Casebook of Barnaby Adair Books In Order

Publication Order of Casebook of Barnaby Adair Books

“Casebook of Barnaby Adair” is a series of mystery and romance novels by Stephanie Laurens. Laurens is an American author best known for writing novels set in the British Regency era with her settings ranging from India to Scotland. She published her debut novel “Tangled Reins” in 1992 and has turned prolific, publishing more than seventy novels in twelve series of novels, novellas, collections, and omnibuses. With more than fifty titles in historical romance, she has been an award-winning novelist with twenty-nine of her novels making the New York Times bestselling list. Her novels are available in digital and print formats and have been translated into several languages. She has also won many awards including the RITA for her novella “The Fall of Gerrard” that won the Best Romance Novella in 2008. Stephanie’s Cynster series of novels have been critically acclaimed novels that are now deemed classics in historical romance.

Growing up, Stephanie Laurens was a huge reader of romances and would often raid her mother’s library or Georgette Heyer’s romances. When she lived in England, she had the chance to find and stock her library with Victorian-era romances she could not get hold of in Australia and the US. Once her family went back to Australia, she read all her novels but soon ran out of Regency-era romance. With nothing worthwhile in the book stores, she decided to write one herself. She had always wanted to become an author and took the time during the weekends and night just to entertain herself. To her surprise, she finished her manuscript even though she is the type that lets projects lie unfinished for years. The manuscript is what would later become her debut novel, “Tangled Reins,” that she published under Mills & Boon. She would go on to write seven more Regency-era fiction for Mills & Boon. Somewhere along the line, she had gotten tired of being a research scientist and decided to quit to become a full-time romance author.

The “Casebook of Barnaby Adair” series is an outgrowth of the “Cynster” series of novels. The novels are set in the London underworld, a mysterious place where reputation is everything. As such, when there are mysterious crimes Barnaby Adair a man of incredible discretion and gentleman that is comfortable in all manner of social situations is called in. He is introduced in the debut novel of the series where he works alongside Griselda, Stokes, and Penelope who also appear in subsequent titles. “Where the Heart Leads” introduces the lead character and his friends who form strong bonds that will result in firm friendships and marriages. The couples have a tight bond and even though they are from different social classes they work together to develop their investigative abilities. “The Masterful Mr. Montague” the second novel of the series, Barnaby and Penelope Ashford make a comeback alongside Inspector Stokes and Griselda his new wife. They are also joined by the financial genius of their world Heathcote Montague as they seek to solve the mystery of the murder of Miss Violet Matcham’s friend. “Loving Rose: The Redemption of Malcolm Sinclair” is the story of an older man who is looking for redemption. In his quest, he lets fate lead him to his redemption while also working hard to pay for the evil he has done through his deeds and pain.

The debut novel of the “Casebook of Barnaby Adair” series is “Where the Heart Leads.” Portia Cynster’s younger sister Penelope Ashford was brought up with privilege that included the advantages of beauty, position, and wealth. She is willful, forceful, and blunt and over the years, she has been working on developing the intelligence and energy to direct an institution that cares for forgotten orphans that wander the underground world of London. But the children are mysteriously going missing and there is only one person she can turn to – Barnaby Adair. He is a handsome man from a good family that has made a name for himself in judicial and political spheres. He combines his powers of observation and deduction and over the years, he has solved several mysterious crimes in London. Penelope has always been uncomfortable around him but now has to recruit him to her cause no matter her misgivings. Barnaby is fascinated by the story and the woman that brings it to him. Her undeniable brains and bold beauty make her stand out from the tons of women out there Barnaby accepts the challenge but he never thought it would dominate his every waking hour. He enlists the help of Basil Stokes of the new Scotland Yard and together they head to the underground world of the East End. They had hoped to resolve the mystery of the missing children only to find that some criminals had infiltrated the fledgling organization that had been created to fight crime in London.

“The Masterful Mr. Montague” the second novel of the “Casebook of Barnaby Adair” series. The lead is Montague, a man that has been working or London’s elite, managing their wealth. But this has come at a terrible cost as he had no time to make a family of his own. When the alluring Miss Violet Matcham asks for his help in resolving a mystery, he finds a new personal and professional challenge in the quest. Violet is a dear friend and lady companion of Lady Halsted an aging noblewoman. She asks Montague to reassure her that things will be fine. She had heard of Montague but when he goes to see her, he is not anything like what she expected, He is a strong, compelling, supportive, and decisive man and is everything Violet wants in a hero and Montague immediately claims the title. But when Lady Halstead is brutally killed, Montague teams up with Violet, Inspector Stokes, Barnaby Adair, Griselda, and Penelope in an investigation to stop a cold-blooded and cunning killer. Will they learn the truth before it is too late to grab a chance at a happily ever after?

“Loving Rose” the third novel of the “Casebook of Barnaby Adair” series is the story of Malcolm Sinclair who was remarkably spared from death. The experience changes the man and he no longer is the notorious criminal he once was. He now takes the name Thomas Glendower and tries to make amends for his actions though he never thought that penance could have come to him through a secret lady he stumbles upon when he visits an isolated manor. The lady is Rose who tells him a bogus story about why she is living with her children in the out of the way manor. But she can see that he is too intelligent and is not buying the story, plausible as it was. She knows that it is dangerous to tell the true story but the more she spends time with him, the more he wins her trust. When the danger comes home to roost, the only man she can turn to is Thomas. In heeding to the call for help, Thomas finally finds his true purpose and undertakes it with steadfast commitment. He now knows that his redemption will come by protecting and loving Rose and her children.