Clare Chase Books in Order

Where to Start Reading Clare Chase

Clare Chase is a master of the modern British mystery, expertly balancing cozy charm with suspenseful plotting. Because her series vary in tone and setting, your best starting point depends on the kind of mystery you enjoy most:

• For Cozy Mystery Fans: Start with Mystery on Hidden Lane, the first book in the Eve Mallow series. Set in a picture-perfect Suffolk village, it features a smart amateur sleuth, an endearing dachshund sidekick named Gus, and classic whodunit puzzles.
• For Police Procedural and Thriller Fans: Start with Murder on the Marshes, the opening novel of the Tara Thorpe series. Set in Cambridge and the eerie surrounding Fens, this series leans closer to standard crime fiction, blending procedural elements with dark atmospheric secrets.
• For Antique and Village Mystery Enthusiasts: Start with The Antique Store Detective, the debut of the Bella Winter series. Set in the scenic Shropshire Hills, this series focuses on an antique shop owner unearthing historical secrets and local crimes.
• For Romantic Suspense Readers: Start with the Nate and Ruby duology (often grouped under the London and Cambridge category), beginning with A Stranger's House.

Eve Mallow Mystery Series

The Eve Mallow mysteries represent Clare Chase's most extensive cozy series. Set in the fictional, idyllic Suffolk village of Saxford St Peter, the series revolves around Eve Mallow, a professional obituary writer whose job naturally gives her a knack for digging up the past—and finding the skeletons in people's closets. Alongside her trusty dachshund, Gus, Eve works to clear innocent suspects and bring local murderers to justice. Readers should read these books in publication order to fully appreciate the developing relationships and ongoing character arcs in Eve's personal life.

1. Mystery on Hidden Lane (2020)
2. Mystery at Apple Tree Cottage (2020)
3. Mystery at Seagrave Hall (2020)
4. Mystery at the Old Mill (2020)
5. Mystery at the Abbey Hotel (2021)
6. Mystery at the Church (2021)
7. Mystery at Magpie Lodge (2022)
8. Mystery at Lovelace Manor (2022)
9. Mystery at Southwood School (2022)
10. Mystery at Farfield Castle (2023)
11. Mystery at Saltwater Cottages (2023)
12. Mystery on Meadowsweet Grove (2024)
13. Mystery at Lockley Grange (2024)
14. Mystery at Hideaway House (2025)
15. Mystery at Mistletoe Place (2025)
16. Mystery at the Wedding (2026)

Tara Thorpe Mystery Series

For readers who prefer a slightly darker tone, the Tara Thorpe series delivers police procedural mysteries set against the academic backdrop of Cambridge and the waterlogged marshlands of the Fens. The series follows Tara Thorpe, a former journalist who joins the police force as a detective, and her complex working relationship with Detective Inspector Garstin Blake. While the crimes are self-contained, the interpersonal tension and personal histories of the main characters make reading them in order highly rewarding.

1. Murder on the Marshes (2018)
2. Death on the River (2018)
3. Death Comes to Call (2019)
4. Murder in the Fens (2019)

Bella Winter Mystery Series

The Bella Winter mysteries are Clare Chase's newer cozy venture. Set in the Shropshire Hills in the village of Hope Eaton, the books follow Bella Winter, the owner of a vintage shop called "Vintage Winter." Bella has a sharp eye for historical artifacts and a natural curiosity that pulls her into local murder investigations. The series combines classic village cozy tropes with the fascinating world of antiques.

1. The Antique Store Detective (2024)
2. The Antique Store Detective and the Deadly Inheritance (2025)
3. The Antique Store Detective and the May Day Murder (2025)
4. The Antique Store Detective and the Riverside Murders (2026)

Nate and Ruby Mysteries & Standalone Books (London and Cambridge)

Before launching her long-running cozy series, Clare Chase wrote romantic suspense thrillers. These works are occasionally grouped together by databases as the "London and Cambridge Books" due to their primary locations, but they are split between a standalone debut novel and a two-part character-driven mystery series:

• You Think You Know Me (2014) – Clare Chase's debut romantic thriller following a woman who must look into her family's past when her life is threatened.
• A Stranger's House (2016) – The first Nate and Ruby mystery. Ruby Fawcett takes a house-sitting job in Cambridge and finds herself unraveling a dark mystery alongside Nate Bastable, a former private detective.
• One Dark Lie (2017) – The second Nate and Ruby mystery. Ruby and Nate return to solve a puzzle involving deep family secrets. Note that some digital re-releases list this book with a publication date of 2020.

What to Know Before You Start

Clare Chase's books are designed so that the mystery in each novel is fully resolved by the final page, meaning you can technically pick up any book and enjoy the central puzzle. However, the recurring characters experience significant personal growth, build relationships, and experience life changes that progress chronologically. Reading the series in publication order is highly recommended to avoid spoiling earlier subplots, especially in the long-running Eve Mallow series. Her settings—whether the damp, atmospheric Fens of Cambridge or the cozy, coastal vibe of Suffolk—often act as characters themselves, adding a distinct British flavor to each story.