Books On Board
series Reading Order

Cherringham Books in Order

49 Books
2 Reading orders
2013 – 2017 Published
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Reading order

Cherringham Recommended Reading Path

The absolute best way to experience Cherringham is to follow the publication order. Because the series is designed as an episodic saga, reading the stories in the order they were released ensures that you see the partnership, trust, and personal lives of Sarah and Jack develop naturally.

If you prefer a full-length book format rather than quick novellas, you can start with the first novel, Dead in the Water. However, to fully appreciate the characters' background, starting from the very first novella is highly recommended.

The Core Formats: Novellas vs. Novels

The Cherringham universe is co-authored by Neil Richards and Matthew Costello and is split into two formats:

  • The Novellas: Quick, bite-sized whodunits (roughly 130 pages or under 4 hours of listening time) that resemble episodic television. Each is a self-contained mystery.
  • The Novels: Full-length, deeper mystery novels that give the authors more room to explore complex plots.

Publication Order of Cherringham Novellas

For the complete episodic experience, read the novellas in this order:

  1. Murder on Thames (2013)
  2. Mystery at the Manor (2014)
  3. Murder by Moonlight (2014)
  4. Thick as Thieves (2014)
  5. Last Train to London (2014)
  6. The Curse of Mabb's Farm (2014)
  7. The Body in the Lake (2014)
  8. Snowblind (2014)
  9. Playing Dead (2014)
  10. A Deadly Confession (2014)
  11. Blade in the Water (2014)
  12. Death on a Summer Night (2014)
  13. A Lesson in Murder (2015)
  14. The Secret of Combe Castle (2015)
  15. A Fatal Fall (2015)
  16. The Last Puzzle (2015)
  17. Final Cut (2015)
  18. The Vanishing Tourist (2015)
  19. Follow the Money (2015)
  20. Ghost of a Chance (2015)
  21. Murder Most Wild (2015)
  22. The Song Never Dies (2015)
  23. A Bad Lie (2016)
  24. A Death in the Family (2016)
  25. Secret Santa (2016)
  26. Death on a Moonlit Night (2017)
  27. Scared to Death (2017)
  28. A Dinner to Die For (2018)
  29. The Drowned Man (2018)
  30. The Gentleman Vanishes (2018)
  31. Trail of Lies (2018)
  32. Death Trap (2018)
  33. Cliffhanger (2019)
  34. The Secret of Brimley Manor (2019)
  35. Too Many Lies (2019)
  36. Murder under the Sun (2020)
  37. Killing Time (2020)
  38. Still Dead (2020)
  39. Killer Track (2021)
  40. Cold Case (2021)
  41. No Place to Hide (2022)
  42. In the Frame (2022)
  43. A Score to Settle (2022)
  44. Deadline (2023)
  45. Bad Neighbours (2023)
  46. In Good Faith (2024)
  47. Silent Night, Stolen Night (2024)

Publication Order of Cherringham Novels

These full-length novels offer more intricate investigations and can be enjoyed alongside the main novella sequence:

  1. Dead in the Water (2016)
  2. The Body in the Woods (2017)

Reading Caveats & Spin-offs

Since the cases are self-contained, skipping around won't ruin the mystery plots. However, the slow-burn evolution of Jack's adaptation to Cotswolds life and Sarah's career and family struggles will feel disjointed if read out of order. Note that Dead in the Water (the first novel) was published around the same time as the 24th novella, so reading it around that point in your run makes chronological sense.

If you finish the Cherringham mysteries, the authors have also teamed up for the Mydworth Mysteries, a historical cozy series set in the 1920s featuring a diplomat and his American wife solving crimes in Sussex.

Frequently Asked

QWhere is the best place to start reading Cherringham?

You should start with the first novella, Murder on Thames, which establishes the partnership between Sarah and Jack.

QWhat is the difference between the novellas and the novels?

The novellas are short, episodic whodunits under 130 pages. The novels are full-length books with more complex investigations.

QDo I have to read the Cherringham series in order?

While the mysteries are self-contained, reading in publication order is best so that you can follow the characters' relationship progression.

QWho narrates the Cherringham audiobooks?

The audiobooks are narrated by actor Neil Dudgeon, famous for playing DCI John Barnaby in the television series Midsomer Murders.

QHow many full-length Cherringham novels are there?

There are exactly two full-length novels: Dead in the Water (2016) and The Body in the Woods (2017).

QAre there any spin-off series by the authors?

Yes, the co-authors also write the Mydworth Mysteries, a historical cozy series set in Sussex during the late 1920s.