Ellis Peters Reading Order

6 books (1993–2024)

Ellis Peters edited six mystery anthologies published between 1993 and 2024, with the series still ongoing. These collections feature historical whodunits and classic mystery stories across various themes, including feline felonies and holiday-themed tales. Read them in publication order, beginning with 2nd Culprit and continuing through the most recent entry, Murder Under the Sun.

Start with 2nd Culprit, the first of 6 books in the Anthologies series.

#	Title
1	2nd Culprit 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Historical Whodunits 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Mammoth Book of Historical Whodunnits 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Feline Felonies 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Murder in Midsummer: Classic Mysteries for the Holidays 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Murder Under the Sun 2024Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

23 books (1977–1994)

The Chronicles of Brother Cadfael is a complete historical mystery series comprising 23 books published between 1977 and 1994. All entries should be read in publication order, beginning with A Morbid Taste for Bones. Ellis Peters blends mystery and thriller elements with historical fiction across this collection of standalone yet interconnected cases centered on a medieval monk detective.

Start with A Morbid Taste for Bones, the first of 23 books in the Chronicles of Brother Cadfael series.

#	Title
1	A Morbid Taste for Bones 1977Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	One Corpse Too Many 1979Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Monk's Hood 1980Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Saint Peter's Fair 1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	The Leper Of St. Giles 1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	The Virgin in the Ice 1982Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	The Devil's Novice 1983Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	The Sanctuary Sparrow 1983Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Dead Man's Ransom 1984Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	The Pilgrim of Hate 1984Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	An Excellent Mystery 1985Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	The Raven in the Foregate 1986Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	The Rose Rent 1986Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	The Hermit of Eyton Forest 1987Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	A Rare Benedictine 1988Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	The Confession of Brother Haluin 1988Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	The Heretic's Apprentice 1989Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18	The Potter's Field 1989Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19	The Summer of the Danes 1991Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
20	The Holy Thief 1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
21	Eye Witness 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
22	The Price of Light 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
23	Brother Cadfael's Penance 1994Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

13 books (1951–1978)

Ellis Peters' Inspector Felse series comprises thirteen mystery novels published between 1951 and 1978, following the investigations of a seasoned detective through mid-twentieth-century crime cases. The complete series should be read in publication order, beginning with Fallen Into the Pit and concluding with Rainbow's End. These literary mysteries blend detective work with historical settings, offering readers a rich exploration of crime and human nature across the span of Peters' writing career.

Start with Fallen Into the Pit, the first of 13 books in the Inspector Felse series.

#	Title
1	Fallen Into the Pit 1951Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Death and the Joyful Woman 1961Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Flight of a Witch 1964Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	A Nice Derangement of Epitaphs 1965Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	The Piper on the Mountain 1966Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Black Is the Colour of My True Love's Heart 1967Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	The Grass Widow's Tale 1968Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Mourning Raga 1969Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	The House of Green Turf 1969Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	The Knocker on Death's Door 1970Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Death to the Landlords 1972Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	City of Gold and Shadows 1973Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	Rainbow's End 1978Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

7 books (2016–2022)

The Murderous Christmas Stories series consists of seven mystery and historical fiction collections published between 2016 and 2022. Each standalone entry features festive-themed crime stories and should be read in publication order, beginning with Murder under the Christmas Tree. The series appears to be complete, offering readers a seasonal collection of literary mysteries across multiple volumes.

Start with Murder under the Christmas Tree, the first of 7 books in the Murderous Christmas Stories series.

#	Title
1	Murder under the Christmas Tree 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Murder on Christmas Eve 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	A Very Murderous Christmas 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Murder at Christmas 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Murder in Midwinter 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Murder on a Winter's Night 2021Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Murder in the Falling Snow 2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (1992–1993)

Ellis Peters completed this two-book non-fiction series between 1992 and 1993, with both volumes best read in publication order. The series consists of Shropshire and Strongholds and Sanctuaries, offering historical exploration within Peters' broader body of work spanning mystery, historical fiction, and literary fiction.

Start with Shropshire and read in order.

#	Title
1	Shropshire 1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Strongholds and Sanctuaries 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (1958–2006)

Ellis Peters's complete collection of two mystery short story compilations spans nearly five decades, beginning with The Assize of the Dying in 1958 and concluding with The Trinity Cat in 2006. These literary mystery selections should be read in publication order to experience the author's evolution across her career. Peters blends historical and contemporary elements throughout her short fiction, offering readers diverse mystery narratives that showcase her skill in the genre.

Start with The Assize of the Dying and read in order.

#	Title
1	The Assize of the Dying 1958Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Trinity Cat 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

8 books (1952–2020)

Ellis Peters wrote eight standalone mystery and historical fiction novels between 1952 and 2020, with the series remaining complete. These books should be read in publication order, beginning with Holiday with Violence and concluding with Fair Young Phoenix. Each novel functions independently, allowing readers to approach them in any sequence, though reading them chronologically provides insight into the author's evolving style and interests across nearly seven decades.

Start with Holiday with Violence, the first of 8 books in the Standalone Novels series.

#	Title
1	Holiday with Violence 1952Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Aunt Helen 1958Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Death Mask 1959Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Will and the Deed 1960Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	The Funeral of Figaro 1962Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	The Horn of Roland 1974Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Never Pick up Hitch-hikers! 1976Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Fair Young Phoenix 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible