The Skelfs series:

by Doug Johnstone

Get the FIRST SIX books in Doug Johnstone's addictive, darkly funny and unmissable The Skelfs series in one GREAT-VALUE Box Set.

When family patriarch Jim dies, three generations of Edinburgh women – widow Dorothy, daughter Jenny and granddaughter Hannah – take over the family funeral directors and PI businesses. From missing people and faked deaths to gangland vendettas and graveyard secrets, their investigations pull them into danger in a series of tense, warmly funny and unforgettable mysteries.

–––––––––

'The Skelfs feel like family – their joys are my joys, their pains are my pain' Val McDermid

'Tense, funny and deeply moving' Mark Billingham

'Some of the best female characters in crime fiction' Sarah Hilary

'Gripping and blackly humorous' Observer

–––––––––––

A Dark Matter (book 1)

Jim's death leaves Dorothy, Jenny and Hannah in charge — but a vanished friend, a cheating husband and hidden affairs soon make their first cases lethal.

The Big Chill (book 2)

A car crashes into an open grave, an elderly professor grows dangerously obsessed and old enemies plot revenge.

The Great Silence (book 3)

A severed foot, a dying woman's secret and a missing girl tied to Jenny's violent ex push the family into deadly territory.

Black Hearts (book 4)

A possible faked death, a stalker threatening Hannah and ghosts from Jenny's past bring peril to all three.

The Opposite of Lonely (book 5)

Suspicious fires, conspiracy theorists and a missing sister-in-law test loyalty and survival closer to home.

Living Is a Problem (book 6)

A funeral attacked by a drone, gangland violence and graveyard intrusions force the Skelfs to fight for their lives.

––––––––––––––

'Underlines just how accomplished Johnstone has become' Daily Mail

'Wonderful flawed, funny and brave' Sunday Times

'A unique brand of crime fiction boasting rare heart and depth' Ambrose Parry

Genres: Crime

1957 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 14, 2025

About the author

Doug Johnstone is a writer, musician and journalist based in Edinburgh. His fourth novel, Hit & Run, was published by Faber and Faber in 2012. His previous novel, Smokeheads, was published in March 2011, also by Faber. Before that he published two novels with Penguin, Tombstoning (2006) and The Ossians (2008), which received praise from the likes of Irvine Welsh, Ian Rankin and Christopher Brookmyre. Doug is currently writer in residence at the University of Strathclyde. He has had short stories appear in various publications, and since 1999 he has worked as a freelance arts journalist, primarily covering music and literature. He grew up in Arbroath and lives in Portobello, Edinburgh with his wife and two children. He loves drinking malt whisky and playing football, not necessarily at the same time.

Reviews

[Martyn Beeny · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Skelfs Series is a brilliantly entertaining blend of crime, mystery, family drama, and dark humor. Doug Johnstone creates an unforgettable cast of characters whose relationships are just as compelling as the investigations they undertake. Set against the atmospheric backdrop of Edinburgh, each story delivers suspense, emotion, and unexpected twists while maintaining a distinctive sense of warmth and wit.

What makes the series stand out is the dynamic between the three generations of Skelf women, whose resilience, flaws, and loyalty bring depth to every case. This collection is an outstanding choice for readers who enjoy character driven crime fiction with sharp humor, memorable mysteries, and richly layered storytelling.

[Marie Finneran · Rating 5 out of 5]

These novels are about 3 generations of Skelf women who run a business combining funeral direction and private investigation - a mix that goes surprisingly well together. Set in Edinburgh, each book can be read on its own but if you become hooked it is best to read in order to follow the family dramas as they unfold.
While essentially within the crime genre, these novels are so much more. The characters are genuine, complex and relatable and the business of undertaking and crime solving provides the backdrop to family dramas, grief, morality and so much more.
These novels may not fit the usual mould of crime fiction and police procedural formula but are rather more.

[Paul Cowen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable, quite dark

Wasn't sure what this was going to be about but was a great read. Very evocative mood and place. 6 books! Thought I'd read one or two and change to a different author for a bit.....nope straight through the lot!

[Christine]

Very thought provoking. I need to look at lots of new ways for my funeral.

[Sandra Hooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

A thoroughly enjoyable read

[andrea price · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

I liked the continuity of characters,every lol in the series was a good read,murder mystery on a gentler scale. Lovely holiday read.

[Lulu De Mi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved every one of the six books, I was very involved with every member of the family.