Ralph McInerny Reading Order

6 books (1987–2000)

Ralph McInerny's Andrew Broom series comprises six complete mysteries published between 1987 and 2000. The books should be read in publication order, beginning with Cause and Effect and continuing through Body and Soil, Savings and Loam, Mom and Dead, Law and Ardor, and concluding with Heirs and Parents. This finished series blends mystery and thriller elements with young adult appeal across its six entries.

Start with Cause and Effect, the first of 6 books in the Andrew Broom series.

#	Title
1	Cause and Effect 1987Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Body and Soil 1989Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Savings and Loam 1990Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Mom and Dead 1994Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Law and Ardor 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Heirs and Parents 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

8 books (1984–2003)

Ralph McInerny edited seven anthologies between 1984 and 2003, completing this collection of works spanning mystery, thriller, and Christian-themed content. These books should be read in publication order, beginning with The Intellectuals Speak Out About God: A Handbook for the Christian Student in a Secular Society and concluding with The World's Finest Mystery and Crime Stories 4. The series includes notable mystery anthologies such as Malice Domestic 4, Death Cruise: Crime Stories on the Open Seas, Unholy Orders, and Murder Most Catholic, along with philosophical and educational collections. This complete series offers a diverse range of curated stories and essays across multiple genres and themes.

Start with The Intellectuals Speak Out About God: A Handbook for the Christian Student in a Secular Society, the first of 7 books in the Anthologies series.

#	Title
1	The Intellectuals Speak Out About God: A Handbook for the Christian Student in a Secular Society 1984Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Tales of Obsession: Mystery Stories of Fatal Attractions and Deadly Desires 1994Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Malice Domestic 4 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Common Truths 1999Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Death Cruise: Crime Stories on the Open Seas 1999Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Unholy Orders 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Murder Most Catholic 2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	The World's Finest Mystery and Crime Stories 4 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

3 books (1992–2010)

Ralph McInerny's Collections series comprises three mystery novels published between 1992 and 2010. The complete trilogy should be read in publication order, beginning with Thou Shalt Not Kill, followed by The Soul of Wit, and concluding with Good Knights. This finished series blends mystery and thriller elements across its three standalone entries.

Start with Thou Shalt Not Kill and read in order.

#	Title
1	Thou Shalt Not Kill 1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Soul of Wit 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Good Knights 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (2000–2001)

This two-book mystery series by Ralph McInerny follows publication order, with both novels released between 2000 and 2001. The complete series consists of Still Life and Sub Rosa, which should be read sequentially to fully appreciate the storyline. McInerny crafts these mysteries within his broader body of work spanning detective fiction and literary analysis.

Start with Still Life and read in order.

#	Title
1	Still Life 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Sub Rosa 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

30 books (1977–2011)

The Father Dowling series is a 30-book mystery collection by Ralph McInerny, following a Catholic priest detective investigating crimes in his parish and beyond. Published from 1977 to 2011, the series is now complete and should be read in publication order, beginning with Her Death of Cold. Each book presents a self-contained mystery while developing the character of Father Dowling across the full span of the series.

Start with Her Death of Cold, the first of 30 books in the Father Dowling series.

#	Title
1	Her Death of Cold 1977Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Bishop as Pawn 1978Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Seventh Station 1978Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Lying Three 1979Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Second Vespers 1980Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Thicker Than Water 1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	A Loss of Patients 1982Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	The Grass Widow 1983Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Getting a Way with Murder 1984Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Rest in Pieces 1985Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	The Basket Case 1987Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Abracadaver / Slight of Body 1989Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	Four on the Floor 1989Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	Judas Priest 1991Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	Desert Sinner 1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	Seed of Doubt 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	A Cardinal Offense 1994Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18	The Tears of Things 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19	Grave Undertakings 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
20	Triple Pursuit 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
21	Prodigal Father 2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
22	Last Things 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
23	Requiem for a Realtor 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
24	Blood Ties 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
25	The Prudence of the Flesh 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
26	The Widow's Mate 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
27	Ash Wednesday 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
28	Stained Glass 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
29	The Wisdom of Father Dowling 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
30	The Compassion of Father Dowling 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (1995–1995)

Ralph McInerny's Father Dowling Young Adult Mystery series consists of two complete books published in 1995: The Case of the Constant Caller and The Case of the Dead Winner. These mystery novels should be read in publication order, beginning with The Constant Caller.

Start with The Case of the Constant Caller and read in order.

