Cara Devlin Books in Order

How to Read Cara Devlin's Books: The Recommended Reading Path

If you are new to Cara Devlin's historical mysteries, the absolute best place to start is with the Bow Street Duchess Mystery series, beginning with Murder at the Seven Dials. This series represents her most acclaimed work, offering a perfect blend of Regency-era crime solving and an agonizingly delicious slow-burn romance. Because the relationship and the overarching mystery develop incrementally across the series, reading them in strict publication order is highly recommended.

Once you have finished the main story arc of the Bow Street Duchess, you should dive into the gothic and atmospheric Victorian streets of the Spencer & Reid Mysteries, starting with Shadow at the Morgue. For readers who prefer a shift in scenery to the rugged American West, the Sage Canyon Trilogy provides a heartfelt historical western romance starting with A Heart Worth Healing.

The Bow Street Duchess Mystery Series

Set in the shadowy and atmospheric streets of Regency London, the Bow Street Duchess Mystery series follows the unlikely partnership of Bow Street Officer Hugh Marsden and Audrey Sinclair, the Duchess of Fournier. Audrey possesses a closely guarded psychic gift—often viewed as a curse—that allows her to see flashes of past events when touching physical objects. This ability previously landed her in an asylum, and she must keep it hidden to survive polite society.

Hugh Marsden, a former Bow Street runner harboring his own secrets, initially views Audrey as an aristocratic nuisance. As they are drawn into complex murder cases, they form a trusting partnership and a slow-burn romance. While the main character arc and primary mystery surrounding Hugh and Audrey conclude in Book 7 (Taken to the Grave), Book 8 (The Lady's Last Mistake) serves as a standalone companion novel focusing on Audrey's sister-in-law, Cassie Sinclair.

Bow Street Duchess Reading Order

1. Murder at the Seven Dials (2023)
2. Death at Fournier Downs (2023)
3. Silence of Deceit (2023)
4. Penance for the Dead (2023)
5. Fatal by Design (2023)
6. Nature of the Crime (2024)
7. Taken to the Grave (2024)
8. The Lady's Last Mistake (2024) – Standalone Companion Novel

The Spencer & Reid Mysteries

For readers who enjoy a darker, more gothic Victorian atmosphere, the Spencer & Reid Mysteries series is the perfect next step. The series centers on Leonora "Leo" Spencer, a practical young woman who works as an assistant in a London morgue, and Detective Inspector Jasper Reid. Together, they solve gritty crimes while dealing with their own class differences and growing mutual attraction. Readers frequently compare this series' tone to the television show Miss Scarlet & the Duke and the novels of Deanna Raybourn.

Spencer & Reid Reading Order

1. Shadow at the Morgue (2025)
2. Method of Revenge (2025)
3. Courier of Death (2025)
4. Cloaked in Deception (2025)
5. Tears for the Forsaken (2026)
6. Hazard of the Pursuit (2026)

The Sage Canyon Trilogy

If you want a break from historical mystery, the Sage Canyon series takes readers to the rugged frontier of Sage Canyon, Colorado. The trilogy follows Dr. Ellie Lennox, a female physician who flees Boston after a professional tragedy ruins her reputation. In the mining town of Sage Canyon, she fights for acceptance as the town doctor while finding romance and community. This series is ideal for fans of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.

Sage Canyon Reading Order

1. A Heart Worth Healing (2021)
2. A Cure in the Wild (2021)
3. A Land of Fierce Mercy (2022)

Standalone Novels

Before launching her major series, Devlin debuted with a standalone novel that remains a favorite for completionists looking for a quick, romantic historical escape.

• The Trouble We Keep (2020) – A standalone story of survival and romance set against the backdrop of historical hardship.

What to Know Before You Start

Cara Devlin is an indie author who publishes through First Cup Press. She is highly praised for her ability to weave meticulous historical research with strong, independent heroines and incredibly slow-burning romantic tension. If you are planning to read the Bow Street Duchess series, do not attempt to skip books or read them out of order; the character growth, romantic progression, and secondary plotlines are tightly serialized. The Spencer & Reid series follows a similar serialized structure and should also be read in order.