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series Reading Order

Chronicles of St Marys Books in Order

34 Books
2013 – 2018 Published
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Reading order

Where to Start Your Journey

The safest and most rewarding place to begin is with the very first novel, Just One Damned Thing After Another (2013). This book introduces Dr. Madeleine 'Max' Maxwell and the eccentric, disaster-prone team at the St Mary’s Institute of Historical Research, establishing the rules (and frequent catastrophes) of their time-observing world. Do not start with the prequel, The Very First Damned Thing (Book 0.5), as it contains context that is much more satisfying to uncover after you have already spent time with the crew.

The Chronicles of St Mary's Reading Order

While reading the main novels in publication order works perfectly, integrating the short stories and festive novellas chronologically bridges minor narrative gaps and keeps characters' personal arcs in the correct sequence. Based on official chronology guides, here is the recommended path:

  1. Just One Damned Thing After Another (2013)
  2. A Symphony of Echoes (2013)
  3. When a Child is Born (Short Story, 2013)
  4. A Second Chance (2014)
  5. Roman Holiday (Short Story, 2014)
  6. A Trail Through Time (2014)
  7. Christmas Present (Short Story, 2014)
  8. No Time Like the Past (2015)
  9. The Very First Damned Thing (Prequel Short Story, 2015) — Note: Best read here rather than at the start.
  10. What Could Possibly Go Wrong? (2015)
  11. Ships and Stings and Wedding Rings (Short Story, 2015)
  12. Lies, Damned Lies, and History (2016)
  13. The Great St Mary's Day Out (Short Story, 2016)
  14. My Name is Markham (Short Story, 2016)
  15. And the Rest is History (2017)
  16. A Perfect Storm (Short Story, 2017)
  17. Christmas Past (Short Story, 2017)
  18. An Argumentation of Historians (2018)
  19. The Battersea Barricades (Short Story, 2018)
  20. The Steam Pump Jump (Short Story, 2018)
  21. And Now for Something Completely Different (Short Story, 2018)
  22. Hope for the Best (2019)
  23. When Did You Last See Your Father? (Short Story, 2019)
  24. Why is Nothing Ever Simple? (Short Story, 2019)
  25. Plan for the Worst (2020)
  26. The Ordeal of the Haunted Room (Short Story, 2020)
  27. Another Time, Another Place (2021)
  28. The Toast of Time (Short Story, 2021)
  29. A Catalogue of Catastrophe (2022)
  30. The Good, the Bad and the History (2023)
  31. Christmas Pie (Short Story, 2023)
  32. Lights! Camera! Mayhem! (Novella, 2024)
  33. Murder at Martingale Manor (Novella, 2025)
  34. Twelfth Night (Upcoming Novella, 2026)

Entering the Time Police Universe

The Time Police is an official spin-off series set in the same universe, but focusing on the heavily armed, law-enforcement counterpart to the chaotic historians. While these books can be read independently, they contain major spoilers for the main St Mary's timeline. The first book, Doing Time, starts around the events near the end of The Good, the Bad and the History. Most readers recommend reading the first 14 main St Mary's novels before diving into the Time Police series.

The Time Police Reading Order:

  • Doing Time (2019)
  • Hard Time (2020)
  • Saving Time (2021)
  • About Time (2022)
  • Santa Grint (Novella, 2022)
  • Killing Time (2024)
  • Out of Time (2025)

Frequently Asked

QWhere should I start reading the Chronicles of St Mary's?

You should start with the first novel, Just One Damned Thing After Another. It introduces the main characters and establishes how time travel works in this universe.

QShould I read 'The Very First Damned Thing' first?

Even though it is numbered as Book 0.5, it is best read after Book 4 (A Trail Through Time) or Book 5 (No Time Like the Past) to avoid spoilers and appreciate the backstory.

QHow does the 'Time Police' spin-off connect to the main series?

The Time Police series is set in the same universe but follows the law-enforcement officers who protect the timeline. It is best started after Book 14 (The Good, the Bad and the History) of the main series.

QIs the Chronicles of St Mary's series completed?

No, the series is ongoing. Jodi Taylor continues to publish new additions, including the novella Murder at Martingale Manor in late 2025 and Twelfth Night in late 2026.

QWho narrates the Chronicles of St Mary's audiobooks?

The audiobooks are narrated by Zara Ramm, whose performance has been widely praised by fans for capturing the series' unique blend of humor and heart.