Nicholas Blake Reading Order
3 series · 30 books
Nicholas Blake, the pseudonym of renowned Anglo-Irish poet and former Poet Laureate Cecil Day-Lewis, made his mark in the mystery genre with clever plots and engaging characters. His most famous work revolves around the detective Nigel Strangeways, featured across 30 books in three series, alongside standalone novels and anthologies. Active from 1935 to 2024, Blake's contributions to literature blend poetic finesse with thrilling storytelling.
Anthologies Series
Ongoing8 books (1981–2024)
Start with Great Stories of Mystery and Suspense, the first of 8 books in the Anthologies series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  Great Stories of Mystery and Suspense 1981Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  English Country House Murders 1988Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 | Fifty Best Mysteries 1993Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 | Great Irish Detective Stories 1993Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 |  A Century of British Mystery and Suspense 2000Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 |  You and Who 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 |  Bodies from the Library 2019Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 | Murder Under the Sun 2024Buy 🇺🇸 |
Nigel Strangeways Series
Complete18 books (1935–1977)
Start with A Question of Proof, the first of 18 books in the Nigel Strangeways series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  A Question of Proof 1935Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  Thou Shell of Death / Shell of Death 1936Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  There's Trouble Brewing 1937Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  The Beast Must Die 1938Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 |  The Smiler with the Knife 1939Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 |  Murder with Malice / Malice in Wonderland / The Summer Camp Mystery 1940Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 |  The Corpse in the Snowman / The Case of the Abominable Snowman 1941Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 | Minute for Murder 1947Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 |  Head of a Traveler 1949Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 |  The Dreadful Hollow 1953Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 11 |  The Whisper in the Gloom / Catch and Kill 1954Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 12 |  End of Chapter 1957Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 13 |  The Widow's Cruise 1959Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 14 |  The Worm of Death 1961Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 15 |  The Sad Variety 1964Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 16 | Thou Shell of Death 1964Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 17 | The Morning After Death 1966Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 18 | Whisper in the Gloom 1977Buy 🇺🇸 |
Standalone Novels Series
Complete4 books (1956–1968)
Start with A Tangled Web / Death and Daisy Bland, the first of 4 books in the Standalone Novels series.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many books has Nicholas Blake written?
- Nicholas Blake has written 30 books across 3 series. Their published works span from 1935 to 2024.
- What is the first book in each Nicholas Blake series?
- Here are the first books in Nicholas Blake's series: Anthologies: Great Stories of Mystery and Suspense; Nigel Strangeways: A Question of Proof.
- What order should I read Nicholas Blake's books?
- We recommend reading Nicholas Blake's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
- Is Nicholas Blake still writing new books?
- Yes, Nicholas Blake has 1 ongoing series: Anthologies.