British Library Crime Classics Books In Order
Book links take you to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I earn money from qualifying purchases.Publication Order of British Library Crime Classics Books
The Notting Hill Mystery | (1862) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Female Detective | (1864) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Poisoned Chocolates Case | (1929) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
It Walks by Night | (1930) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Secret of High Eldersham / The Mystery of High Eldersham | (1930) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Mystery in the Channel | (1931) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Castle Skull | (1931) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Incredible Crime | (1931) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Murder of a Lady | (1931) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Lost Gallows | (1931) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Z Murders | (1931) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Corpse in the Waxworks / The Waxworks Murder | (1932) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Division Bell Mystery | (1932) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Portrait of a Murderer | (1933) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Death in Fancy Dress | (1933) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Family Matters | (1933) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Hog's Back Mystery | (1933) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Murder Underground | (1934) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Scarweather | (1934) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Death of an Airman | (1934) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Spy Paramount | (1934) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The 12.30 from Croydon | (1934) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Chianti Flask | (1934) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Lake District Murder | (1935) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Death on the Cherwell | (1935) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Cornish Coast Murder | (1935) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Traitor | (1936) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Santa Klaus Murder | (1936) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Sussex Downs Murder | (1936) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Death in the Tunnel / Dark in the Tunnel | (1936) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Mystery in White | (1937) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Bats in the Belfry | (1937) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Cheltenham Square Murder | (1937) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Excellent Intentions | (1938) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Murder in the Museum | (1938) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Antidote to Venom | (1938) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Thirteen Guests | (1938) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Port of London Murders | (1938) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Arsenal Stadium Mystery | (1939) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Seven Dead | (1939) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Verdict of Twelve | (1940) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
A Scream in Soho | (1940) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Death of a Busybody | (1942) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Dead Shall be Raised & Murder of a Quack | (1942) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Somebody at the Door | (1943) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Murder's a Swine: A Second World War Mystery | (1943) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Checkmate to Murder | (1944) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Fell Murder | (1944) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Murder by Matchlight | (1945) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Trouble on the Thames | (1945) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Fire in the Thatch | (1946) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Death Makes a Prophet | (1947) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Smallbone Deceased | (1950) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Calamity in Kent | (1950) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Death Has Deep Roots | (1951) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Danger Within / Death in Captivity | (1952) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Murder in the Mill-Race | (1952) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Crossed Skis | (1952) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Death on the Riviera | (1952) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Colour Of Murder | (1957) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Christmas Egg | (1958) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Progress of a Crime | (1960) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Spoilt Kill | (1961) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Body in the Dumb River | (1961) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Due to a Death | (1963) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Surfeit of Suspects | (1964) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Belting Inheritance | (1965) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Last Best Friend | (1967) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The End of the Web | (1976) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Capital Crimes: London Mysteries | (2015) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Resorting to Murder | (2015) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Silent Nights | (2015) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Murder at the Manor | (2016) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Serpents in Eden | (2016) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Crimson Snow | (2016) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Foreign Bodies | (2017) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Long Arm of the Law | (2017) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Miraculous Mysteries | (2017) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Continental Crimes | (2017) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Blood on the Tracks | (2018) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Christmas Card Crime and Other Stories | (2018) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Golden Age of Detection Puzzle Book | (2018) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Deep Waters: Murder on the Waves | (2019) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Measure of Malice | (2019) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Pocket Detective 2: 100+ More Puzzles, Brainteasers and Conundrums | (2019) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Settling Scores: Sporting Mysteries | (2020) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
A Surprise for Christmas and Other Seasonal Mysteries | (2020) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Two-Way Murder | (2021) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Guilty Creatures: A Menagerie of Mysteries | (2021) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The British Library Crime Classics book series is a series of period-style paperbacks that celebrate the British detective stories from the Golden Age of crime. The series includes collections as selected by Martin Edwards and books by authors such as John Bude, E.C.R. Lorac, Freeman Willis Crofts, George Bellairs, Ellen Wilkinson, Anthony Wynne, Carol Carnac, Anthony Gilbert, J. Jefferson Farjeon, Mavis Doriel Hay, and more. This collection is filled with British crime stories that take place everywhere from the small villages of Devon to the Cornish Coast. This is a great series for fans of good old-fashion whodunits.
