How to Read the Rex Graves Mysteries
The Rex Graves Mysteries, penned by C.S. Challinor and published by Midnight Ink (an imprint of Llewellyn Worldwide), are best read in publication order. Because the books follow the ongoing life, career, and evolving relationships of the towering, redheaded Scottish barrister Rex Graves, reading them sequentially ensures you catch all character development and references to past cases.
The series consists of 10 full-length novels and 3 companion mini-mysteries (novellas). While each mystery acts as a self-contained, Agatha Christie-style whodunit that can technically be enjoyed as a standalone, reading them in order provides the most satisfying experience.
Rex Graves Books in Publication Order
Here is the complete chronological list of all Rex Graves novels and mini-mysteries in order of their release:
- Christmas Is Murder (2008) — The debut novel. Rex is snowbound at Swanmere Manor in England, where a festive getaway turns deadly.
- Murder in the Raw (2009) — Also published under the title Murder on St. Martin, this novel takes Rex to a Caribbean nudist resort to solve a suspicious disappearance.
- Phi Beta Murder (2010) — Rex travels to a university campus in the United States to investigate the death of a young student.
- Murder on the Moor (2011) — Set in the misty Scottish Highlands, Rex must untangle a historical feud and a modern murder.
- Murder of the Bride (2012) — A Mystery Guild featured selection. Rex attends a dreary, rain-soaked wedding in Derbyshire where guests are being systematically targeted.
- Murder at the Dolphin Inn (2012) — Rex investigates a fatal fall at a historic English inn that looks suspiciously like foul play.
- Say Murder With Flowers (2013) — The first mini-mystery (often numbered as Book 6.3). A short, fast-paced case involving a mysterious floral delivery.
- Say Goodbye to Archie (2013) — The second mini-mystery (often numbered as Book 6.5). Rex takes on a highly unusual case investigating the death of a beloved pet cat.
- Murder at Midnight (2014) — A full-length novel where Rex investigates a death during a storm at an isolated estate.
- Murder Comes Calling (2015) — Rex is drawn into a complex web of blackmail and murder when an old acquaintance reaches out for legal help.
- Prelude to Murder (2015) — The third mini-mystery (often numbered as Book 7.5). A shorter companion tale serving as a prelude to a larger crime.
- Judgment of Murder (2016) — Rex goes head-to-head with a case tied to a severe judge, combining professional stakes with a child abduction mystery.
- Upstaged by Murder (2018) — The tenth novel. Rex is drawn into the theatrical world when a stage production becomes the scene of a real-life homicide.
What to Know Before You Start
C.S. Challinor, who was educated in Scotland and England, heavily draws on classic Golden Age detective fiction. If you enjoy locked-room mysteries, closed circles of eccentric suspects, and a dry-witted amateur sleuth who prefers tweed and legal logic over high-speed action, this series is custom-made for you.
There are no spin-offs, co-authored volumes, or major chronological discrepancies to worry about. The three mini-mysteries (Say Murder With Flowers, Say Goodbye to Archie, and Prelude to Murder) are optional companion reads but fit neatly between their respective novels in the publication sequence. If you want the complete experience, include them in your marathon; otherwise, you can focus strictly on the ten main novels without losing track of the primary story arcs.