Elly Griffiths Books In Order – Complete List

The Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffiths is a strong addition to the archaeological mystery genre, with the first released Dr. Ruth Galloway book called The Crossing Places published in 2009. Currently, with almost 20 books in the series, Elly Griffiths started the Dr. Ruth Galloway series inspired by her husband who switched from a city job to become an archaeologist. Here are the Elly Griffiths books in order of publication for each of her series and standalone novels.

Latest Elly Griffiths Books

The Last Word
The Last Word (Harbinder Kaur #4), 2024

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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

Ali Dawson Mystery Books in Publication Order

  • The Frozen People, 2025

DI Stephens & Max Mephisto Books in Publication Order

aka The Brighton Mysteries

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

Justice Jones Books in Publication Order

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

Harbinder Kaur Books in Publication Order

  1. The Stranger Diaries, 2018
  2. The Postscript Murders, 2021
  3. Bleeding Heart Yard, 2022
  4. The Last Word, 2024

Short Story Collections and Anthologies in Publication Order

Elly Griffiths Books Published as Domenica de Rosa

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, Elly Griffith has recently started a new series called DI Stephens & Max Mephisto, with seven books published to date.

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

As Domenica de Rosa she published her first non-fiction book in 2001 with the title The Little Book of Shakespeare and Food. She then published her first fiction novel in 2004. In 2009, she wrote her first book, The Crossing Places, under the pen name Elly Griffiths. From then on, she continued only to write under this alias.

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 nominated for various awards including the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Award and the CWA Dagger in the Library Award.

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 depicts 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 dr. Ruth Galloway 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 Dr. Ruth Galloway to work the new case which turns out to be old, thus allowing them to close a long-forgotten cold case. The new dig site that the letter directs him to, holds another dead body. Just like in the past. This time, however, the bones belong to a child who disappeared back in 1981.

When not writing, she likes swimming, reading and going to the theatre to watch plays.

Should we read the Ruth Galloway books in order?

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) is 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, with nothing scary or gross going on (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.

Personally, I recommend that you read the Elly Griffiths books for the Ruth Galloway series in order. And while you are at it, do pick up the Stephens and Mephisto historical mystery series as well, as they are well worth reading.

Elly Griffiths Awards and Nominations

  • The Stranger Diaries won the Edgar Awards in the Best Novel category in 2020
  • Elly Griffiths has won the Author of the Year award at the Booksellers Association Conference Awards in 2024

Authors Similar to Elly Griffiths

50 Comments

  1. @Elle I’ve seen both Audible and also Audio CD links on Amazon. Do you mean something else?

    1. So I’ve just finished A room full of bones and at the back there is a taster of “the next book” called The tomb of the Raven King, but I cannot find it anywhere in the list of Elly’s books or on Amazon etc. does anyone know if it exists ?

      1. Totally hooked on Elly Griffiths!! Just finished Book 4, and now have to wait for my delivery to come to continue 😭 I live where these books are set and get so absorbed by the descriptions that I could almost believe it’s all real!

        2 questions……1.What is the Tomb of the Raven king??…….2. Where can I buy a paperback copy of Ruth’s first Christmas tree?

  2. A lot of housework left undone in a lot of houses I suspect! It is so difficult to put these books down . I love the pervading atmosphere of the surrounding countryside. Now I realise that I am not alone in my appreciation and enjoyment of these books. Having started with Woman in Blue, I have now gone back and started from the beginning. …they are much better in order. Only trouble is, I am going through them far too fast! Please write some more.

  3. Have just read the second of Elly,s books and couldn’t wait to finish it and start the next two that are sitting waiting on the bookshelf. The characters are all so appealing and the settings very real to a frequent Norfolk visitor. As other readers have said the stories are not too gruesome but totally believable and so enlightening historically. Love the characters and Ruth’s relationship with them. Being an overweight individual I can empathise with her.

    1. Yes . LikE me totally hooked. I’ve all 9 books ready to read on 4/5 Ruth 1st christmas tree.
      BrI’ll isn’t recommend to all. Living in Norton it’s as if your in the book. ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

      1. I mean Brilliant and recommend all.
        Living in Norfolk I know most places so it’s as if your in the book.☆☆☆☆☆☆

        1. Recently discovered Ruth and her friends and am totally enthralled. Can’t stop reading the books and don’t want to use them up too fast. You are a brilliant writer. Nelson’s remarks to himself make me laugh out loud. Looking forward to your other series too. So many thanks for keeping me entertained throughout this difficult time.

  4. Read the whole series. Now reading through for the fourth time! I just love the characters. Theyre like old friends. I feel I know them all. Ruth is amazing – so capable yet so vulnerable. Please write another one in thie series before too long!

