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series Reading Order

Bess Crawford Books in Order

15 Books
2009 – 2023 Published
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Reading order

The Recommended Reading Order

To fully appreciate Bess Crawford's growth as a character and the historical progression of the Great War, it is highly recommended to read the series in publication order. While the individual murder mysteries in each book are self-contained, her personal relationships, career milestones, and the overarching timeline of World War I unfold sequentially.

Bess Crawford Series in Publication Order

  1. A Duty to the Dead (2009) – The series opener where nurse Bess Crawford promises a dying soldier she will deliver a message to his family, only to get swept up in their dark secrets.
  2. An Impartial Witness (2010) – Bess witnesses a pilot's emotional farewell to a woman at a railway station, only to later discover the woman has been murdered.
  3. A Bitter Truth (2011) – While on leave in London, Bess helps a battered woman, leading her into a dangerous web of family drama and murder.
  4. An Unmarked Grave (2012) – Set during the height of the Spanish Flu epidemic, Bess discovers a murdered officer hidden among the victims of the illness.
  5. The Walnut Tree (2012) – A companion holiday novella. While Bess only makes a brief appearance as a secondary character, this story captures the early days of the war.
  6. A Question of Honor (2013) – Bess investigates a mystery tied to her family's past in India, seeking to clear the name of a soldier accused of murder.
  7. An Unwilling Accomplice (2014) – While escorting a wounded soldier in England, Bess becomes a suspect when the soldier vanishes and is linked to a murder.
  8. The Maharani's Pearls (2014) – A prequel novella set during Bess's childhood in India. It offers a glimpse into her formative years on the Northwest Frontier.
  9. A Pattern of Lies (2015) – Bess is drawn into an investigation involving an explosion at a gunpowder mill and a family accused of treason.
  10. The Shattered Tree (2016) – Bess tracks down the identity of a wounded soldier who speaks French but wears a British uniform, leading her into a web of espionage.
  11. A Casualty of War (2017) – Bess helps a shell-shocked officer who insists he was shot by a fellow soldier, not the enemy.
  12. A Forgotten Place (2018) – Bess travels to a remote Welsh mining village to help disabled veterans and stumbles into a series of mysterious deaths.
  13. A Cruel Deception (2019) – Bess is tasked with helping a family friend who has become addicted to laudanum after the trauma of the war, uncovering a dark crime along the way.
  14. A Hanging at Dawn (2020) – A prequel novella exploring the backstory of Simon Brandon and his deep connection to the Crawford family.
  15. An Irish Hostage (2021) – Bess travels to a tense, post-war Ireland for a friend's wedding, only to find herself trapped in a local feud and investigating a murder.
  16. The Cliff's Edge (2023) – The aftermath of WWI continues to haunt Bess as she is called to investigate a suspicious death near a treacherous cliffside.

Chronological Caveats and Companion Stories

If you prefer to read the series strictly by the chronological setting of the narrative, you will encounter a few shifts in time:

  • A Hanging at Dawn and The Maharani's Pearls are both prequels set during Bess's childhood in India. While they take place earliest in the timeline, they are best read after you are already familiar with Bess and Simon Brandon to fully appreciate the backstory context.
  • The Walnut Tree is a side-story set during the outbreak of WWI in 1914. Since it focuses on a different lead character (Lady Elspeth Douglas) and Bess only plays a minor role, it can be read at any point as a holiday companion piece.

The Future of the Series

The Bess Crawford series was originally written by the mother-son writing duo Caroline and Charles Todd. Following Caroline's passing in 2021, Charles Todd has continued the family writing legacy. The latest published novel is The Cliff's Edge (2023). In August 2025, Charles Todd confirmed that a new Bess Crawford manuscript had been submitted to the publisher, scheduled to follow the early 2026 release of his Inspector Ian Rutledge novel, A Day of Judgment.

Frequently Asked

QDo I need to read the Bess Crawford series in order?

Yes, reading in publication order is highly recommended. Although each book features a self-contained murder mystery, Bess's personal growth, wartime career progression, and relationships develop significantly across the books.

QWho is the author of the Bess Crawford mysteries?

The series is written under the pen name Charles Todd, which was originally the mother-son writing partnership of Caroline and Charles Todd. Since Caroline's passing in 2021, Charles Todd has continued the series solo.

QWhich book should I start with?

You should start with the first novel, A Duty to the Dead, published in 2009. It introduces Bess's role as a WWI nurse and establishes the main cast of recurring characters.

QWhere do the Bess Crawford novellas and short stories fit?

For the best experience, read The Walnut Tree after book 4 (An Unmarked Grave), The Maharani's Pearls after book 6 (An Unwilling Accomplice), and the prequel novella A Hanging at Dawn after book 13 or 14 to enrich Simon Brandon's backstory.

QWhat is the latest book in the Bess Crawford series?

The most recent published book is The Cliff's Edge (2023). A new manuscript was submitted to the publisher in late 2025, with a release anticipated following the early 2026 Inspector Ian Rutledge book.

QWho is Simon Brandon in the Bess Crawford books?

Simon Brandon is a former soldier who served under Bess's father, Colonel Crawford. He acts as a trusted family friend, protector, and confidant to Bess throughout her investigations.