#	Title
1	The Case of the Constant Caller 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Case of the Dead Winner 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

15 books (2000–2014)

The ISI Guides to the Major Disciplines is a fifteen-book educational series published between 2000 and 2014, featuring student-focused introductions to major academic fields and areas of study. Each volume is written by a different expert contributor and covers subjects ranging from history and philosophy to music and law. The series is complete and should be read in publication order, beginning with A Student's Guide to U.S. History by Wilfred M. McClay. These guides are designed to provide foundational knowledge and critical perspectives for students exploring various disciplines within the liberal arts tradition.

Start with A Student's Guide To U.S. History(By: Wilfred M. McClay), the first of 15 books in the ISI Guides to the Major Disciplines series.

#	Title
1	A Student's Guide To U.S. History(By: Wilfred M. McClay) 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	A Student's Guide to Liberal Learning(By: James V. Schall) 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	A Student's Guide to Psychology(By: Daniel N. Robinson) 2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	A Student's Guide to American Political Thought(By: George W. Carey) 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	A Student's Guide to Classics(By: Bruce S. Thornton) 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	A Student's Guide to Economics(By: Paul T. Heyne) 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	A Student's Guide to International Relations(By: Angelo M. Codevilla) 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	A Student's Guide to Literature(By: R.V. Young) 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	A Student's Guide to Music History(By: R.J. Stove) 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	A Student's Guide to Natural Science(By: Stephen M. Barr) 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	A Student's Guide to Philosophy 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	A Student's Guide to Political Philosophy(By: Harvey C. Mansfield) 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	A Student's Guide to Religious Studies(By: D.G. Hart) 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	A Student's Guide to the Core Curriculum: Core Curriculum Guide(By: Mark C. Henrie) 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	A Student's Guide to the Study of Law(By: Gerard V. Bradley) 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

12 books (1989–2025)

The Murder Most series is an ongoing collection of 12 mystery anthologies published between 1989 and 2025, edited by Ralph McInerny and various collaborators. Each volume focuses on a specific theme, ranging from sacred and medieval settings to Irish, feline, postal, and romantic contexts, with the final entry offering humorous mysteries. These books should be read in publication order, beginning with Murder Most Sacred. The series brings together short mystery stories organized around diverse thematic elements, making each volume accessible as a standalone entry while building a comprehensive anthology collection.

Start with Murder Most Sacred(By: Martin H. Greenberg), the first of 12 books in the Murder Most series.

#	Title
1	Murder Most Sacred(By: Martin H. Greenberg) 1989Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Murder Most Medieval(By: Martin H. Greenberg) 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Murder Most Delicious(By: Martin H. Greenberg,Barbara Paul) 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Murder Most Irish(By: Martin H. Greenberg) 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Murder Most Delectable(By: Martin H. Greenberg) 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Murder Most Divine 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Murder Most Feline(By: Martin H. Greenberg,Ed Gorman) 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Murder Most Postal(By: Martin H. Greenberg) 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Murder Most Romantic(By: Martin H. Greenberg,Susan Sizemore) 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Murder Most Celtic(By: Martin H. Greenberg) 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Murder Most Confederate(By: Martin H. Greenberg) 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Mystery Most Humorous(By: Donna Andrews,Marcia Talley,Gigi Pandian,Steve Shrott,Hugh Lessig,Melinda Mullet,Becky Clark,Victoria Dowd,Sylvia Maultash Warsh,Nikki Knight,Suzanne Flaig,Nina Mansfield,Susan Love Brown,Ashley-Ruth M. Bernier,Gregory Meece,M.S. Greene,P. J. Nelson,Sarah Bewley,Melissa Westemeier) 2025Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

20 books (1968–2010)

Ralph McInerny's non-fiction series spans 20 books published between 1968 and 2010, exploring philosophical and theological topics with particular emphasis on Thomas Aquinas and Christian thought. The series should be read in publication order, beginning with New Themes in Christian Philosophy and concluding with Characters in Search of Their Author and five additional titles. McInerny's works investigate subjects ranging from medieval philosophy and ethics to practical matters like novel writing and Latin, offering accessible examinations of complex intellectual traditions. This complete series provides a comprehensive view of McInerny's scholarly contributions across several decades.

Start with New Themes in Christian Philosophy, the first of 20 books in the Non-Fiction series.