  5. I was so glad I discovered Elly Griffith’s Ruth Galloway series. Not only are the stories in each great but also well written. I loved too, that I am familiar with with the English East coast, although it is a long time, since I lived in England.
    Ruth is such a likable, ordinary person; in the physical sense ; but intelligent, still having frailties and weaknesses, as we all do. The other main characters likable and not, are also quite real. Above all, she is a darned god read.
    My other most liked Female Authors, Barbara Erskine, Debra Crombie and Kate Morton.
    Thank you too, for listing them in order, so important, I now know, I have missed one, so will look for it. !

  6. I have read and re-read all of the Ruth Galloway mysteries and I am now waiting eagerly for the next book; the one after “Woman in Blue”. I also like the Elly Griffiths has built up the relationship between Ruth and Nelson and intrigued as to whether they do get together.

    Brilliant books.

  7. Thank you for outlining the books in order. I tried to figure this out from the author’s website, but it was confusing.

  8. I’ve read all the Ruth Galloway books and I want to know when the next one is coming out. They are interesting books Really like all of the characters!

  9. Have just finished ‘The Ghostfields’ very good. Do we know when Ellue is producing the next Ruth Galloway story please?

  10. Definitely read in order. I love this series-the recurring characters, locales, new characters, history snd all else.

  11. I have listened to all six of Elly Griffiths books on Audible. Brilliant. Now im going to listen again as they have spoilled me for anything else. Missing Ruth and the gang.

  12. I can no longer see to read well but having discovered Elly Griffith’s Ruth Galloway series in audio format I am absolutely thrilled and working my way through them!

      1. I am so enjoying reading this series of books. I have just started ‘ A Room Full of Bones’. Thank you Elly/Donemica
        Roisin from Belfast Northern Ireland

  13. I agree about reading these books in order. It helps you to follow the characters as their relationships change.
    I can read a book in one sitting ( they are so good ) but I ration myself.
    I am halfway through dying fall so that means just 1 book left.

  14. have been trying to find ‘The tower of the Raven King’ as previewed at the end of Room full of Bones.
    Can’t find any references to it. Anyone help?

    1. So have I and no luck. Glad I’m not the only one! If the Ghost fields is due out in April what has happened to “The Tower…”?

    2. The Tomb of the Raven King was published as Dying Fall. The publishers didn’t like my title – thought it was too historical/fantasy. Hope you enjoy the book. Elly

      1. Thank you for that – My Husband bought me The Ghost fields and from then on I read backwards I have just finished A Room Full of Bones and got nothing done in the housework line as just couldn’t put it down, just about to start Dying Fall and was all confused with the titles etc. So glad that has been explained. Can’t wait to get onto the other series you have written, you are a fabulous writer (on a par with Linwood Barclay, although your language use is much cleaner). Thank you and keep writing.

      2. What a shame! I much prefer your original title, “The Tomb of the Raven King”. Having read all of your books with the exception of The Ghost Fields I would just like to say “thank you”, particularly for “A Room Full of Bones” which helped me through a difficult personal time as it was so (darkly) funny. I love the vein of humour that runs through all of Ruths’ adventures. And being a total cat lover she has my vote. In agreement with other comments, it is refreshing to have a heroine who is by no means perfect, not a size 8, not beautiful at all times no matter what, quick to irritate, quirky, solitary, stubborn, although she has no shortage of admirers so must be doing something right! My only regret is that I didn’t read the books in order.

  15. Elly Griffiths is one of the best English crime writers of our time. Gripping plots, not too ghoulish, has warmth and tenderness, but with gutsee interest. Love her stories of the Norfolk sea and sand dunes. If you know Norfolk and it’s coast, or you don’t, go check it out.
    Many thanks for a few hours of getting lost in your books, keep writing Elly we love you.

    Carole XX

    1. Griffiths is my favorite writer of all. Love both series. I want to live in her house as well and bed friends with Cathbad. I love that her daughter calls him Daddy sometimes.

  16. I love Ruth because she is so like me overweight loves the wrong kind of food cat lover solitary until her daughter popped up but now a loving mum I look forward to many more books from ellygriffiths please Nelsons s OK too

  17. I read my first Elly Griffiths book with members of the Leigh Library Crime Reading Group. Since then I have read the other books in the series (best read in order). Have now got the latest book and can’t wait for more. The consensus of the whole group is brilliant writing.

    1. Is that Leigh ,Lancs, I come from Atherton Lancs and have just got the first book but haven’t read it yet .

  18. I’m finishing the first book and loved it. Can’t wait to read more about lovable Ruth. It’s pleasantly hilarious how Ruth is described as overweight, not-too-exciting as a character, middle-aged and lives with two cats. However, she’s overwhelmed with admirers, e.g., Peter, Nelson, etc…Gosh, I wish I could be that overwhelmed by love. I love Ruth. Thanks Ms. Griffiths for creating such a wonderful character.

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