Reading Order List β€” Book Series Reading Order Guide

Charles Todd Reading Order

9 series Β· 135 books Β· Born 1950

Charles Todd is a collaborative writing duo comprised of mother-son team Caroline and Charles Todd, known for their historical mysteries. With an impressive portfolio of 135 titles spanning nine series, they have captivated readers with notable works like the Inspector Ian Rutledge and Bess Crawford series. Active from 1994 to 2026, their storytelling blends suspense and rich historical detail.

Anthologies Series

Ongoing

9 books (2006–2025)

Start with Death Do Us Part, the first of 9 books in the Anthologies series.

#Title
1
Cover of Death Do Us Part
Death Do Us Part
2
Cover of A Study in Sherlock
A Study in Sherlock
3
Deadly Pleasures
4
Crimespree Magazine #58
5
Silent Night, Deadly Night
6
Cover of Odd Partners
Odd Partners
7
Private Investigations: Mystery Writers on the Secrets, Riddles, and Wonders in Their Lives
8
Black Cat Weekly #50
9
Bat Out of Hell

Bess Crawford Series

Likely Complete

16 books (2009–2023)

Start with A Duty to the Dead, the first of 16 books in the Bess Crawford series.

#Title
1
Cover of A Duty to the Dead
A Duty to the Dead
2
Cover of An Impartial Witness
An Impartial Witness
3
Cover of The Girl on the Beach
The Girl on the Beach
4
Cover of A Bitter Truth
A Bitter Truth
5
Cover of An Unmarked Grave
An Unmarked Grave
6
Cover of A Question of Honor
A Question of Honor
7
Cover of An Unwilling Accomplice
An Unwilling Accomplice
8
The Maharani's Pearls
9
Cover of A Pattern of Lies
A Pattern of Lies
10
Cover of The Shattered Tree
The Shattered Tree
11
Cover of A Casualty of War
A Casualty of War
12
Cover of A Forgotten Place
A Forgotten Place
13
Cover of A Cruel Deception
A Cruel Deception
14
A Hanging at Dawn
15
Cover of An Irish Hostage
An Irish Hostage
16
The Cliff's Edge

Bibliomysteries Series

Likely Complete

40 books (2012–2022)

Start with An Acceptable Sacrifice(By: Jeffery Deaver), the first of 40 books in the Bibliomysteries series.

#Title
1
Cover of An Acceptable Sacrifice(By: Jeffery Deaver)
An Acceptable Sacrifice(By: Jeffery Deaver)
2
Death Leaves a Bookmark(By: William Link)
3
Cover of Pronghorns of the Third Reich(By: C.J. Box)
Pronghorns of the Third Reich(By: C.J. Box)
4
The Book Case(By: Nelson DeMille)
5
Cover of The Book Thing(By: Laura Lippman)
The Book Thing(By: Laura Lippman)
6
Cover of The Book of Virtue(By: Ken Bruen)
The Book of Virtue(By: Ken Bruen)
7
Rides a Stranger(By: David Bell)
8
The Book of Ghosts(By: Reed Farrel Coleman)
9
The Final Testament(By: Peter Blauner)
10
The Long Sonata of the Dead(By: Andrew Taylor)
11
Book Club(By: Loren D. Estleman)
12
It's in the Book(By: Max Allan Collins,Mickey Spillane)
13
Remaindered(By: Peter Lovesey)
14
The Compendium of Srem(By: F. Paul Wilson)
15
The Gospel of Sheba(By: Lyndsay Faye)
16
The Nature of My Inheritance(By: Bradford Morrow)
17
Cover of The Scroll(By: Anne Perry)
The Scroll(By: Anne Perry)
18
The Sequel(By: R.L. Stine)
19
What's in a Name?(By: Thomas H. Cook)
20
Condor in the Stacks(By: James Grady)
21
Every Seven Years(By: Denise Mina)
22
From the Queen(By: Carolyn Hart)
23
Mystery, Inc.(By: Joyce Carol Oates)
24
The Book of the Lion(By: Thomas Perry)
25
The Little Men(By: Megan Abbott)
26
Citadel(By: Stephen Hunter)
27
Dead Dames Don't Sing(By: John Harvey)
28
Reconciliation Day(By: Christopher Fowler)
29
The Haze(By: James W. Hall)
30
Cover of The Travelling Companion(By: Ian Rankin)
The Travelling Companion(By: Ian Rankin)
31
Hoodoo Harry(By: Joe R. Lansdale)
32
Seven Years(By: Peter Robinson)
33
The Caxton Private Lending Library & Book Depository(By: John Connolly)
34
The Hemingway Valise(By: Robert Olen Butler)
35
The Last Honest Horse Thief(By: Michael Koryta)
36
The Pretty Little Box
37
The Girl Who Did Say No(By: David Handler)
38
The Dark Door(By: Lisa Unger)
39
The Honeymoon Trap(By: Peter Swanson)
40
The Traitor(By: Martin Edwards)

Inspector Ian Rutledge Series

Ongoing

29 books (1994–2026)

Start with A Test of Wills, the first of 29 books in the Inspector Ian Rutledge series.