For a long time readers of classic crime fiction did not have many options outside of major authors like Agatha Christie. Readers had to hope to find something secondhand or hope the library had an old copy, but even that was a risky proposition. Many of the vintage detective novels of the time were unobtainable. Things are much different today, thanks to series like the British Library Crime Classics. The series has helped to reintroduce authors, novels, and short stories that had previously been forgotten. Now, they are reappearing in the world and getting a whole new generation of readers. The books are beloved for their period cover artwork which makes them great collectibles. Of course, the stories themselves are the main draw and they provide a wonderful escapism for readers.
Martin Edwards, a former CWA Diamond Dagger award winner, is a consultant on the series and has been involved with the series since 2014. The CWA Diamond Dagger is British crime writing’s highest honor and he was selected for it in 2020.
Edwards has helped to get many obscure authors republished. One author that he is proud of having brought back to publication is Anthony Rolls. The rather obscure author was actually a pen name for the accomplished author, C.E. Vulliamy. Family Matters is the story of an eccentric failure known as Robert Arthur Kewdingham. In his middle age, he decides to retreat into a life of hunting for Roman artifacts and devotes himself to some bizarre mystical beliefs. His wife, Bertha, is embarrassed by him and their marriage often features quarrels. Things are not going well and when a man arrives who catches Bertha’s eye, things will go from bad to worse.
One great thing about the British Library Crime Classics book series is that they have taken suggestion from fans about what should be added to the series and given new life. One such author to have this happen is Gil North who had both of his Sergeant Cluff novels republished in the series. The first book is Sergeant Cluff Stands Firm. The story sees a woman named Amy Snowden who has settled into a lonely life in the Yorkshire town of Gunnarshaw. Then one day she surprises all of her neighbors by marrying a much younger man. A few months later, Amy is found dead by her own hand and her husband has disappeared. Sergeant Caleb Cluff is on the case to unwrap the unlikely marriage and the mystery of Amy’s death.
Another good book in the series is Due to a Death by Mary Kelly. The book starts with a car speeding down the road between miles of marshes and estuary flats and Agnes sitting in the passenger seat. She’s bloodied and numbed with fear as her entire world has just been turned upside down. The news of a dead girl found in the marsh is spreading around the local area. As the story goes on, Agnes will look back through her memories of the past few days to try and find the links between her her husband, his friends, a mysterious stranger new to the village and the bloody murder of a young girl.
George Bellairs’ The Body in the Dumb River is another entry in the British Library Crime Classics book series. Jim’s body is found miles from his home, dumped in the usually silent river. The body has seemingly been discovered before the killer had intended, thanks to a torrential flood. Superintendent Littlejohn of Scotland Yard is brought into the case that proves difficult. Many clues of the culprit’s identity were swept away with the surging water. The veteran sleuth will end up on a train north to dredge about the truth about the victim and uncover the mystery of this unassuming murder victim.
Fell Murder by E.C.R. Lorac is another treasure in this series. The Garth family has farmed their land for generations. The hot-tempered Garth is the patriarch of the family and still going strong at the age of eighty-two. Until the day that he is found dead in the mud outside the ancient outhouse. Chief Inspector Macdonald arrives in the north country to investigate the case. He finds a family that is reticent to help and their guarded neighbors of the Lune Valley. He’ll have to engage in a battle of wits with the people of the area if he hopes to unearth the secret of who killed Garth.
Book Series In Order » Characters »
I have been collecting (& have most of the British Library Crime Classics)
I have been searching for E C R Lorac early novels. Would it be possible that you could print her books from 1931 to 1935.
I also love the books by Miles Burton to whom you introduced me, as well as John Rhode ( I realise that they are the same author). Of course you have introduced me to many exceptional authors. Thanks for the many hours of great reading & keep up the good work. This comes from Tasmania.