Conrad Allen/ Keith Miles Books in Order

Where to Start Reading Conrad Allen / Keith Miles

Keith Miles is a master of the historical mystery genre, though many readers know him best under his popular pen names: Edward Marston and Conrad Allen. Because his work spans several completely separate series set in different historical eras, there is no single starting point for his entire bibliography. Instead, your best starting point depends on which historical era you want to explore first.

For readers who love early 20th-century history and classic drawing-room style mysteries, the best starting point is Murder on the Lusitania, the first book in the Dillman & Masefield series (written as Conrad Allen). If you prefer the Victorian era and procedural mysteries, start with The Railway Detective, which begins his longest-running and most famous series (written as Edward Marston). If you are a fan of Shakespearean theater and Tudor politics, begin with The Queen's Head, the opening novel of the Elizabethan Theater series.

Major Series by Pseudonym

Conrad Allen: Dillman & Masefield / Ocean Liner Mysteries

Writing as Conrad Allen, Miles created a highly popular eight-book series set aboard the most luxurious passenger ships of the Edwardian era. The stories follow private detective George Porter Dillman and his partner (later wife) Genevieve Masefield as they solve crimes under contract for the shipping lines. The books are best read in order of publication to follow the development of their personal relationship and professional partnership.

• Murder on the Lusitania (1999)
• Murder on the Mauretania (2000)
• Murder on the Minnesota (2002)
• Murder on the Caronia (2003)
• Murder on the Marmora (2004)
• Murder on the Salsette (2005)
• Murder on the Oceanic (2006)
• Murder on the Celtic (2007)

Edward Marston: Inspector Robert Colbeck / The Railway Detective

This is the author's most extensive series, featuring Inspector Robert Colbeck and his assistant Sergeant Victor Leeming. Set during the mid-19th century boom of the British railway system, these books combine meticulous historical detail about steam locomotives with gripping police procedurals. Because of the ongoing character arcs and evolving relationships, reading them in order is highly recommended.

• The Railway Detective (2004)
• The Excursion Train (2005)
• The Railway Viaduct (2006)
• The Iron Horse (2007)
• Murder on the Brighton Express (2007)
• The Silver Locomotive Mystery (2009)
• Railway to the Grave (2010)
• Blood on the Line (2011)
• The Stationmaster's Farewell (2012)
• Peril on the Royal Train (2013)
• A Ticket to Oblivion (2014)
• Timetable of Death (2015)
• Signal for Vengeance (2016)
• The Circus Train Conspiracy (2017)
• A Christmas Railway Mystery (2017)
• Points of Danger (2019)
• Fear on the Phantom Special (2019)
• Slaughter in the Sapperton Tunnel (2020)
• Tragedy on the Branch Line (2021)
• The Railway Detective's Christmas Case (2022)
• Death at the Terminus (2023)
• Murder in Transit (2024)

Edward Marston: Elizabethan Theater Series

This series stars Nicholas Bracewell, the bookkeeper and structural backbone of a fictional theater company called Westfield's Men. Set in late 16th-century London, these books provide an authentic and lively look at the hardships, politics, and triumphs of early modern English drama.

• The Queen's Head (1988)
• The Merry Devils (1989)
• The Trip to Jerusalem (1990)
• The Nine Giants (1991)
• The Mad Courtesan (1992)
• The Silent Woman (1992)
• The Roaring Boy (1995)
• The Laughing Hangman (1996)
• The Fair Maid of Bohemia (1997)
• The Wanton Angel (1999)
• The Devil's Apprentice (2001)
• The Bawdy Basket (2002)
• The Vagabond Clown (2003)
• The Counterfeit Crank (2004)
• The Malevolent Comedy (2005)
• The Princess of Denmark (2006)

Edward Marston: Domesday Books

Set in the 11th century following the Norman Conquest, this series follows Ralph Delchard (a soldier) and Gervase Bret (a lawyer) as they travel across England resolving land disputes recorded in William the Conqueror's Domesday Book, encountering murder along the way.

• The Wolves of Savernake (1993)
• The Ravens of Blackwater (1994)
• The Dragons of Archenfield (1995)
• The Lions of the North (1996)
• The Serpents of Harbledown (1996)
• The Stallions of Woodstock (1997)
• The Hawks of Delamere (1998)
• The Wildcats of Exeter (1998)
• The Foxes of Warwick (1999)
• The Owls of Gloucester (2000)
• The Elephants of Norwich (2000)

Edward Marston: Home Front Detective

Set during the dark days of World War I, this series features Scotland Yard detectives Inspector Harvey Marmion and Sergeant Joe Keedy as they investigate crimes in a London altered by war, air raids, and shifting social norms.

• A Bespoke Murder (2011)
• An Instrument of Slaughter (2012)
• Five Dead Canaries (2013)
• Deeds of Darkness (2014)
• Dance of Death (2015)
• The Enemy Within (2016)
• Under Attack (2017)
• The Unseen Hand (2019)
• Orders to Kill (2021)
• Danger of Defeat (2023)
• Spring Offensive (2024)

Edward Marston: Christopher Redmayne Series

Set in London during the Restoration period following the Great Fire of 1666, this series teams up Christopher Redmayne, an architect rebuilding the city, with Jonathan Bale, a puritanical constable. Their contrasting worldviews make for a great dynamic.

• The King's Evil (1999)
• The Amorous Nightingale (2000)
• The Repentant Rake (2001)
• The Frost Fair (2003)
• The Parliament House (2006)
• The Painted Lady (2007)

Keith Miles: Alan Saxon Golf Mysteries

Writing under his real name, Keith Miles created a contemporary series featuring Alan Saxon, a professional golfer who frequently gets drawn into dangerous criminal investigations on and off the golf course.

• Bullet Hole (1986)
• Double Eagle (1987)
• Green Murder (1990)
• Bermuda Grass (2002)
• Honolulu Play-Off (2004)
• Flagstick (2012)

Other Niche Series and Standalones

In addition to his primary series, the author has written several smaller series. The Bow Street Rivals series (5 books starting with Shadow of the Hangman in 2015) features twin detectives in Regency London. The Captain Rawson series (5 books starting with Soldier of Fortune in 2008) follows Daniel Rawson, a soldier during the War of the Spanish Succession. Under his real name, Keith Miles also penned the Merlin Richards books (Murder in Perspective in 1997 and Saint's Rest in 1999) featuring a Welsh architect in the United States, as well as the City Hospital series (11 young-adult medical books published in the mid-1990s).

What to Know Before You Start: Continuity and Tone

Regardless of the pen name, all of Keith Miles's books share a light, engaging tone, solid plotting, and rich historical atmosphere. While the individual mysteries in each book are resolved by the final page, reading each series in publication order is highly recommended. The character relationships—especially the romance in the Dillman & Masefield series, and the professional camaraderie in the Railway Detective series—evolve naturally from book to book.