Deanna Raybourn Books in Order

Where to Start with Deanna Raybourn

Deanna Raybourn is celebrated for her brilliant historical mysteries filled with whip-smart dialogue, rich settings, and fiercely independent protagonists. If you are new to her work, you have three excellent entry points depending on your tastes:

• For Victorian Mystery with a Romantic Slow-Burn: Start with Silent in the Grave, the first book in the Lady Julia Grey series. This is Raybourn's breakout work, focusing on a wealthy widow and a brooding private inquiry agent.
• For High-Octane Victorian Adventure: Start with A Curious Beginning, which introduces Veronica Speedwell, a bohemian butterfly hunter who travels the world solving crimes with her grumpy natural-historian partner, Stoker.
• For Modern Assassin Thrillers: Start with Killers of a Certain Age, a contemporary action-mystery about four retired female assassins who must protect themselves from their own former employers.

The Veronica Speedwell Mysteries

This historical adventure series is best read in strict publication order. The mysteries themselves are self-contained, but the overarching romance and deep personal secrets of the protagonists, Veronica and Stoker, develop gradually from book to book.

Of note for long-time fans, Book 10 (A Ghastly Catastrophe) features a major crossover, bringing in Lady Julia and Nicholas Brisbane from Raybourn's original mystery series to assist Veronica and Stoker.

Veronica Speedwell Books in Reading Order

1. A Curious Beginning (2015)
2. A Perilous Undertaking (2017)
3. A Treacherous Curse (2018)
4. A Dangerous Collaboration (2019)
5. A Murderous Relation (2020)
6. An Unexpected Peril (2021)
7. An Impossible Impostor (2022)
8. A Sinister Revenge (2023)
9. A Grave Robbery (2024)
10. A Ghastly Catastrophe (2026)

The Lady Julia Grey Mysteries

This series, set in late Victorian London and various exotic locations, features Lady Julia Grey and private detective Nicholas Brisbane. Unlike the Veronica Speedwell series, the publication order of Lady Julia Grey does not match the chronological sequence because Raybourn published several holiday-themed novellas later in the series run that fit earlier in the timeline. Reading chronologically is highly recommended to follow the natural development of Julia and Brisbane's relationship.

For convenience, the four key novellas (Silent Night, Midsummer Night, Twelfth Night, and Bonfire Night) are collected in the anthology A Mysterious Season (2020).

Lady Julia Grey Chronological Reading Order

1. Silent in the Grave (2006)
2. Silent in the Sanctuary (2007)
3. Silent on the Moor (2009)
4. Midsummer Night (2013) – Novella (set between books 3 and 4)
5. Dark Road to Darjeeling (2010)
6. The Dark Enquiry (2011)
7. Silent Night (2012) – Novella (set after book 5)
8. Twelfth Night (2014) – Novella (set after Silent Night)
9. Bonfire Night (2014) – Novella (set after Twelfth Night)

The Killers Series

Departing from her usual Victorian settings, Raybourn launched a contemporary thriller series featuring four retired female assassins who have spent forty years working for a shadowy organization called the Museum. This series must be read in order of release.

1. Killers of a Certain Age (2022)
2. Kills Well with Others (2025/2026)

Historical Adventure Duologies & Standalones

Raybourn has also penned standalone historical fiction novels set in the early 20th century. Two of these projects are companion duologies that pair a prequel novella with a main novel.

The City of Jasmine Duology

1. Whisper of Jasmine (2013/2014) – Prequel novella set in 1914
2. City of Jasmine (2013/2014) – Full novel set in 1920s Damascus

The Spear of Summer Grass Duology

1. Far in the Wilds (2013) – Prequel novella set in 1918
2. A Spear of Summer Grass (2013) – Full novel set in 1920s Kenya

Standalone Novels

• The Dead Travel Fast (2010) – A gothic Victorian melodrama set in Transylvania.
• Night of a Thousand Stars (2014) – An adventure set in 1920s Damascus.

What to Know Before You Start

While the standalone novels and duologies can be read at any time, the main series reward sequential reading. The transition from Lady Julia Grey to Veronica Speedwell showcases Raybourn's evolution as a writer, shifting from a slightly more traditional gothic tone to an action-adventure steampunk-adjacent vibe. The 2026 crossover in A Ghastly Catastrophe is a satisfying treat for readers who have finished both Victorian series.