Aussie Crime Before Streaming: Cleeves Noir
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- Ann Cleeves published The Crow Trap, her first Vera Stanhope novel, in 1999 through Macmillan.
- ITV's Vera adaptation premiered in 2011, twelve years after the character's literary debut.
- Ian Rankin's Rebus series launched in 1987 with Knots and Crosses and ran for over thirty novels before the 2024 BBC reboot.
- Michael Connelly introduced LAPD Detective Harry Bosch in The Black Echo (1992) and Renée Ballard in The Late Show (2017).
- Mark Billingham's DI Tom Thorne debuted in Sleepyhead (2001), anchoring a series that's run over twenty novels.
Even Dogs in the Wild — Ian Rankin
Quick Verdict: Rankin's 2015 Rebus outing is corrupt-cop noir done with the precision of a mortician—gritty, cynical, and utterly Edinburgh.
Even Dogs in the Wild throws Edinburgh's grittiest detectives into a web of corruption that'll make your head spin. When a lawyer turns up dead and old secrets crawl out of Police Scotland's closets, Rankin layers scandal, inter-generational crime, and Rebus's trademark moral ambiguity into a procedural that never panders. This is the twentieth novel in the series—Rankin knows exactly how much rot a single city can hold. The paperback's seen some life (expect creased spines on most preloved Rankin stock), but that foxing only adds to the authenticity. If you loved the 2024 BBC reboot, this is the source material that proves Rebus worked best on the page. Explore our current copy of Even Dogs in the Wild. Browse more Crime books at Patina.
The Waiting — Michael Connelly
Quick Verdict: Connelly reunites Ballard and Bosch for a cold-case procedural that's pure LAPD precision—methodical, character-driven, and relentlessly smart.
The Waiting brings together Michael Connelly's most beloved detectives for another gripping dive into LA's coldest cases. When LAPD Detective Renée Ballard tackles a decade-old homicide alongside retired Harry Bosch, Connelly delivers the slow-burn investigative work that separates his crime fiction from airport thrillers. This is procedural craft—forensic detail, bureaucratic friction, and two detectives who'd rather solve murders than play politics. Connelly's been writing Bosch since 1992's The Black Echo; Ballard joined in 2017, and their dynamic is the kind of earned chemistry you only get after thirty years of series-building. As of July 2026, Patina's Crime collection includes rotating stock of Connelly's Ballard & Bosch novels. Explore our current copy of The Waiting. Browse more Crime books at Patina.
Desert Star — Michael Connelly
Quick Verdict: Another Ballard & Bosch cold-case dive that proves Connelly's mastery of the long-game procedural—forensic, patient, and deeply satisfying.
Desert Star finds Renée Ballard and Harry Bosch digging into LA's coldest cases with their signature grit. When a decade-old murder resurfaces, Connelly's procedural chops shine—this is crime fiction that respects investigative work, values patience over pyrotechnics, and trusts readers to care about forensic detail. Bosch remains one of contemporary crime's most enduring protagonists; Ballard, introduced in 2017's The Late Show, gives the series a second wind without diluting its core. If you're comparing, think Peter Robinson's DCI Banks or Tana French's Dublin Murder Squad—character-driven, methodically plotted, and utterly absorbing. Explore our current copy of Desert Star. Browse more Crime books at Patina.
The Killing Habit — Mark Billingham
Quick Verdict: Billingham's 2018 Thorne thriller is darkly inventive psychological suspense—serial killer territory done with London's grim authenticity.
The Killing Habit finds DI Tom Thorne hunting a serial killer with a twisted obsession—victims turning up with their pets brutally murdered alongside them. Mark Billingham's been writing Thorne since 2001's Sleepyhead, and by this twentieth novel, he's mastered the balance between procedural grit and psychological horror. Thorne's London is working-class, morally ambiguous, and unforgiving—closer to Rankin's Edinburgh than cozy village mysteries. If you're drawn to Val McDermid's Tony Hill series or Stuart MacBride's Logan McRae novels, Billingham's your next stop. The preloved paperbacks we stock often carry the yellowed pages and creased spines of a book that's been read on the Northern Line at 2am—exactly as it should be. Explore our current copy of The Killing Habit. Browse more Crime books at Patina.
This is crime fiction from the era when Sydney readers discovered Vera Stanhope on bookshelves, not streaming queues—when paperbacks built reputations through word-of-mouth and dog-eared spines, not algorithm-driven binges. Rankin, Connelly, and Billingham represent the last generation of detective novelists who earned their cult status the old-fashioned way: one meticulously plotted procedural at a time. Shop all Crime books at Patina Paperbacks →
Where can I buy secondhand Ann Cleeves novels in Australia?
Patina Paperbacks stocks rotating preloved copies of contemporary British crime fiction, including Ann Cleeves's Vera Stanhope and Shetland series. We're Sydney-based and ship Australia-wide, with free shipping over $29. Check the Crime collection for current availability.
What's the reading order for Ian Rankin's Rebus series?
Ian Rankin's Rebus series launched with Knots and Crosses in 1987 and ran over thirty novels through 2022's A Heart Full of Headstones. While each novel stands alone, reading chronologically rewards you with Rebus's character arc—his evolving relationship with Edinburgh's underworld and Police Scotland's bureaucracy. Even Dogs in the Wild (2015) is the twentieth entry, so you're deep into the series by then.
Are Michael Connelly's Bosch and Ballard novels connected?
Yes—Harry Bosch debuted in 1992's The Black Echo and starred in over twenty novels before semi-retiring. Renée Ballard arrived in 2017's The Late Show, and by The Dark Hours (2021), Connelly began pairing them for cold-case work. The Waiting and Desert Star are both Ballard & Bosch collaborations, so you'll get the full dynamic. Reading Bosch's earlier novels enriches the partnership, but these stand alone just fine.
Who should I read if I like Mark Billingham's Tom Thorne series?
If Billingham's psychological suspense and London grit work for you, try Val McDermid's Tony Hill & Carol Jordan series (starting with The Mermaids Singing, 1995), Stuart MacBride's Logan McRae novels (Cold Granite, 2005), or Peter Robinson's DCI Banks books (Gallows View, 1987). All share Billingham's working-class settings, morally complex detectives, and procedural precision over flashy twists.
Does Patina stock vintage crime fiction or just contemporary titles?
Honestly, both. Our Crime collection leans contemporary—Rankin, Connelly, Billingham, McDermid—but we rotate in golden-age noir, vintage Agatha Christie, and 1970s police procedurals as stock allows. With 13,000+ secondhand titles, the mix shifts weekly. If you're hunting something specific, check the collection or swing by when you're in Sydney.