Order of Nicolas Freeling Books

Nicolas Freeling was a British crime novelist known for his series of detective novels featuring Van der Valk. This series was adapted into a television show for the British ITV Network, which aired during the 1970s and 1980s. Although Freeling wrote numerous books about Van der Valk, he eventually lost interest in the character and chose to kill him off in 1972. Despite requests to revive him, Freeling declined and instead created novels with Van der Valk’s widow, Arlette, as the detective. He later developed a second detective series featuring a character named Henri Castang, which many readers prefer. Freeling received an Edgar Award for Best Novel for The King of the Rainy Country and was honored with France’s Grand Prix de Littérature Policière for Gun Before Butter.