Best Mystery Series Inspector List (2026): 4 Compared

Finding the best mystery series inspector list often starts with a detective you want to follow for many books, when a great inspector carries a whole series. We compared four inspector-led mystery series by page count, series length and publisher. Every figure below comes from the listings.

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Quick verdict: choose the Inspector Morse set for 14 books in one collection. Choose Alan Grant for Golden Age depth, The Kill List for a modern thriller, or Inspector French for a series starter.

More picks to compare

• Ruth Rendell Reading Order2015 edition, Kindle list.Check on Amazon
• Georgette Heyer Checklist26 pages, 2016 edition.Check on Amazon

Compare the picks

Specifications are as listed, collected 20 October 2026.

Best mystery series inspector list: the picks

#	Product	Shelf Score	Buy
1	Inspector Morse 14-Book Set	9.7/10	Buy on Amazon
2	Inspector Alan Grant Series	9.7/10	Buy on Amazon
3	The Kill List	9.6/10	Buy on Amazon
4	Inspector French Case	9.6/10	Buy on Amazon

1

Inspector Morse 14-Book Set

Colin Dexter·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 14-book Inspector Morse collection set by Colin Dexter, Pan publisher.

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Pros

• 14 books stated
• Complete set stated
• Colin Dexter stated
• Pan stated

Cons

• No pages stated
• 14 books, long commitment
• No date stated
• No warranty term is stated

2

Inspector Alan Grant Series

Josephine Tey·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A complete Inspector Alan Grant series, 700 pages, Golden Age crime by Josephine Tey.

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Pros

• 700 pages stated
• Complete series stated
• Golden Age stated
• 2023 edition stated

Cons

• 700 pages, long
• No series number stated
• No age stated
• No warranty term is stated

3

The Kill List

Nadine Matheson·9.6/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

Book 3 of 3, 432 pages, modern thriller by Nadine Matheson, HQ, 2025.

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Pros

• 432 pages stated
• Book 3 of 3 stated
• 2025 edition stated
• HQ stated

Cons

• 432 pages
• Book 3, start earlier
• No age stated
• No warranty term is stated

4

Inspector French Case

Freeman Wills Crofts·9.6/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

Book 1 of 23, 249 pages, Inspector French series starter by Freeman Wills Crofts, 2019.

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Pros

• 249 pages stated
• Book 1 of 23 stated
• 2019 edition stated
• Series starter stated

Cons

• 249 pages, the shortest
• Book 1 of 23, long series
• No age stated
• No warranty term is stated

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How we scored them

Scores run from 9.2 to 9.8: each book’s point total is placed on that range, so more points always means a higher score. Reading age or level counts on a list where at least one listing gives one, and a book whose listing gives none then scores zero on it. Where no listing gives one, the score is taken over the other 85 points. Books carry no warranty, so warranty is not scored.

Our method weights series completeness, page count, value, readability and publisher. The Morse set leads on total books included.

Setup Notes

• For a series, start with Book 1 and confirm the series number on the listing.
• Compare the page count with your reading pace, and read the description for tone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which includes the most books?

The Inspector Morse set includes 14 books.

Which is the longest single listing?

The Alan Grant complete series at 700 pages.

Which is Book 3 of a trilogy?

The Kill List is Book 3 of 3 in the Henley thrillers.

Which is a series starter?

Inspector French’s Greatest Case is Book 1 of 23 in the series.

Still deciding? Our top pickInspector Morse 14-Book Set

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