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Christmas Novellas Books in Order

20 Books
2003 – 2022 Published
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Reading order

Where to Start with the Christmas Novellas

Anne Perry's holiday series comprises 21 standalone novellas published annually between 2003 and 2023. Because each story features a self-contained mystery with a unique protagonist, you can jump in anywhere. However, the safest and most satisfying way to read them is in publication order. This allows you to witness the natural aging, marriage, and personal growth of the recurring side characters who step out from the shadows of Perry's main series.

The Two Spin-Off Paths: Pitt vs. Monk

For readers who have a favorite detective from Perry's primary novels, the novellas can be divided into two distinct reading paths based on which parent series they spin off from:

The Thomas Pitt Connection

  • A Christmas Journey (2003) – Lady Vespasia Cumming-Gould
  • A Christmas Guest (2005) – Grandmama Mariah Ellison
  • A Christmas Secret (2006) – Dominic Corde
  • A Christmas Grace (2008) – Emily Radley
  • A Christmas Promise (2009) – Gracie Phipps
  • A Christmas Homecoming (2011) – Caroline Fielding
  • A Christmas Garland (2012) – Victor Narraway
  • A New York Christmas (2014) – Jemima Pitt
  • A Christmas Message (2016) – Victor Narraway
  • A Christmas Return (2017) – Mariah Ellison
  • A Christmas Gathering (2019) – Lady Vespasia
  • A Christmas Legacy (2021) – Gracie Tellman (née Phipps)
  • A Christmas Vanishing (2023) – Mariah Ellison

The William Monk Connection

  • A Christmas Visitor (2004) – Henry Rathbone
  • A Christmas Beginning (2007) – Superintendent Runcorn
  • A Christmas Odyssey (2010) – Henry Rathbone
  • A Christmas Hope (2013) – Claudine Burroughs
  • A Christmas Escape (2015) – Charles Latterly
  • A Christmas Revelation (2018) – Worm
  • A Christmas Resolution (2020) – Celia Hooper
  • A Christmas Deliverance (2022) – Scuff

Complete Publication Order of Christmas Novellas

Follow the complete, official release order of the series, spanning two decades of annual holiday mysteries:

  1. A Christmas Journey (2003)
  2. A Christmas Visitor (2004)
  3. A Christmas Guest (2005)
  4. A Christmas Secret (2006)
  5. A Christmas Beginning (2007)
  6. A Christmas Grace (2008)
  7. A Christmas Promise (2009)
  8. A Christmas Odyssey (2010)
  9. A Christmas Homecoming (2011)
  10. A Christmas Garland (2012)
  11. A Christmas Hope (2013)
  12. A New York Christmas (2014)
  13. A Christmas Escape (2015)
  14. A Christmas Message (2016)
  15. A Christmas Return (2017)
  16. A Christmas Revelation (2018)
  17. A Christmas Gathering (2019)
  18. A Christmas Resolution (2020)
  19. A Christmas Legacy (2021)
  20. A Christmas Deliverance (2022)
  21. A Christmas Vanishing (2023)

Chronological Settings and Caveats

For the most part, publication order aligns perfectly with the chronological progression of the characters' lives. However, Perry occasionally shakes up the timeline or setting for thematic flavor. For example, A Christmas Garland travels back to the Indian Rebellion of 1857 to follow a younger Victor Narraway, and A New York Christmas takes Jemima Pitt across the Atlantic to early 20th-century Manhattan (1904). These shifts do not disrupt the reading experience, as each story remains an isolated, cozy mystery perfect for holiday reading.

Frequently Asked

QDo I need to read Anne Perry's Christmas Novellas in order?

No. Every novella is written as a standalone mystery with a complete resolution. You can read them in any order, though reading by publication year helps you track the chronological development of the supporting characters.

QHow many books are in the Christmas Novellas series?

There are 21 books in the series, beginning with A Christmas Journey in 2003 and concluding with the posthumous release of A Christmas Vanishing in 2023.

QWho is the main protagonist of the Christmas Novellas?

The series does not have a single recurring main character. Instead, each book spotlights a different supporting character from Anne Perry's Thomas Pitt or William Monk series, such as Lady Vespasia, Gracie Phipps, or Henry Rathbone.

QAre any of the Christmas novellas co-authored?

No. All 21 novellas were written solely by Anne Perry, serving as her signature annual contribution to festive mystery literature.

QWhich Christmas novella is set outside of England?

Several books take place in exotic or distant settings: A Christmas Garland is set in India, A New York Christmas takes place in Manhattan, and A Christmas Escape is set on the Italian island of Stromboli.

QWhat is the final book in the Christmas Novellas series?

The final book in the series is A Christmas Vanishing, published in 2023, which features Charlotte Pitt's grandmother, Mariah Ellison, solving a mystery in the hills of Westmorland.