Goodreads Choice Awards Finalists 2025
Chris Nickson
19 ratings | 22 reviews | avg rating:3.89

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Chris Nickson

Goodreads Author


Born
in Leeds, The United Kingdom
Website

Twitter
ChrisNickson2

Genre
Mystery & Thrillers, Historical Fiction, Mystery

Member Since
May 2012


I'm a novelist and music journalist, the author of many books set between the 1730s and 1950s in Leeds, as well as others in medieval Chesterfield and 1980s Seattle.

Above all, though, its Leeds I love, the people, the sense of the place changing with time. Yes, I write mysteries, but ultmiateoly they're books about people and their relationships, and the crime becomes a moral framework for the story. ...more

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Popular Answered Questions

Love The Westover books. Jane is a very interesting character. Her story is tragic at the beginning, but she has enough resistance to become strong yet lonely and more vulnerable than she will admit. My question is, will you write more stories that include her?r. Would you consider a standalone book about her?
Chris Nickson There's another Simon Westow book that will appear next year, and Jane features prominently in that, growing and changing. So I guess yes is the answe…moreThere's another Simon Westow book that will appear next year, and Jane features prominently in that, growing and changing. So I guess yes is the answer to your first question. As to the second, given the way society was back then, I don't think she'd be able to do this work along. She and Simon both contribute things that make the whole greatyer than the sum of its parts. I love her - and she terrifies me - but I don't think she can carry a book alone.(less)
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What are you currently working on?
Chris Nickson I'm currently revising what will be the seventh Tom Harper novel. This summer The Dead On Leave will appear, a standalone set in Leeds in the 1930s. T…moreI'm currently revising what will be the seventh Tom Harper novel. This summer The Dead On Leave will appear, a standalone set in Leeds in the 1930s. The end of September will see The Hanging Psalm, the first in (I hope) a new series, talking place in the 1820s and featuring Simon Westow, a Leeds thief-taker and his his enigmatic and deadly young assistant, Jane.(less)
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Combine Editions

Average rating: 4.05 · 7,330 ratings · 1,118 reviews · 69 distinct works • Similar authors
The Crooked Spire (Chesterf...
4.12 avg rating — 601 ratings — published 2013 — 5 editions
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The Broken Token (Richard N...
3.78 avg rating — 623 ratings — published 2010 — 6 editions
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Gods of Gold (DI Tom Harper...
3.88 avg rating — 463 ratings — published 2014 — 10 editions
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The Saltergate Psalter (Che...
4.16 avg rating — 345 ratings — published 2016 — 4 editions
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Cold Cruel Winter (Richard ...
4.13 avg rating — 342 ratings — published 2011 — 5 editions
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The Constant Lovers (Richar...
4.08 avg rating — 306 ratings — published 2012 — 6 editions
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The Holywell Dead (Chesterf...
4.37 avg rating — 271 ratings — 3 editions
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Two Bronze Pennies (DI Tom ...
4.01 avg rating — 286 ratings — published 2015 — 7 editions
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The Anchoress of Chesterfie...
4.42 avg rating — 255 ratings — 3 editions
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The Hanging Psalm (Simon We...
3.99 avg rating — 274 ratings — published 2019 — 4 editions
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More books by Chris Nickson…

263 posts
Chris Nickson's Blog

Big News

A couple of weeks ago, all my waiting, staying on tenterhooks was rewarded. My publisher offered me a new two-book contract. I’m waiting for the paperwork, but it’s all settled, with plenty of relief for me. Anxiety levels down, sleeping better.