#	Title
1	New Themes in Christian Philosophy 1968Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Thomism in an Age of Renewal 1968Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	A First Glance at St. Thomas Aquinas 1977Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Art and Prudence 1988Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	St. Thomas Aquinas 1989Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Boethius And Aquinas 1990Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Aquinas on Human Action 1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Aquinas Against the Averroists 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Let's Write a Novel 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	The Question of Christian Ethics 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Let's Read Latin 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Aquinas and Analogy 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	An Uncertain Legacy 1997Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	What Went Wrong with Vatican II 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	Characters in Search of Their Author 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	The Defamation of Pius XII 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	The Very Rich Hours of Jacques Maritain 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18	I Alone Have Escaped to Tell You 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19	Some Catholic Writers 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
20	Dante and the Blessed Virgin 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

13 books (1997–2010)

Ralph McInerny's complete Notre Dame mystery series spans 13 books published between 1997 and 2010, with titles including On This Rockne, Lack of the Irish, Irish Tenure, The Book of Kills, Emerald Aisle, Celt and Pepper, Irish Coffee, Green Thumb, Irish Gilt, The Letter Killeth, Irish Alibi, The Green Revolution, and Sham Rock. These mysteries should be read in publication order, beginning with On This Rockne and concluding with Sham Rock.

Start with On This Rockne, the first of 13 books in the Notre Dame series.

#	Title
1	On This Rockne 1997Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Lack of the Irish 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Irish Tenure 1999Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Book of Kills 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Emerald Aisle 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Celt and Pepper 2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Irish Coffee 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Green Thumb 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Irish Gilt 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	The Letter Killeth 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Irish Alibi 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	The Green Revolution 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	Sham Rock 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (1991–2000)

Ralph McInerny's Proceedings of the Wethersfield Institute is a two-book complete series published between 1991 and 2000. The first volume, The Catholic Writer, should be read before Science and Evidence for Design in the Universe, which features contributions from William A. Dembski and Stephen C. Meyer. These proceedings offer non-fiction examinations across topics relevant to Catholic intellectual thought and contemporary scientific questions.

Start with The Catholic Writer and read in order.

#	Title
1	The Catholic Writer 1991Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Science and Evidence for Design in the Universe(By: Anonymous,William A. Dembski,Stephen C. Meyer) 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

1 book (1988–1988)

#	Title
1	Dutiful Son 1988Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

10 books (1981–2001)

Ralph McInerny's Sister Mary Teresa Mystery series consists of ten complete novels published between 1981 and 2001, beginning with Not a Blessed Thing. The series should be read in publication order, following the mysteries as they unfold chronologically through entries like Let Us Prey, And Then There Was Nun, Nun of the Above, Sine Qua Nun, The Veil of Ignorance, Sister Hood, Nun Plussed, Half Past Nun, and concluding with Death Takes the Veil and Other Stories.

Start with Not a Blessed Thing, the first of 10 books in the Sister Mary Teresa Mystery series.

#	Title
1	Not a Blessed Thing 1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Let Us Prey 1982Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	And Then There Was Nun 1984Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Nun of the Above 1985Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Sine Qua Nun 1986Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	The Veil of Ignorance 1988Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Sister Hood 1991Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Nun Plussed 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Half Past Nun 1997Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Death Takes the Veil and Other Stories 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

19 books (1967–2004)

Ralph McInerny's Standalone Novels series comprises 19 complete works published between 1967 and 2004, spanning mystery, thriller, and literary fiction. Each novel functions independently with its own characters and plot, though they share McInerny's distinctive narrative style and thematic concerns. The series should be read in publication order, beginning with Jolly Rogerson and concluding with the final entries published in 2004. Readers can approach these titles individually or progress chronologically through the author's evolving body of work.

Start with Jolly Rogerson, the first of 19 books in the Standalone Novels series.

#	Title
1	Jolly Rogerson 1967Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	A Narrow Time 1969Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Priest 1973Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Gate of Heaven 1975Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Rogerson at Bay 1976Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Spinnaker 1977Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Quick as a Dodo 1978Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Romanesque 1978Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Noonday Devil 1985Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Leave of Absence 1986Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Frigor Mortis 1989Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	The Nominative Case 1990Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	Easeful Death 1991Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	The Search Committee 1991Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	Infra Dig 1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	The Red Hat 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	As Good As Dead 2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18	The Ablative Case 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19	Slattery 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (2009–2009)

The Rosary Chronicles is a complete two-book mystery series by Ralph McInerny, consisting of Relic of Time and The Third Revelation, both published in 2009. The books should be read in publication order to fully experience the narrative. McInerny combines elements of mystery and thriller in this compact series.

Start with Relic of Time and read in order.

#	Title
1	Relic of Time 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Third Revelation 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible