H.R.F. Keating Reading Order
7 series · 77 books
H.R.F. Keating was a prolific English author renowned for his captivating crime fiction, particularly his beloved Inspector Ghote series set in India. Over a remarkable career spanning from 1959 to 2009, he penned 77 books across seven series, including the Harriet Martens and Harriet Unwin Mystery series, along with several standalone novels and short story collections. His most celebrated work remains the Inspector Ghote series, which showcases his skill in blending intricate plots with rich cultural settings.
Anthologies Series
Complete15 books (1977–2000)
Start with Agatha Christie, the first of 15 books in the Anthologies series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  Agatha Christie 1977Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  John Creasey's Crime Collection, 1977 1977Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  Chilling and Killing 1978Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 | Crime Waves 1 1978Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 |  Verdict of Thirteen 1979Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 |  Murder for Christmas 1987Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 | Ready or Not: Here Come Fourteen Frightening Stories! 1987Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 |  The Misadventures of Sherlock Holmes 1989Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 |  1st Culprit 1992Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 |  The Man Who... 1992Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 11 |  3rd Culprit 1994Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 12 |  The Crown Crime Companion 1995Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 13 | Win, Lose or Die 1996Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 14 |  100 Sneaky Little Sleuth Stories 1997Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 15 |  Criminal Records 2000Buy 🇺🇸 |
Harriet Martens Series
Complete7 books (2000–2007)
Start with The Hard Detective, the first of 7 books in the Harriet Martens series.
Harriet Unwin Mystery Series
Complete3 books (1983–1986)
Start with The Governess and read in order.
Inspector Ghote Series
Complete26 books (1964–2009)
Start with The Perfect Murder, the first of 26 books in the Inspector Ghote series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  The Perfect Murder 1964Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  Inspector Ghote's Good Crusade 1966Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  Inspector Ghote Caught in Meshes 1967Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  Inspector Ghote Hunts the Peacock 1968Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 | Inspector Ghote Plays a Joker 1969Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 | Inspector Ghote Breaks an Egg 1970Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 |  Inspector Ghote Goes By Train 1971Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 |  Inspector Ghote Trusts the Heart 1972Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 |  Bats Fly Up for Inspector Ghote 1974Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 |  Filmi, Filmi, Inspector Ghote 1976Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 11 |  Inspector Ghote Draws a Line 1979Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 12 |  The Murder of the Maharajah 1980Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 13 |  Go West, Inspector Ghote 1981Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 14 |  The Sheriff of Bombay 1984Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 15 |  Under a Monsoon Cloud 1986Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 16 |  The Body in the Billiard Room 1987Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 17 |  Dead on Time 1988Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 18 |  Inspector Ghote, His Life and Crimes 1989Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 19 |  The Iciest Sin 1990Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 20 |  Cheating Death 1992Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 21 |  Doing Wrong 1993Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 22 |  Asking Questions 1996Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 23 |  Bribery, Corruption Also 1999Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 24 |  Breaking and Entering 2000Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 25 |  Inspector Ghote's First Case 2008Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 26 |  A Small Case for Inspector Ghote? 2009Buy 🇺🇸 |
Non-Fiction Series
Complete7 books (1972–1997)
Start with Blood on My Mind, the first of 7 books in the Non-Fiction series.
Short Story Collections Series
Complete1 book (1997–1997)
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  In Kensington Gardens Once... 1997Buy 🇺🇸 |
Standalone Novels Series
Complete18 books (1959–1999)
Start with Death and the Visiting Firemen, the first of 18 books in the Standalone Novels series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  Death and the Visiting Firemen 1959Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  Zen There Was Murder 1960Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  A Rush on the Ultimate 1961Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  The Dog It Was That Died 1962Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 | Death of a Fat God 1963Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 |  Is Skin Deep, Is Fatal 1965Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 |  The Strong Man 1971Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 |  The Underside 1974Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 |  A Remarkable Case of Burglary 1975Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 |  Murder Must Appetize 1975Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 11 |  Murder by Death(With: Neil Simon) 1976Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 12 |  A Long Walk to Wimbledon 1978Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 13 |  Mrs. Craggs: Crimes Cleaned Up 1985Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 14 |  The Rich Detective 1993Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 15 |  The Good Detective 1995Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 16 |  The Soft Detective 1998Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 17 |  Jack, the Lady Killer 1999Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 18 |  The Bad Detective 1999Buy 🇺🇸 |
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many books has H.R.F. Keating written?
- H.R.F. Keating has written 77 books across 7 series. Their published works span from 1959 to 2009.
- What is the first book in each H.R.F. Keating series?
- Here are the first books in H.R.F. Keating's series: Anthologies: Agatha Christie; Harriet Martens: The Hard Detective; Harriet Unwin Mystery: The Governess; Inspector Ghote: The Perfect Murder; Non-Fiction: Blood on My Mind.
- What order should I read H.R.F. Keating's books?
- We recommend reading H.R.F. Keating's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
- Are H.R.F. Keating's series complete?
- H.R.F. Keating has 7 completed series.