Mark Dawson Books in Order

Mark Dawson is a British thriller author best known for the John Milton series, about a former government assassin who moves from place to place, trying to make up for his past actions one mission at a time.

Originally a lawyer in London, Mark Dawson eventually left his law career to write full time after the John Milton books took off, selling more than six million copies. He also co-hosts The Self Publishing Show and founded Self Publishing Formula, a popular resource for independent authors.

This page lists all Mark Dawson books in order, including the John Milton series and its connected spin-off series, including Beatrix Rose, Isabella Rose, Charlie Cooper, and Group Fifteen Files, along with the Atticus Priest mysteries, the historical Soho Noir series, and his children’s books.

Latest Mark Dawson Books

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John Milton Series (Books in Order)

The John Milton series follows former assassin John Milton, once the British government’s top operative in Group Fifteen, a covert unit used for the kinds of jobs MI5 and MI6 won’t touch. After ten years of sanctioned killing, John Milton reaches a breaking point and being plagued by guilt, he walks away, determined to make amends for his past. While he moves from place to place, helping people in trouble, Milton can never fully escape who he was, and Group Fifteen is always one step behind him. The series is best started with book 1, The Cleaner, since his character and backstory develop gradually over time.

Reading Order

1. 1000 Yards, 2013
2. Tarantula, 2014
3. The Cleaner, 2013
4. Saint Death, 2013
5. The Driver, 2014
6. Ghosts, 2014
7. The Sword of God, 2014
8. Salvation Row, 2014
9. Headhunters, 2015
10. The Ninth Step, 2016
11. The Jungle, 2016
12. Blackout, 2017
13. The Alamo, 2017
14. The Redeemer, 2018
15. Sleepers, 2018
16. Twelve Days, 2018
17. Bright Lights, 2019
18. The Man Who Never Was, 2020
19. Killa City, 2020
20. Ronin, 2020
21. Never Let Me Down Again, 2021
22. Bulletproof, 2021
23. The Sandman, 2022
24. Uppercut, 2023
25. Bloodlands, 2024
26. Vultures, 2025
27. The Hanging Tree, 2025
28. Clearwater, 2025
29. Dope, 2026

Beatrix Rose Series (Books in Order)

The Beatrix Rose spin-off series follows former Group Fifteen assassin Beatrix Rose, who was once their top operative until she was betrayed by her own team. After years in hiding, she returns with a clear goal: hunt down the six people responsible for what happened to her and her family before. The series runs parallel with the John Milton books, and it’s best read after Ghosts (John Milton Book 4), which introduces Beatrix and her backstory.

Reading Order

1. Phoenix, 2017
2. In Cold Blood, 2014
3. Blood Moon Rising, 2014
4. Blood and Roses, 2014
5. Tempest, 2019
6. Pistolero, 2023

Beatrix Rose: Hong Kong Stories (Books in Order)

The Beatrix Rose: Hong Kong Stories series is a collection of prequel novellas that take place during the years Beatrix was hiding in Hong Kong before the main Beatrix Rose series begins. The stories add more background to that period of her life and can be read either along with the main series or after it.

Reading Order

1. White Devil, 2015
2. Nine Dragons, 2015
3. Dragon Head, 2015
4. The Dragon and the Ghost, 2015 (includes White Devil, Nine Dragons, Dragon Head)

Isabella Rose Series (Books in Order)

The Isabella Rose series follows the daughter of Beatrix Rose, Isabella, who inherits her mother’s skills and is recruited into Group Fifteen. It takes place in the same shared universe and is set after the Beatrix Rose novels. Known characters from other series make their here as well. If you want to avoid spoilers, read the series after the main Beatrix Rose series.

Reading Order

1. The Angel, 2015
2. The Asset, 2016
3. The Agent, 2017
4. The Assassin, 2018
5. The Avenger, 2022
6. Pretty Face, 2025

Group Fifteen Files Series (Books in Order)

The Group Fifteen Files series follows missions carried out by Group Fifteen agents before the main John Milton novels, which adds more background to the shadow organization. Several books are co-written with other thriller authors, including Steve Cavanagh, Scott Mariani, and Michael Ridpath. The series is more of a companion to the John Milton books than a strict prequel series.

Reading Order

1. The Vault, 2020
2. Scorpion, 2017
3. Witness X, 2017
4. Little Sister, 2018
5. Group Fifteen Files Volume 1, 2018 (includes Scorpion, Witness X, Little Sister)
6. Wormwood, 2022

Charlie Cooper Series (Books in Order)

The Charlie Cooper series follows former Group Fifteen operative and ex-MI6 officer Charlie Cooper, who now works in private security. The series is set within the same shared universe with John Milton and Isabella Rose.

Reading Order

1. Sandstorm, 2022
2. The Chameleon, 2023
3. Blood Brothers, 2024
4. Dead of Winter, 2024
5. Code Blue, 2024
6. North Star, 2024
7. Collateral, 2025
8. Leverage, 2025
9. Burnout, 2025
10. Exposure, 2025
11. Heatwave, 2026
12. Hemlock, 2026

Atticus Priest Series (Books in Order)

The Atticus Priest series follows disgraced former detective Atticus Priest, who now works as a private investigator in and around Salisbury, Wiltshire, where Mark Dawson also lives. A brilliant but difficult person, Atticus often ends up working cases with DCI Mackenzie Jones, his former colleague and on-and-off partner. The series is somewhat inspired by Sherlock Holmes in its style and the dynamic between its two characters. Each book can be read as a standalone, although reading them in order gives a better sense of how Atticus and Mack’s relationship develops.

Reading Order

1. The House in the Woods, 2020
2. A Place to Bury Strangers, 2021
3. The Red Room, 2023
4. All the Devils Are Here, 2024
5. The Inheritance, 2025
6. The Horned Man, expected 2026

The Casebook of Atticus Priest Series (Books in Order)

The Casebook of Atticus Priest is a collection of shorter mysteries following Atticus Priest and his assistant, Jez Hardwicke, set around Salisbury and Winchester. The stories have the same Holmes-and-Watson style as the main series, and they can be read separately from it, although they work even better if you already know the main Atticus Priest novels.

Reading Order

1. The Mystery of the Missing Pages, 2024
2. The Case of the Bolted Door, 2024
3. The Haunting of Hallows House, 2025

After School Detective Club Series (Books in Order)

The After School Detective Club is a middle grade mystery series, and it is set apart from Mark Dawson’s adult thriller novels, as it is writen for younger readers.

Reading Order

1. The Case of the Smuggler’s Curse, 2020
2. The Secret of Ragnar’s Gold, 2022
3. The Mystery in the Marshes, 2023
4. The Case of the Dastardly Dognappers, 2023
5. The Legend of the Headless Horseman, 2024
6. The Adventure at Witchington Hall, 2024

Soho Noir Series (Books in Order)

The Soho Noir series is a historical crime series set in London’s West End from the 1940s through the 1970s. The first book begins during the Blitz, when three police detectives investigate a serial killer who is targeting prostitutes in Soho. The series is, in part, influenced by Mark Dawson’s own experience working as a lawyer in that area of London.

Reading Order

1. Gaslight, 2014
2. The Black Mile, 2012
3. The Imposter, 2013

Standalone Novels

• The Art of Falling Apart, 2001
• Subpoena Colada, 2001

Mark Dawson Biography

Mark Dawson is a British thriller author best known for the John Milton series and the related spin-off novels.
Author website: markjdawson.com

Mark Dawson was born in 1973 in Lowestoft, England, and grew up in Manchester. He studied law at the University of Manchester and after graduating from university, he worked in entertainment and event promotion. Later, he worked as a lawyer in London. He began writing novels in the early 1990s, releasing his novels mostly in digital formats. His first self-published novel, The Black Mile (2012), launched the Soho Noir historical thriller series.

Later, he published the John Milton series, introducing his main character, an ex-assassin who was once the British government’s top operative in Group Fifteen. Following the series’ success, Mark Dawson left his legal career in order to focus on writing full time. Over the years, Mark Dawson wrote additional related series, including spin-ofs, set in the same shared universe.

Except his fiction work, Mark Dawson is also holding workshops to educate authors and creates training courses related to independent publishing. He lives in Wiltshire, England, where he continues to write.

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