Molly Murphy Books in Order

The Recommended Molly Murphy Reading Order

Rhys Bowen’s beloved series follows Molly Murphy, a feisty young Irish woman who escapes a family tragedy in Ireland and builds a new life as a pioneering female private investigator in turn-of-the-century New York. For the best experience, we highly recommend reading the series in chronological order. While the mysteries in each book are self-contained, Molly's personal journey—including her career transitions, her complicated relationship with police captain Daniel Sullivan, and her growing circle of bohemian friends—develops sequentially from book to book.

Chronological Reading List (Including Novellas)

To follow Molly's life from her origins in Ireland through her investigations across Manhattan, Paris, and Dublin, read the books in this sequence:

1. The Amersham Rubies (2011) – Prequel Novella. Set in Ireland and England, this short story introduces a young Molly before she is forced to flee her homeland.
2. Murphy's Law (2001) – Book 1. Molly arrives at Ellis Island and must clear her name of a murder charge, launching her detective career in Manhattan.
3. Death of Riley (2002) – Book 2. Molly secures a job as an apprentice to private investigator Paddy Riley, only to find him murdered.
4. For the Love of Mike (2003) – Book 3. Molly goes undercover in the gritty garment sweatshops of the Lower East Side.
5. In Like Flynn (2005) – Book 4. Molly is hired to investigate a series of thefts and kidnappings at a senator's estate in the Hudson Valley.
6. Oh Danny Boy (2006) – Book 5. Daniel Sullivan is jailed for bribery, and Molly must find the real culprit to save her beau.
7. In Dublin's Fair City (2007) – Book 6. Molly returns to Ireland to perform a covert favor for a theater mogul and ends up in the middle of a political conspiracy.
8. Tell Me, Pretty Maiden (2008) – Book 7. Molly investigates the mysterious death of a beautiful actress found frozen in Central Park.
9. In a Gilded Cage (2009) – Book 8. Molly tackles cases in both high society and the early women's suffrage movement.
10. The Last Illusion (2010) – Book 9. Set against the backdrop of Harry Houdini's magic acts, Molly investigates a stage accident that turns fatal.
11. Bless the Bride (2011) – Book 10. As Molly prepares to marry Daniel, she is drawn into the case of a missing Chinese bride.
12. Hush Now, Don't You Cry (2012) – Book 11. Molly and Daniel's honeymoon in Newport, Rhode Island is interrupted by a high-society murder.
13. The Face in the Mirror (2013) – Short Story. Set shortly after Book 11, Molly travels to the Hudson Valley and encounters a bizarre case of assumed identity.
14. The Family Way (2013) – Book 12. Now pregnant, Molly tries to step back from detective work but gets pulled into an kidnapping ring.
15. Through the Window (2014) – Short Story. Set between Books 12 and 13, Molly witnesses a suspicious scene from her window that leads to a crime.
16. City of Darkness and Light (2014) – Book 13. Fearing for her new baby's safety, Molly flees to Paris, only to find herself investigating a murder in the art community.
17. The Edge of Dreams (2015) – Book 14. Back in New York, Molly assists Daniel, who is recovering from an accident, with a string of bizarre murders.
18. Away in a Manger (2015) – Book 15. A Christmas-themed mystery where Molly helps two homeless children claiming to be of noble birth.
19. Time of Fog and Fire (2016) – Book 16. Molly travels to San Francisco in the wake of the devastating 1906 earthquake to find a missing Daniel.
20. The Ghost of Christmas Past (2017) – Book 17. Molly and Daniel spend Christmas at a mansion in the Hudson Valley where a child disappeared years earlier.
21. Wild Irish Rose (2022) – Book 18 (Co-authored with Clare Broyles). Molly assists an immigrant woman who looks exactly like her and is accused of murder.
22. All That Is Hidden (2023) – Book 19 (Co-authored with Clare Broyles). Daniel runs for political office in New York, exposing the family to Tammany Hall corruption.
23. In Sunshine or in Shadow (2024) – Book 20 (Co-authored with Clare Broyles). The Sullivans seek respite in the Catskills, but local tensions explode into a murder mystery.
24. Silent as the Grave (2025) – Book 21 (Co-authored with Clare Broyles). Molly goes undercover as a makeup artist in the emerging silent film industry.
25. Vanished in the Crowd (2026) – Book 22 (Co-authored with Clare Broyles). Molly searches for a missing female scientist during the city's massive Hudson-Fulton Celebration.

Where Should Readers Start?

For almost all readers, the perfect entry point is the first novel, Murphy's Law. It introduces Molly's fiery personality, her reasons for fleeing Ireland, and her rocky initial encounters with Daniel Sullivan. Starting here gives you the necessary context to appreciate how far she climbs from an impoverished, suspect immigrant to a respected investigator.

While The Amersham Rubies is chronologically the first story, it was written ten years into the series. It works best as a fun flashback once you are already familiar with Molly. Reading it first is acceptable, but it lacks the rich, bustling New York atmosphere that defines the core appeal of the series.

Publication Order vs. Chronological Order

Since the series is written linearly, the publication order matches the chronological sequence almost perfectly, with the sole exception of the novellas. Standard publication order lists the books from Murphy's Law (2001) straight through to Vanished in the Crowd (2026), with the short stories appearing on shelves years after the timelines they depict. Reading strictly by publication year is perfectly fine, though slipping the digital short stories into their chronological slots (as outlined above) provides the smoothest narrative transition.

What to Know Before You Start: Setting, Tone, and Themes

The Molly Murphy series is a vibrant blend of cozy mystery, historical detail, and serialized romance. Rhys Bowen (the pen name of Janet Quin-Harkin) spent significant time researching Gilded Age New York. Readers will encounter real historical figures (such as Harry Houdini, Nellie Bly, and Theodore Roosevelt) and real historic events (like the Triangle Shirtwaist factory conditions, the Gilded Age Newport culture, and the 1909 Hudson-Fulton Celebration).

While the mysteries themselves contain murder, the tone remains accessible, warm, and focused on community. A major draw of the series is Molly's network of friends, particularly the bohemian artists Sid and Gus, who live in Greenwich Village and offer a progressive contrast to the era's rigid gender norms. Molly’s struggle to balance her independent career with Daniel's traditional expectations of marriage and motherhood is a major running theme.

The Co-Authorship Shift

After a five-year hiatus following The Ghost of Christmas Past (2017), Rhys Bowen revived the series in 2022 by teaming up with her daughter, Clare Broyles. Starting with Wild Irish Rose, the co-authored books continue Molly's adventures seamlessly. Broyles' involvement has been widely praised by fans for injecting fresh energy into the series, introducing more complex family dynamics as Molly navigates being a mother, supporting Daniel's career, and occasionally dusting off her detective skills in a rapidly changing early-20th-century New York.