Elly Griffiths Books In Order of Reading – Complete List

Last Updated on October 6, 2023 Bestselling author Elly Griffiths is most popular for her dr. Ruth Galloway mysteries inspired by the author’s husband who switched from a city job to become an archaeologist. The book list also includes the Brighton Mystery series, Justice Jones, and the Harbinger Kraur series she has written so far, not to mention the novels she has previously written as Domenica de Rosa.

Here are the Elly Griffiths books in order of publication and reading for each of her series and standalone novels.

New Elly Griffiths Books

The Last Remains (Ruth Galloway #15), 2023
The Great Deceiver (Brighton Mysteries #7), 2023

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Ruth Galloway Books in Publication Order

  1. The Crossing Places (#1) 2009
  2. The Janus Stone (#2), 2010
  3. The House at Sea’s End (#3), 2010
  4. A Room Full of Bones (#4, 2011
  5. Ruth’s First Christmas Tree (#4.5), 2012
  6. A Dying Fall (#5), 2012
  7. The Outcast Dead (#6), 2014
  8. The Ghost Fields (#7), 2015
  9. The Woman In Blue (#8), 2016
  10. The Chalk Pit (#9), 2017
  11. The Dark Angel (#10), 2018
  12. The Stone Circle (#11), 2019
  13. The Lantern Men (#12), 2020
  14. The Night Hawks (#13), 2021
  15. The Locked Room (#14), 2022
  16. The Last Remains (#15), 2023

DI Stephens & Max Mephisto Books in Publication Order  (The Brighton Mysteries)

  1. The Zig Zag Girl (DI Stephens & Max Mephisto #1), 2014
  2. Smoke And Mirrors (DI Stephens & Max Mephisto #2), 2016
  3. The Blood Card (DI Stephens & Max Mephisto #3), 2016
  4. The Vanishing Box (DI Stephens & Max Mephisto #4), 2017
  5. Now You See Them (DI Stephens & Max Mephisto #5), 2019
  6. The Midnight Hour (DI Stephens & Max Mephisto #6), 2021
  7. The Great Deceiver (DI Stephens & Max Mephisto #7), 2023

Justice Jones Series in Publication Order

  1. A Girl Called Justice (#1), 2019
  2. The Smugglers’ Secret (#2), 2020
  3. A Ghost in the Garden (#3), 2021
  4. The Spy at the Window (#4), 2022

Harbinder Kaur Series in Publication Order

  1. The Stranger Diaries, 2018
  2. The Postscript Murders, 2021
  3. Bleeding Heart Yard, 2022

Other Elly Griffiths Books In Publication Order

  • Killer Women Crime Club Anthology 2, 2017 (with Rachel Abbott, Tammy Cohen, Julia Crouch, Sarah Hilary, Amanda Jennings, Erin Kelly, Colette McBeth, Mel McGrath, Kate Medina, Louise Millar, Helen Smith, Louise Voss and Laura Wilson)
  • Marple: Twelve New Mysteries, 2022 (with Naomi Alderman, Leigh Bardugo, Agatha Christie, Alyssa Cole, Lucy Foley, Natalie Haynes, Jean Kwok, Val McDermid, Karen M McManus, Dreda Say Mitchell, Kate Mosse and Ruth Ware)
  • The Man in Black and Other Stories, 2023

Elly Griffiths Books Published as Domenica de Rosa

What Is the Ruth Galloway Series About? Series Overview

The Ruth Galloway book series is a strong addition to the archaeological mystery genre, with the first released dr. Ruth Galloway book called The Crossing Places published in 2009.

Ruth Galloway, a forensic archaeologist and introverted cat-lover, discovers bones of a human child in Norfolk, a quiet town. Detective Nelson seeks her help in solving the case, which leads to unraveling a mystery surrounding the disappearance of another girl. This book series, with its strong cast, immersive world-building, compelling characters, and thrilling stories, is a must-read.

Ruth is a forensic anthropologist who is living in her cottage near Norfolk with her two cats – when she is not digging up graves and bones linked to archaeology, that is.

