Ngaio Marsh Reading Order
4 series · 45 books · Born 23 April 1895
Ngaio Marsh was a celebrated New Zealand author known for her mastery of the crime fiction genre. With a prolific career spanning from 1934 to 2021, she authored 45 books across four series, including the acclaimed Roderick Alleyn mysteries, as well as short stories, non-fiction, and anthologies. Her notable contributions to literature have solidified her legacy as a significant figure in both crime writing and theatre.
Anthologies Series
Likely Complete6 books (1979–2021)
Start with Verdict of Thirteen, the first of 6 books in the Anthologies series.
Non-Fiction Series
Complete2 books (1965–1989)
Start with Black Beech and Honeydew and read in order.
Roderick Alleyn Series
Complete35 books (1934–2018)
Start with A Man Lay Dead, the first of 35 books in the Roderick Alleyn series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  A Man Lay Dead 1934Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  Enter a Murderer 1935Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  The Nursing Home Murder 1935Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  Death in Ecstasy 1936Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 |  Vintage Murder 1937Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 |  Artists in Crime 1938Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 |  Death in a White Tie 1938Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 |  Overture to Death 1939Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 |  Death at the Bar 1940Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 |  Death of a Peer / Surfeit of Lampreys 1940Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 11 |  Death and the Dancing Footman 1941Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 12 |  Colour Scheme 1943Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 13 |  Died in the Wool 1945Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 14 |  Final Curtain 1947Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 15 |  A Wreath for Rivera / Swing, Brother, Swing 1949Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 16 |  Night at the Vulcan / Opening Night 1951Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 17 |  Spinsters In Jeopardy / The Bride of Death 1953Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 18 |  Scales of Justice 1955Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 19 |  Death of a Fool / Off With His Head 1956Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 20 |  Singing in the Shrouds 1958Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 21 |  False Scent 1959Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 22 |  Hand in Glove 1962Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 23 |  Dead Water 1963Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 24 |  Killer Dolphin / Death at the Dolphin 1966Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 25 |  Clutch of Constables 1968Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 26 |  When in Rome 1970Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 27 |  Tied Up in Tinsel 1971Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 28 |  Black As He's Painted 1973Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 29 | Last Ditch 1976Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 30 |  A Grave Mistake 1978Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 31 |  Photo Finish 1980Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 32 |  Light Thickens 1982Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 33 |  Alleyn and Others / The Collected Short Fiction of Ngaio Marsh 1989Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 34 |  Still Unsolved 1990Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 35 |  Money in the Morgue(With: Stella Duffy) 2018Buy 🇺🇸 |
Short Story Collections Series
Complete2 books (1989–1995)
Start with Alleyn and Others / The Collected Short Fiction of Ngaio Marsh and read in order.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many books has Ngaio Marsh written?
- Ngaio Marsh has written 45 books across 4 series. Their published works span from 1934 to 2021.
- What is the first book in each Ngaio Marsh series?
- Here are the first books in Ngaio Marsh's series: Anthologies: Verdict of Thirteen; Non-Fiction: Black Beech and Honeydew; Roderick Alleyn: A Man Lay Dead; Short Story Collections: Alleyn and Others / The Collected Short Fiction of Ngaio Marsh.
- What order should I read Ngaio Marsh's books?
- We recommend reading Ngaio Marsh's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
- Are Ngaio Marsh's series complete?
- Ngaio Marsh has 3 completed series.