The contract is for The Ascent Of Lies, the first book featuring Virginia Cooper and American abolitionist Asa Daniels. Earlier this year I posted the book

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Published on November 11, 2025 01:50
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Series by Chris Nickson

The Broken Token Cold Cruel Winter The Constant Lovers Come the Fear At The Dying of The Year Fair and Tender Ladies Free from All Danger
(7 books)
by
3.99 avg rating — 2,068 ratings

Gods of Gold Two Bronze Pennies Skin Like Silver The Iron Water On Copper Street The Tin God The Leaden Heart
(11 books)
by
4.06 avg rating — 1,966 ratings

The Crooked Spire The Saltergate Psalter The Holywell Dead The Anchoress of Chesterfield
(4 books)
by
4.23 avg rating — 1,472 ratings

The Hanging Psalm The Hocus Girl To the Dark The Blood Covenant The Scream of Sins  The Dead Will Rise Them Without Pain
(7 books)
by
4.14 avg rating — 925 ratings

Modern Crimes The Year of the Gun
(2 books)
by
3.99 avg rating — 162 ratings

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Chris is Currently Reading

A Dark Steel Death
Chris Nickson is currently reading
by Chris Nickson (Goodreads Author)
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Jul 14, 2022 07:13AM

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Chris’s Recent Updates

Chris Nickson wrote a new blog post

Lots More Cathy Marsden

Two big Cathy Marsden pieces for you. The first is that the second book with her, The Faces Of The Dead, will be out next April. Here’s a taste of the Read more of this blog post »
Nov 14, 2025 01:14AM  · 
Chris Nickson made a comment on Edna Foster’s review of Them Without Pain (Simon Westow #7)
Them Without Pain by Chris Nickson
" Maybe Rusted Souls, Edna - and thank you for reading "
Sep 29, 2024 12:57AM  · see review
Chris Nickson liked Edna Foster's review of Them Without Pain (Simon Westow #7):
Them Without Pain by Chris Nickson
"Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. The author and I have been friends for close to thirty years, yet I’ve never read any of his novels. I will be honest and say that a book set in 1825 Leeds " Read more of this review »
Sep 29, 2024 12:56AM  · see review ·  preview book
Chris Nickson made a comment on The Best Yet?
" I'll try. Thank you. ...more "
Aug 29, 2024 10:16AM  · see blog post
Chris Nickson made a comment on A Sneak Peek…At The New Book
" Barbara wrote: "Can't wait!"

Thank you! ...more "
Jul 31, 2024 05:19AM  · see blog post
Chris Nickson made a comment on Some Very Good News
" Amy wrote: "I am looking forward to the next Simon Westow book! They are excellent and it’s so fun to read about history in Leeds."

Thank you! This new ...more "
Jun 09, 2024 09:03AM  · see blog post
Chris Nickson made a comment on A Very, Very New Story
" Helen wrote: "I know you'll have the setting down pat, just as you have in your other books. No question about that. "Private detectives on the hunt f ...more "
Apr 28, 2024 12:01AM  · see blog post
More of Chris's books…

Polls

Sub-genre Poll

Which Police Procedural book would you like to read in August?

We ask you NOT to vote unless you intend to participate in the book discussion (should your book win).

 
  17 votes, 39.5%

 
  9 votes, 20.9%

 
  7 votes, 16.3%

 
  5 votes, 11.6%

 
  5 votes, 11.6%

43 total votes
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Topics Mentioning This Author

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The Seasonal Read...: This topic has been closed to new comments. Completed Tasks (Do Not Delete Posts) 2519 652 Aug 01, 2014 02:12PM  
Cozy Mysteries : This topic has been closed to new comments. Title and Author game, Round 3 13653 559 Apr 03, 2017 09:53AM  
Stress Free Readi...: This topic has been closed to new comments. Rebecca on the Yellow Brick Road 68 23 Jul 28, 2017 09:47PM  
Nothing But Readi...: K-2SO 890 311 Aug 01, 2017 12:34AM  
Retro Chapter Chi...: August 14-20, 2017 13 15 Aug 22, 2017 08:49PM  
Retro Chapter Chi...: The 100 Challenge 2017 28 49 Nov 27, 2017 02:58PM  
Retro Chapter Chi...: * Favorite Books of 2017 105 66 Dec 27, 2017 09:41AM  
Crime, Mysteries ...: This topic has been closed to new comments. August 2018 Sub-Genre Nominatons (police procedural) 10 67 Jul 01, 2018 07:22PM  

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