#Title
1
Cover of A Test of Wills
A Test of Wills
2
Cover of Wings of Fire
Wings of Fire
3
Cover of Search the Dark
Search the Dark
4
Cover of Legacy of the Dead
Legacy of the Dead
5
Cover of Watchers of Time
Watchers of Time
6
Cover of A Fearsome Doubt
A Fearsome Doubt
7
Cover of A Cold Treachery
A Cold Treachery
8
A Long Shadow
9
Cover of A False Mirror
A False Mirror
10
Cover of A Pale Horse
A Pale Horse
11
Cover of A Matter of Justice
A Matter of Justice
12
Cover of The Red Door
The Red Door
13
The Kidnapping
14
Cover of A Lonely Death
A Lonely Death
15
Cover of The Confession
The Confession
16
Cold Comfort
17
Cover of Proof of Guilt
Proof of Guilt
18
Cover of Hunting Shadows
Hunting Shadows
19
Cover of A Fine Summer's Day
A Fine Summer's Day
20
Cover of No Shred of Evidence
No Shred of Evidence
21
Cover of Racing the Devil
Racing the Devil
22
23
Cover of The Gatekeeper
The Gatekeeper
24
Cover of The Black Ascot
The Black Ascot
25
Cover of A Divided Loyalty
A Divided Loyalty
26
Cover of A Fatal Lie
A Fatal Lie
27
Cover of A Game of Fear
A Game of Fear
28
A Christmas Witness
29
A Day of Judgment

Music and Murder Mystery Series

Ongoing

4 books (2022–2025)

Start with Hotel California(By: Heather Graham,John Gilstrap,Reed Farrel Coleman,Andrew Child,Amanda Flower,Don Bruns,Rick Bleiweiss,Jennifer Dornbush), the first of 4 books in the Music and Murder Mystery series.

#Title
1
Hotel California(By: Heather Graham,John Gilstrap,Reed Farrel Coleman,Andrew Child,Amanda Flower,Don Bruns,Rick Bleiweiss,Jennifer Dornbush)
2
Thriller(By: Heather Graham,Jeffery Deaver,William Kent Krueger,Don Bruns,Dahlia Rose,David R. Slayton)
3
Back in Black(By: Heather Graham,Reed Farrel Coleman,Ward Larsen,Tori Eldridge,Andrew Child,Don Bruns)
4
Bat Out of Hell(With: Heather Graham,John Gilstrap,Andrew Child,Don Bruns,Rick Bleiweiss,Dave Bruns,C.J. Kudlacz)

Mysterious Profiles Series

Ongoing

33 books (2022–2025)

Start with Alex Delaware(By: Jonathan Kellerman), the first of 33 books in the Mysterious Profiles series.

#Title
1
Alex Delaware(By: Jonathan Kellerman)
2
Aloysius X. L. Pendergast(By: Douglas Preston)
3
Amos Walker(By: Loren D. Estleman)
4
Bob Lee Swagger(By: Stephen Hunter)
5
Charlie Parker(By: John Connolly)
6
Charlie Resnick(By: John Harvey)
7
Charlotte and Thomas Pitt(By: Anne Perry)
8
Dismas Hardy(By: John Lescroart)
9
Elvis Cole and Joe Pike(By: Robert Crais)
10
Hieronymus Bosch(By: Michael Connelly)
11
Ian Rutledge
12
Inspector Morse(By: Colin Dexter)
13
Jack Reacher(By: Lee Child)
14
Jack Taylor(By: Ken Bruen)
15
Jane Whitefield(By: Thomas Perry)
16
John Rebus(By: Ian Rankin)
17
Lincoln Rhyme(By: Jeffery Deaver)
18
Lou Boldt(By: Ridley Pearson)
19
Maisie Dobbs(By: Jacqueline Winspear)
20
Mallory(By: Carol O'Connell)
21
Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus(By: Faye Kellerman)
22
Precious Ramotswe(By: Alexander McCall Smith)
23
Rambo(By: David Morrell)
24
Spenser(By: Robert B. Parker)
25
Tess Monaghan(By: Laura Lippman)
26
The Lincoln Lawyer(By: Michael Connelly)
27
Ben Kincaid(By: William Bernhardt)
28
Condor(By: James Grady)
29
Repairman Jack(By: F. Paul Wilson)
30
Joe Pickett(By: C.J. Box)
31
Nathan Heller(By: Max Allan Collins)
32
Peter Diamond(By: Peter Lovesey)
33
Orphan X(By: Gregg Hurwitz)

Short Stories/Novellas Series

Complete

2 books (2012–2015)

Start with The Walnut Tree and read in order.

#Title
1
Cover of The Walnut Tree
The Walnut Tree
2
A Guid Soldier

Short Story Collections Series

Complete

1 book (2015–2015)

#Title
1

Standalone Novels Series

Complete

1 book (2003–2003)

#Title
1
Cover of The Murder Stone
The Murder Stone

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books has Charles Todd written?
Charles Todd has written 135 books across 9 series. Their published works span from 1994 to 2026.
What is the first book in each Charles Todd series?
Here are the first books in Charles Todd's series: Anthologies: Death Do Us Part; Bess Crawford: A Duty to the Dead; Bibliomysteries: An Acceptable Sacrifice(By: Jeffery Deaver); Inspector Ian Rutledge: A Test of Wills; Music and Murder Mystery: Hotel California(By: Heather Graham,John Gilstrap,Reed Farrel Coleman,Andrew Child,Amanda Flower,Don Bruns,Rick Bleiweiss,Jennifer Dornbush).
What order should I read Charles Todd's books?
We recommend reading Charles Todd's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
Is Charles Todd still writing new books?
Yes, Charles Todd has 4 ongoing series: Anthologies, Inspector Ian Rutledge, Music and Murder Mystery, Mysterious Profiles.

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