Although the Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Ariti books do not need to be read in order, readers would get the fullest experience by following the chronological order, which coincides with the publication order:⁠[4-6]

Order Cover Title First published Notes
1 Book cover of Cutters End. Cutters End 2021⁠[4] Introduces Mark Ariti through a personal cold-case investigation.
2 Book cover of Stone Town. Stone Town 2022⁠[5] Continues with a separate rural case and recurring police connections.
3 Book cover of Broken Bay. Broken Bay 2023⁠[6] Follows another independent investigation while extending the shared continuity
Reading order of the Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Ariti books.
Reading order of the Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Ariti books.

1. Cutters End

Main bookRecommended reading
Book cover of Cutters End.
Book cover of Cutters End.

Cutters End (2021)⁠[4] introduces Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Ariti, who is on extended leave and drawn into a cold case with a personal connection.⁠[1]

This novel establishes the collection’s pattern: an old death, a small community with concealed histories, and a police inquiry that raises questions about truth, justice, and closure. It is the clearest entry point for readers new to Mark Ariti.⁠[1]

2. Stone Town

Main bookRecommended reading
Book cover of Stone Town.
Book cover of Stone Town.

Stone Town (2022)⁠[5] moves Mark into a new rural investigation after teenagers discover the body of a local developer. The case intersects with a separate police disappearance, local land disputes, and long-buried community secrets.⁠[2]

Although its central mystery stands on its own, this book continues Mark’s working relationships and personal circumstances, making the chronological order useful for readers following the character across cases.⁠[2]

3. Broken Bay

Main bookRecommended reading
Book cover of Broken Bay.
Book cover of Broken Bay.

Broken Bay (2023)⁠[6] begins with a diving death that uncovers an older disappearance in a coastal community. Mark’s investigation links recent violence, family history, and a decades-old tragedy, while Jagdeep Kaur again becomes part of the investigative frame.⁠[3]

This novel features a self-contained case, but it is more clearly placed after the earlier books because of the recurring characters and accumulated continuity around Mark Ariti.⁠[3]

References

  1. Cutters End. Penguin. ISBN: 9780143778349.
  2. Stone Town. Bantam Australia. ISBN: 9780143777274.
  3. Broken Bay. Bantam Australia. ISBN: 9780143777267.
  4. Cutters End by Margaret Hickey. Penguin Books Australia.
  5. Stone Town by Margaret Hickey. Penguin Books Australia.
  6. Broken Bay by Margaret Hickey. Penguin Books Australia.