - 3
When a beautiful bride is found strangled in a cow-shed, D.I. Hillary Greene knows that she is probably looking for a man, bridegroom or otherwise. The so-called bride turns out to be a guest from a fancy dress party, held at a nearby farmhouse, and ...
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By a Narrow Majority // Murder in the Village
Book - 4
When a would-be politician is found battered to death in his kitchen, DI Hillary Greene is not convinced that the motive is political. After all, the victim was not universally popular in the small village where he lived, and it quickly transpires th...
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Through a Narrow Door // Murder in the Family
Book - 5
Someone wanted would-be politician Malcolm Dale dead, and managed to achieve this aim without leaving much in the way of clues, forensics, or witnesses. Here, then is a case for Detective Inspector Hillary Greene. But s...
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With A Narrow Blade
Book - 6
When an elderly woman is stabbed to death in her own home, Detective Inspector Hillary Greene is instantly puzzled. The house doesn't appear to have been robbed and Flo Jenkins herself was well-liked by her neighbors. I...
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Beside a Narrow Stream
Book - 7
When Wayne Sutton's body is found in a beautiful summer meadow, his head bashed in and a red paper heart left callously on his body, Hillary is not surprised to learn that the handsome young artist had a reputation as a heartless Casanova. Moreover, ...
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Down a Narrow Path
Book - 8
DI Hillary Greene is feeling the strain. A sniper is on the loose killing police officers, and the atmosphere at Thames Valley Police HQ is understandably tense. But it is business as usual when a wealthy woman is found murdered in her home in the pl...
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Across the Narrow Blue Line
Book - 9
A shattered DI Hillary Greene returns to work following the death of her friend, Superintendent 'Mellow' Mallow, and is immediately plunged into another murder case. An old man is found dead by his terminally ill daughter. This leaves her with no one...
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A Narrow Point of View
Book - 10
When a devout Christian is found murdered in his home, his body callously set alight, Hillary Greene and her team embark on their most puzzling murder case yet. The victim may have been pious to the point of smugness, but it still seems impossible to...
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A Narrow Return
Book - 11
Ex-Detective Inspector Hillary Greene returns to Thames Valley to work on cold cases for her new boss. Now a civilian, she not only has to cope with the loss of her professional status, but she has also acquired a stalker. When her superior, Superint...
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A Narrow Margin of Error
Book - 13
MADNESS CUTS DEEP Police consultant Hillary Greene knew her life wasn't going to stay on an even keel for long. Her second career cracking the coldest of cases is an unexpected success, but now she's got a new nightmarish puzzle: the decade-old s...
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Walk a Narrow Mile
Book - 14
A LOVE HE'LL NEVER LET HER FORGET Former detective inspector Hillary Greene spent her career seeking justice for crime victims. But her harrowing last investigation left the cold case consultant fighting for her own life against someone who'd per...
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A Narrow Victory
Book - 15
Once again, ex-DI Hillary Greene is delving into the archives, trying to discover who killed an interior designer at a swanky New Years' Eve Party in 1999. Somebody clearly didn't want Felix Olliphant to enjoy�the momentous occasion of seeing in not ...
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The Work of a Narrow Mind
Book - 16
When ex-DI Hillary Greene, now working for the cold case squad, is handed the case of the murder of a harmless old woman, who'd been brutally battered to death in her own home, she is determined to track down the killer. But with her lover pressing h...
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A Narrow Trajectory
Book - 17
Ex-DI Hillary Greene has been handed a tall order -- she's to reopen all the missing persons cases for a group of young women, in an attempt to help Det. Chief Superintendent Steven Crayle bring down one of Thames Valley's most wanted. This will al...
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Hillary's Back!
Book - 18
ONE OF THE WORLD'S FAVOURITE DETECTIVES RETURNS. A BRAND NEW MYSTERY IN THE MILLION-SELLING SERIES. DETECTIVE HILLARY GREENE IS BACK! Eighteen months after Hillary suffered a personal tragedy, she is throwing herself into her work to try to get over...
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Murder Now and Then
Book - 19
A BRAND-NEW MYSTERY FROM THE TWO-MILLION-SELLING AUTHOR. Former Detective Hillary Greene and her cold case team are taking a fresh look at the unsolved murder of Michael Beck, found bludgeoned over the head and dead in a river near his home in 2012. ...
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Murder in the Parish
Book - 20
Former Detective Hillary Greene and her cold case team are handed an impossible case.Thirty years ago, two days before Christmas, the much-loved Reverend Keith Coltrane was hit over the head and left to die inside his own church. The killer was never...
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Murder on the Train
Book - 21
ONE OF THE WORLD'S FAVOURITE DETECTIVES RETURNS.SIX MILLION BOOKS READ.A BRAND-NEW MYSTERY FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR. SET IN THE BEAUTIFUL WELSH COUNTRYSIDE.Six passengers in a locked train carriage. One of them is dead. No one saw a thing.Former D...
