Below is the complete list of Joy Ellis’ DI Nikki Galena & DS Joe Easter books in order. For this series, the chronological reading order is the same as the order of publication.
Publication Order of DI Nikki Galena & DS Joe Easter Books
- Secrets on the Fens (2021)
Published in 2021, Secrets on the Fens is listed as book #12 in the DI Nikki Galena & DS Joe Easter series. - Fear on the Fens (2021)
Fear on the Fens is a 2021 release and appears as book #13 in the DI Nikki Galena & DS Joe Easter series. - Graves on the Fens (2022)
In the DI Nikki Galena & DS Joe Easter series, Graves on the Fens is book #14 and was published in 2022. 
About DI Nikki Galena & DS Joe Easter
The DI Nikki Galena & DS Joe Easter series is a British police procedural mystery series by Joy Ellis, set in the Lincolnshire Fens. Also known as the Nikki Galena series or the Fen series, it follows Detective Inspector Nikki Galena and Detective Sergeant Joseph Easter as they investigate murders, disappearances, and other serious crimes in a region characterized by isolated villages, waterways, and expansive countryside.
The series begins with Crime on the Fens, originally published under the title Mask Wars. The opening novel introduces Nikki as an experienced detective whose reputation for determination is accompanied by a difficult personal history. Her uncompromising approach to policing has created tensions within the force, but she remains deeply committed to protecting victims and bringing offenders to justice.
Nikki’s past is central to her character. Personal tragedy has left her emotionally guarded, and she often struggles to separate her professional responsibilities from the anger and grief that influence her decisions. Rather than presenting her as an infallible investigator, Ellis portrays a capable but vulnerable officer who must learn to trust others.
Her partnership with Joe Easter becomes one of the series’ defining relationships. A former soldier, Joe brings discipline, patience, and practical experience to the investigative team. His steady temperament provides an important contrast to Nikki’s intensity, helping her approach difficult situations with greater balance.
Joe also carries emotional burdens from his military service, giving him an understanding of trauma that strengthens his connection with Nikki. Their relationship develops through mutual respect, shared danger, and the gradual recognition that neither can manage every challenge alone.
As the series progresses, the detectives confront crimes involving violent offenders, missing persons, family secrets, and longstanding grievances. Ellis frequently begins with an apparently straightforward incident before revealing connections that complicate the investigation.
The Fenland setting plays an essential role in these stories. The region’s remote roads, drainage channels, agricultural landscapes, and small communities create practical challenges for investigators. Its geography can conceal evidence, restrict movement, and heighten the vulnerability of people living in isolated locations.
At the same time, the close relationships within rural communities can make investigations particularly difficult. Witnesses may hesitate to reveal information about neighbors or relatives, while longstanding loyalties sometimes prevent the truth from emerging.
Ellis combines these regional characteristics with the familiar elements of police procedural fiction. Nikki and Joe must assess forensic findings, interview suspects, coordinate with colleagues, and reconstruct events from incomplete or contradictory evidence.
The investigations are rarely solved through intuition alone. Instead, the detectives depend upon persistence, teamwork, and their ability to recognize connections between details that initially appear unrelated.
Supporting officers also contribute to the series’ continuing appeal. The investigative team develops its own relationships, disagreements, and professional challenges, creating a sense of continuity beyond the central partnership.
One of the recurring themes is the emotional cost of police work. Nikki and Joe encounter victims and families whose lives have been permanently altered by violence. Their efforts to deliver justice are complicated by the knowledge that an arrest cannot necessarily repair the harm already caused.
The novels also explore trust and recovery. Nikki’s willingness to accept support develops gradually, while Joe’s experiences demonstrate that strength can involve compassion and emotional openness rather than simply physical courage.
Although the books feature recurring characters and developing personal storylines, individual installments generally focus on distinct criminal investigations. Readers can follow the central mysteries independently, but publication order offers a more satisfying understanding of the characters’ relationships.
The series should therefore begin with Crime on the Fens, followed by the subsequent Nikki Galena and Joe Easter investigations. Readers may encounter different editions or listings of the opening novel because of its earlier title, Mask Wars, but these refer to the same work rather than separate installments.
The DI Nikki Galena & DS Joe Easter books are distinct from Ellis’s DI Jackman and DS Evans series and her Detective Matt Ballard mysteries. All three share the author’s interest in atmospheric British crime fiction, but each follows a different investigative partnership.
Through its combination of intricate cases, emotionally grounded detectives, and the distinctive landscape of the Lincolnshire Fens, the Nikki Galena and Joe Easter series has become one of Joy Ellis’s best-known contributions to contemporary police procedural fiction.