Robert Van Gulik Reading Order

2 books (1993–2000)

Robert Van Gulik edited two complete anthologies of mystery and detective stories between 1993 and 2000. These collections showcase historical fiction and literary mysteries spanning various time periods and styles. Read them in publication order, beginning with Historical Whodunits followed by The Oxford Book of Detective Stories.

Start with Historical Whodunits and read in order.

#	Title
1	Historical Whodunits 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Oxford Book of Detective Stories 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

5 books (2012–2014)

The Chicago Shorts series comprises five complete books published between 2012 and 2014, featuring contributions from various authors across mystery, historical fiction, literary studies, and nonfiction topics. These titles should be read in publication order, beginning with What Every Novelist Needs to Know about Narrators by Wayne C. Booth. The collection spans diverse subjects including narrative technique, marine biology, historical crime, animal behavior, and presidential history, offering accessible explorations of specialized subjects.

Start with What Every Novelist Needs to Know about Narrators(By: Wayne C. Booth), the first of 5 books in the Chicago Shorts series.

17 books (1949–1968)

Robert Van Gulik's Judge Dee Mysteries series consists of 17 books published between 1949 and 1968, following the cases of a brilliant magistrate in ancient China. The series is complete and should be read in publication order, beginning with Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee. Drawing on historical Chinese crime records and detective traditions, these novels blend mystery and historical fiction across cases ranging from murder investigations to supernatural occurrences. The collection showcases Van Gulik's meticulous research into Tang Dynasty judicial practices and Chinese culture.

Start with Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee / Dee Goong An, the first of 17 books in the Judge Dee Mysteries series.

#	Title
1	Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee / Dee Goong An 1949Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Chinese Bell Murders 1958Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Chinese Gold Murders 1959Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Chinese Lake Murders 1960Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	The Chinese Nail Murders 1961Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	The Haunted Monastery 1961Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	The Red Pavilion 1961Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	The Chinese Maze Murders 1962Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	The Lacquer Screen 1962Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	The Emperor's Pearl 1963Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	The Monkey and The Tiger 1965Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	The Phantom of the Temple 1965Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	The Willow Pattern 1965Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	Murder in Canton 1966Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	Judge Dee at Work 1967Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	Necklace and Calabash 1967Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	Poets and Murder / The Fox-Magic Murders 1968Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

8 books (1961–2006)

Robert Van Gulik's eight non-fiction works span from 1961 to 2006, covering diverse topics including ancient Chinese society, art, music, and criminology. These scholarly volumes should be read in publication order, beginning with Sexual Life in Ancient China and concluding with Scrapbook for Chinese Collectors. The series is now complete and represents Van Gulik's contributions to academic study across cultural, historical, and philosophical subjects.

Start with Sexual Life in Ancient China, the first of 8 books in the Non-Fiction series.

#	Title
1	Sexual Life in Ancient China 1961Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Lore of the Chinese Lute: An Essay on the Ideology of the Ch'in 1969Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Crime and Punishment in Ancient China 1979Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Chinese Pictorial Art 1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Erotic Colour Prints of the Ming Period 1989Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	John Searle and his Critics(With: Ernest Lepore) 1991Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Siddham 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Scrapbook for Chinese Collectors 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

1 book (1986–1986)