In The Chalk Pit, the 9th book in the series, Ruth discovers that some boiled bones in some underground tunnels in Norwich are pretty recent, so the case is are not archaeological in nature. Thus, DCI Nelson realizes that the case is actually a murder investigation involving homeless people.

The story is fast-paced and there is always lots going on in the book. Ruth has to deal with some homeless people (called rough sleepers in the UK), and the way the author depicted these poor people entices lots of sympathy for them. These are all real folks who once had a real past, a real job, real talents, hobbies, and families.

The characters from the previous books in the Ruth Galloway book series return as well, so it’s nice to see once again some familiar faces who share lots of history together.

Dark Angel, which was out early 2018, takes Ruth to Rome to investigate a group of bones in a tiny hilltop village near the Italian capital. Ruth decides to take a much-needed vacation and flies to Italy to Castello Degli Angeli along with her daughter Kate and friend Shona.

While she is trying to recover from her shock of meeting Harry Nelson, the ancient mystery her right into a more contemporary murder case that could endanger Ruth’s own life.

The Stone Circle, out in 2019, takes us back to the beginnings, when Ruth first started working with DCI Nelson, and brings us back to the early story that started the whole series, The Crossing Places. When Nelson receives a creepy letter which very much looks like those old ones that were sent to him by Erik Anderssen, he teams up with forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway to work the new case which turns to be old, thus allowing them to close a long-forgotten cold case. As the new dig site that the letter directs him, holds another dead body. Just like in the past. This time, however, the bones belong to a child who disappeared back in 1981.

I have read the book series in order and I’m glad I did. First of all, I love archaeological mysteries, loved them ever since I’ve read the Amelia Peabody series, and when forensic anthropology is also involved, well, count me in! I got hooked right away.

The stories in each book are standalone, however, the interaction between the main characters (namely Ruth and Detective Chief Inspector Harry Nelson) are not. They have a rather complicated relationship which we get to entangle thread by thread through each of the novels. There’s nothing dr. Ruth Galloway hates more than amateur archaeologists, and they pop in the novels every now and then, not to mention there is a dead body every time.

The book series is a very light mystery, nothing scary or gross going on there (despite the main character being a forensic anthropologist). It is not really your typical murder mystery either, however it does pull you in. And, it’s not a cozy mystery either.

What Is The Brighton Mysteries Series About? Series Overview

The Brighton Mysteries, also known as the DI Edgar Stephens and Max Mephisto series, is an intriguing book series that started with The Zig Zag Girl about two magicians solving horrific murder cases.

The books are set in post-World War II Brighton and explore the crime-solving partnership between Detective Inspector Edgar Stephens and magician Max Mephisto. Both individuals served in the Magic Men, a special operations unit that employed theatrical tricks to deceive their foes during the war. The duo leverages their unique skills and past experiences to unravel puzzling murders.

The use of magic and compelling world-building add excitement, while the well-crafted characters keep readers engaged. Each book in the series presents a challenging murder mystery that will leave you captivated. The series is highly recommended for its strong character development and ability to evoke strong emotions.

What Is The Justice Jones Series About? Series Overview

The series follows the story of Justice, who is sent to a boarding school after her mother’s loss and her father’s inability to care for her.

As she adjusts to her new surroundings, she uncovers a murder of a chambermaid that everyone seems to be ignoring. It is up to Justice’s intelligence and bravery to uncover the truth and solve the case.

Throughout the series, Justice faces criminal investigations and the internal struggles common among young adults. The books are a treat for readers as they follow Justice’s journey of solving crimes, unraveling details, and overcoming personal challenges. With well-developed characters and an engaging, easy-to-read plot, Justice Jones is a must-read for young adults.

What Is the Harbinder Kaur Series About? Series Overview

Introducing the fantastic Harbinder Kaur series, featuring a dynamic, multidimensional protagonist sure to captivate you.

First presented in the first book of the series, The Stranger Diaries, Harbinder is a single, gay Sikh woman who embodies the epitome of a crafted character.. But it’s the second book, The Post Script Murders, where she truly shines.

The Harbinder Kaur tales are teeming with excitement and well-developed characters who each bring their own unique backstory and emotional complexity to the table. This realism only enhances the enjoyment of the series and makes the characters feel more real.

The mysteries in these books are expertly woven, and Harbinder goes through great trials to uncover the truth. The payoff, when it comes, is worth it and will leave you feeling deeply satisfied. So don’t hesitate, grab your copy and dive into the thrilling world of Harbinder Kaur today! This series is a must-read for those who love a good mystery, and an even better character.

Elly Griffiths Biography – About the Author

Elly Griffiths

Elly Griffiths (real name Domenica de Rosa) was born in 1963 in London. She is a British author living in Brighton who is most popular for her archaeological mystery series about dr. Ruth Galloway,  a forensic archaeologist living with her two cats in a Saltmarsh cottage who is involved with a married detective and have a child together.

While the series is her most popular work to date, the author has written several other books under her real name, Domenica de Rosa, and has recently started a new series called DI Stephens & Max Mephisto, with two books published to date.

As a child, she spent most of her time in Norfolk visiting her aunt, a place that became the setting for her popular archaeological mystery books.

Domenica de Rosa is a British author who made her publishing debut in 2001 with a non-fiction work, “The Little Book of Shakespeare and Food.” Her first fiction novel, “The Italian Quarter,” was published in 2004. In 2009, she wrote her first book under the pen name Elly Griffiths, “The Crossing Places.”

The first book in the dr. Ruth Galloway series, which is also the first Elly Griffiths crime mystery novel, The Crossing Places won the Mary Higgins Clark Award, and the rest of the books in the series have been short and longlisted for various awards including the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Award and the CWA Dagger in the Library Award.

The author gets her inspiration for her books from her husband, who gave up banking in the city to retrain as an archaeologist and enjoys digging up bones and discovering their history. Elly Griffiths is interested in history, archaeology, myths, and legends.

When not writing, she likes swimming, reading and seeing plays at the theater.

Elly Griffiths Awards and Nominations

Edgar Awards Best Novel winner, 2020 for The Stranger Diaries

50 Comments

  1. My daughter and I have read and enjoyed every Ruth Galloway book. Its so interesting to have characters with whom you can associate in every book.

  2. I’ve only read Dying Fall which is a good mystery but not very well written and/or edited.
    Including the daughter is a bit frustrating and is not necessary to tell the story.

  3. I discovered the dr Ruth Galloway books as I was collecting all books by Rosa de Domenica, ( same author, different name)
    I liked her style of writing, how she brings every character out in the pages and so I thought I’d give the series under her Elly Griffiths name a try. Read book 1 in four days, now ordered bus 2;3 and 4, I see there are 15. That should get me through the winter. I’m now wondering what the other series is like any one? The Brighton series . Great stuff can’t put books down

  4. The only thing I don’t like about these books is when I get to the last page!!! I’m so hooked…Elly Griffins is a fabulous story teller and draws you in from the very beginning and keeps a tight hold until the last word’s read!!! I love her characters, so well developed and colorful! I love her writing, she’s brilliant. I’m on the fifth book in the Ruth series and so happy there are other series of hers to tap into. Thank you, Elly Griffins for being so prolific..so much to look forward to as I enjoy this series!

  5. I bought one of your books from Waitrose and I was hooked. I have now read all the Ruth Galloway (13) and I am now waiting for the next book.
    Once you pick them up you are unable to put them down. I sat up all night with one book I had to find out how it ended.

    Keep it up.

  6. Ah, after reading another 40 pages or so, I’ve found clough, but it still seems like a big time gap. Still, the books have been wonderful so far. I’ll keep reading!

  7. It seems that there is a big time gap between the Stone Circle and Lantern Men, which I have just started. Did I miss a book in between? Ruth has moved to and been in Cambridge for two years. Judy’s been promoted. Where has a Louth gotten to? I feel as if I’m missing important chunks.

  8. From one Sussex girl to another, BRILLIANT! I have loved all your books and am about to buy The Night Hawks.
    Keep them coming Ellie! xx

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