Mystery series in order, plus guides that help you jump in without spoiling the fun. If you’re here to follow a detective from book one onward, this is the hub.
Only here for reading orders? Head over to my Mystery Books in Order hub for a clean, A–Z directory of every mystery series guide on the site.
Looking for Hercule Poirot books in order? Agatha Christie’s Belgian detective appears in novels, short stories, short-story collections, a stage play, and later continuation novels by Sophie Hannah, so this is one reading order where the “just give me the list” answer can get messy fast.
I’d start with The Mysterious Affair at Styles if you want the full …
Jo Nesbø is a Norwegian crime writer best known for the Harry Hole novels, a dark detective series centered on an Oslo investigator with a messy personal life and a sharp mind. If you’re looking for Jo Nesbø books in order, this guide covers Harry Hole, his other connected crime novels, standalones, short stories, children’s books, nonfiction, and screen adaptations.…
The easiest way to read the Elly Griffiths books in order is by series. I’d start with The Crossing Places if you want the best first taste of Griffiths’ crime fiction, then read each series in order before moving to another one.
Griffiths has several mystery series, a middle grade mystery series, newer time-travel mysteries, short fiction, one non-fiction book, …
The Stuart MacBride books in order are the perfect examples of tartan noir. This subgenre of crime fiction takes place in Scotland and features gritty, quintessential Scottish charm. MacBride’s thrillers feature terrifying, elusive killers and protagonists that are morally gray in their pursuit of justice.
Logan McRae is MacBride’s most well-known protagonist as the main character of his longest series, …
If you’re looking for Jesse Stone books in order, start with Night Passage and continue straight through the series. Jesse Stone is Robert B. Parker’s troubled police chief in Paradise, Massachusetts, and the books follow his cases, his drinking, his complicated past, and the people who keep pulling him back from the edge.
Parker wrote the original Jesse Stone …
Looking for Alexander McCall Smith books in order? His bibliography is huge, and it can be hard to tell which books belong with which series. The simplest way to sort it out is to start with the major series, then move into the standalones, children’s books, collections, nonfiction, and academic titles.
I’d begin with The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective …
Looking for Martha Grimes books in order? Grimes is best known for the Richard Jury mysteries, which pair a Scotland Yard detective with English village settings, eccentric suspects, and a recurring cast led by Melrose Plant.
Her bibliography also includes the Emma Graham mysteries, the darker Andi Oliver books, the publishing-world Foul Matter novels, standalones, novellas, and a memoir. …
The Lucy Stone by Leslie Meier books in order are the epitome of cozy murder mysteries and contemporary comedy of manners. Her books take place in the quaint and picturesque town of Tinker’s Cove, Maine where murder is never far away, but thankfully Lucy Stone is able to sleuth her way to finding the guilty party.
As is the case …
In the 21st century, the prevalence of strong female detectives can be taken for granted with icons like Bones and Olivia Benson. The characters are allowed to have faults and quirks, brilliance and wit, while not being confined to the archetypes of femme fatale or girl-next-door. That path was in part paved by the Sara Paretsky books in order with …
The Mrs. Pollifax books in order by Dorothy Gilman are the perfect cozy mysteries. Emily Pollifax is an endearing protagonist who is frequently underestimated for her age and appearance. But that allows her to be the perfect part-time CIA spy.
Even though her looks are deceiving, Mrs. Pollifax always ends up in more danger than expected with her missions and …