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Murder Under the Sun
Book - 22
ONE OF THE WORLD'S FAVOURITE DETECTIVES RETURNS.ONE OF THE MOST READ AUTHORS OF THE DECADE.A BRAND-NEW MYSTERY FROM BESTSELLING FAITH MARTIN. SET IN THE GORGEOUS OXFORDSHIRE COUNTRYSIDE.Former Detective Hillary Greene and her cold case team are swelt...
Series Premise
The series follows Detective Inspector Hillary Greene of Thames Valley Police as she investigates murders and major crimes in the Oxfordshire region. Each book presents a new case—often a murder with multiple suspects, hidden motives, or complex backstories—that Hillary and her team must unravel through dogged police work, witness interviews, forensic evidence, and intuition.
The overarching premise adds personal depth: Hillary begins the series under internal investigation for corruption linked to her late husband's criminal activities. This shadow hangs over her career, forcing her to prove her integrity while solving cases. As the series progresses, she transitions from active DI to a cold-case consultant role (after a career shift), tackling unsolved murders from the past. Cases frequently involve Oxfordshire locals—villagers, academics, farmers, or urban figures—with motives tied to greed, jealousy, inheritance, revenge, or long-buried secrets.
Hillary's investigations are methodical and realistic, emphasizing police procedure, team dynamics, and the human cost of crime. Personal subplots—her relationships, family ties, romantic interests, and ongoing fight to clear her name—run throughout, making the series both a procedural and a character study.
Hillary Greene Series Characters
Detective Inspector Hillary Greene: The central protagonist—a competent, experienced DI in her late 40s/early 50s. Intelligent, tenacious, and quietly tough, she is respected by colleagues but carries the burden of her husband's past corruption scandal. She is methodical, empathetic toward victims, and driven by justice, with a dry sense of humor and personal vulnerabilities (grief, loneliness, career pressures).
- Detective Sergeant Paul Danvers (early books): A young, ambitious officer who works with Hillary and develops a complicated relationship with her.
- Detective Chief Inspector Philip Mallow (and later superiors): Hillary's bosses—often supportive but bound by bureaucracy.
- Other team members: Recurring detectives and sergeants (e.g., Janine, Keith, or others) who assist in investigations and provide camaraderie.
- Supporting figures: Hillary's family (her mother, brother), romantic interests (evolving over the series), victims' families, suspects, and local witnesses who add depth to each case.
Setting of the Hillary Greene Series
The series is set primarily in Oxfordshire, England, with a strong emphasis on the city of Oxford and its surrounding villages, countryside, and waterways. Many cases unfold in and around the Oxford Canal, rural hamlets, university towns, farms, and suburban areas—creating a vivid contrast between the historic, picturesque beauty of Oxford (colleges, rivers, spires) and the gritty realities of crime.
Key recurring locations include:
- Thames Valley Police headquarters in Oxford.
- Rural villages and canalside homes (often tied to murders).
- Farms, pubs, and community settings where locals guard secrets.
- Occasional forays into Oxford's academic world or urban edges.
The Oxfordshire setting is atmospheric and integral: narrowboat life on the canals, foggy mornings, seasonal changes (wet winters, blooming springs), and the sense of a close-knit but gossipy rural community. The landscape amplifies isolation and hidden motives while grounding the stories in a recognizable, lived-in English countryside.
Tone & Themes of the Hillary Greene Series
The tone is serious, grounded, and quietly compelling—classic British police procedural with emotional depth and understated drama. The books are suspenseful and intriguing, with well-constructed mysteries that unfold methodically rather than relying on shocks or gore. Violence is present but not graphic; the focus is on investigation, motive, and consequences.
Hillary's dry wit, resilience, and occasional wry observations provide subtle humor, while her personal struggles (grief, professional pressure, relationships) add poignancy. The tone avoids melodrama or sensationalism—crimes are treated seriously, victims are respected, and resolutions feel earned. It's mature, intelligent crime fiction that balances tension with warmth and quiet hope, making it satisfying for readers who prefer thoughtful, character-driven mysteries over fast-paced action.
The Hillary Greene series by Faith Martin is a consistently engaging, character-rich British police procedural that follows a strong, principled detective through complex murder investigations in the Oxfordshire countryside. With Hillary's blend of grit, intelligence, and quiet vulnerability, the books deliver well-crafted mysteries, authentic police work, and emotional depth across more than 20 novels. The atmospheric canal-and-village setting, layered suspects, and satisfying resolutions make the series a rewarding read for fans of thoughtful crime fiction. Whether tackling fresh murders or cold cases, Hillary Greene remains a compelling, relatable figure who fights for justice while navigating her own challenges. If you're seeking intelligent, grounded mysteries with a strong female lead and a strong sense of place, this series offers enduring appeal and reliable satisfaction.
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