Reading Order List — Book Series Reading Order Guide

Shirley Rousseau Murphy Reading Order

7 series · 51 books · Born 1928

FantasyLiterary FictionMystery & ThrillerYoung Adult

Shirley Rousseau Murphy is an acclaimed American writer whose prolific career spanning five decades blended mystery, fantasy, and young adult fiction across multiple series. She achieved particular success with her Joe Grey mysteries, which feature feline protagonists solving crimes in coastal California settings. Beyond her celebrated cat detective tales, Murphy crafted imaginative worlds in epic fantasy series like Dragonbards and Children of Ynell, demonstrating versatility across genres while maintaining a distinctive narrative voice that appealed to both adult and younger readers.

Anthologies Series

Complete

3 books (1988–2005)

Start with The Unicorn Treasury and read in order.

Start this series with The Unicorn Treasury

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#Title
1
The Unicorn Treasury
1988Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2
Cover of Motherhood Is Murder
Motherhood Is Murder
2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3
Christmas Cats
2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Children of Ynell Series

Complete

5 books (1977–1981)

Start with The Ring of Fire, the first of 5 books in the Children of Ynell series.

Start this series with The Ring of Fire

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#Title
1
The Ring of Fire
1977Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2
The Wolf Bell
1979Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3
Cover of Caves of Fire and Ice
Caves of Fire and Ice
1980Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4
Cover of The Castle of Hape
The Castle of Hape
1980Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5
Cover of The Joining of the Stone
The Joining of the Stone
1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Dragonbards Series

Complete

3 books (1985–1988)

Start with Nightpool and read in order.

Start this series with Nightpool

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#Title
1
Cover of Nightpool
2
Cover of The Ivory Lyre
The Ivory Lyre
1987Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3
Cover of The Dragonbards
The Dragonbards
1988Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Joe Grey Series

Complete

22 books (1996–2018)

Start with Cat Under Fire, the first of 22 books in the Joe Grey series.

Start this series with Cat Under Fire

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#Title
1
Cover of Cat Under Fire
Cat Under Fire
1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2
Cover of Cat on the Edge
Cat on the Edge
1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3
Cover of Cat Raise the Dead
Cat Raise the Dead
1997Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4
Cover of Cat in the Dark
Cat in the Dark
1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5
Cover of Cat To The Dogs
Cat To The Dogs
1999Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6
Cover of Cat Spitting Mad
Cat Spitting Mad
2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7
Cover of Cat Laughing Last
Cat Laughing Last
2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8
Cat Seeing Double
2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9
Cover of Cat Fear No Evil
Cat Fear No Evil
2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10
Cover of Cat Breaking Free
Cat Breaking Free
2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11
Cover of Cat Cross Their Graves
Cat Cross Their Graves
2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12
Cat Deck the Halls
2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13
Cover of Cat Pay the Devil
Cat Pay the Devil
2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14
Cover of Cat Playing Cupid
Cat Playing Cupid
2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15
Cover of Cat Striking Back
Cat Striking Back
2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16
Cover of Cat Coming Home
Cat Coming Home
2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17
Cat on the Money
2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18
Cover of Cat Telling Tales
Cat Telling Tales
2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19
Cover of Cat Bearing Gifts
Cat Bearing Gifts
2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
20
Cover of Cat Shout for Joy
Cat Shout for Joy
2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
21
Cover of Cat Chase the Moon
Cat Chase the Moon
2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
22
Cover of Cat Shining Bright
Cat Shining Bright
2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Lee Fontana Series

Complete

2 books (2014–2015)

Start with The Cat, The Devil, and Lee Fontana and read in order.

Start this series with The Cat, The Devil, and Lee Fontana

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#Title
1
Cover of The Cat, The Devil, and Lee Fontana
The Cat, The Devil, and Lee Fontana
2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2
Cover of The Cat, the Devil, the Last Escape
The Cat, the Devil, the Last Escape
2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Picture Series

Complete

2 books (1978–1983)

Start with The Pig Who Could Conjure The Wind and read in order.

Start this series with The Pig Who Could Conjure The Wind

Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
#Title
1
Cover of The Pig Who Could Conjure The Wind
The Pig Who Could Conjure The Wind
1978Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2
Cover of Tattie's River Journey
Tattie's River Journey
1983Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Standalone Novels Series

Complete

14 books (1967–2011)

Start with The Sand Ponies, the first of 14 books in the Standalone Novels series.

Start this series with The Sand Ponies

Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
#Title
1
The Sand Ponies
1967Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2
Cover of White Ghost Summer
White Ghost Summer
1969Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3
4
Cover of Poor Jenny, Bright As A Penny
Poor Jenny, Bright As A Penny
1974Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5
Cover of The Grass Tower
The Grass Tower
1976Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6
Cover of Silver Woven in My Hair
Silver Woven in My Hair
1977Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7
Cover of Soonie and the Dragon
Soonie and the Dragon
1979Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8
Cover of Elmo Doolan and the Search for the Golden Mouse
Elmo Doolan and the Search for the Golden Mouse
1982Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9
Cover of The Flight of the Fox
The Flight of the Fox
1983Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10
Cover of Valentine for a Dragon
Valentine for a Dragon
1984Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11
Cover of Medallion of the Black Hound
Medallion of the Black Hound
1989Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12
Cover of The Song of the Christmas Mouse
The Song of the Christmas Mouse
1990Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13
Cover of The Catswold Portal
The Catswold Portal
1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books has Shirley Rousseau Murphy written?
Shirley Rousseau Murphy has written 51 books across 7 series. Their published works span from 1967 to 2018.
What is the first book in each Shirley Rousseau Murphy series?
Here are the first books in Shirley Rousseau Murphy's series: Anthologies: The Unicorn Treasury; Children of Ynell: The Ring of Fire; Dragonbards: Nightpool; Joe Grey: Cat Under Fire; Lee Fontana: The Cat, The Devil, and Lee Fontana.
What order should I read Shirley Rousseau Murphy's books?
We recommend reading Shirley Rousseau Murphy's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
Are Shirley Rousseau Murphy's series complete?
Shirley Rousseau Murphy has 7 completed series.

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