Books On Board

Deryn Lake Books in Order

  • 33 Books
  • 1994 – 2022 Published

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Reading order
5 of 5 reading orders shown

Where to Start Reading Deryn Lake

Deryn Lake (the pseudonym of the late British journalist and novelist Dinah Lampitt) is most famous for her historical crime fiction. If you want the quintessential Deryn Lake experience, your absolute best starting point is Death in the Dark Walk (1994), the debut novel of her long-running John Rawlings series. Reading this book first introduces you to the apothecary detective and the real-life historical figure Sir John Fielding, setting the foundation for the entire series.

However, depending on your preferred genre, there are three distinct paths to choose from:

  • For Historical Mystery Fans: Start with Death in the Dark Walk to follow the 17-novel John Rawlings saga.
  • For Contemporary Cozy Mystery Fans: Start with The Mills of God (2010), the first of the Reverend Nick Lawrence mysteries set in a fictional Sussex village.
  • For Gothic Family Sagas & Historical Romance: Begin with Sutton Place (1983), the opening book of her Tudor-era family trilogy written under her real name, Dinah Lampitt.

The John Rawlings Mysteries in Publication Order

The John Rawlings series blends real 18th-century historical figures, landmark events, and detailed apothecary lore with fictional whodunits. The series progresses chronologically through Rawlings' life, and reading them in publication order is highly recommended to appreciate his personal development, his relationship with his adoptive father, his romance, and his journey into fatherhood with his daughter, Rose.

  1. Death in the Dark Walk (1994) – Rawlings investigates a murder in the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens and meets the blind magistrate Sir John Fielding.
  2. Death at the Beggar's Opera (1995) – A murder occurs during a production of the famous opera, drawing Rawlings into theatrical rivalries.
  3. Death at the Devil's Tavern (1996) – Rawlings finds a body floating near a notorious riverside pub.
  4. Death on the Romney Marsh (1998) – Rawlings travels to Kent to recuperate but stumbles upon smuggling and murder.
  5. Death in the Peerless Pool (1999) – A body is found in a fashionable outdoor swimming bath in London.
  6. Death at Apothecaries' Hall (2000) – Rawlings investigates poisoning inside the headquarters of his own professional guild.
  7. Death in the West Wind (2001) – A mystery set on the rugged coast of Wales.
  8. Death at St. James's Palace (2002) – Rawlings goes behind the scenes of the royal court to solve a high-stakes crime.
  9. Death in the Valley of Shadows (2003) – An investigation that takes Rawlings to the historic city of Bath.
  10. Death in the Setting Sun (2004) – Rawlings travels to Italy, where a mysterious death occurs against a continental backdrop.
  11. Death and the Cornish Fiddler (2006) – Set in Cornwall, featuring local folklore and a puzzling murder.
  12. Death in Hellfire (2007) – Rawlings infiltrates the infamous, scandalous Hellfire Club.
  13. Death and the Black Pyramid (2009) – A mystery surrounding early Egyptology and a peculiar London landmark.
  14. Death at the Wedding Feast (2011) – Tragedy strikes during a family wedding celebration.
  15. Death on the Rocks (2014) – Rawlings visits the seaside town of Brighton and encounters danger on the coast.
  16. Death at the Boston Tea Party (2016) – Rawlings travels across the Atlantic to the American colonies on the eve of the Revolution.
  17. Death on the River Thames (2022) – The final mystery, published posthumously, which brings the apothecary's sleuthing circle complete.

The Reverend Nick Lawrence Mysteries

If you prefer contemporary, village-based cozy mysteries, Lake wrote a brief three-book series featuring a young, progressive vicar named Nick Lawrence who moves to the fictional Sussex village of Lakehurst. Unlike the Georgian-era Rawlings mysteries, these books are set in modern times and follow the traditional 'village cozy' structure.

  1. The Mills of God (2010)
  2. Dead on Cue (2012)
  3. The Moonlit Door (2015)

Sutton Place Trilogy (Written as Dinah Lampitt)

Before launching her detective fiction under the Deryn Lake pen name, Lampitt wrote under her birth name. Her breakout work was the Sutton Place Trilogy, a multi-generational historical saga centering on the real-world Sutton Place manor house in Surrey, tracking the families who lived there under an ancient curse. These should be read in chronological order:

  1. Sutton Place (1983)
  2. The Silver Swan (1984)
  3. Fortune's Soldier (1985)

Standalone Historical Novels

In addition to her series, Lake wrote several standalone historical romances and dramas. Many of these were originally published in the 1980s and 1990s under her birth name but were repackaged and reissued as ebooks under the Deryn Lake name in 2015. They can be read in any order:

  • To Sleep No More (1987 / 2015 reissue) – A timeslip historical romance where three souls are fated to reunite across medieval, 17th-century, and 18th-century England.
  • Pour The Dark Wine (1989 / 2015 reissue) – A dramatic historical novel detailing the rise and fall of the ambitious Seymour family in the court of Henry VIII.
  • The King's Women (1992 / 2015 reissue) – Set during the Hundred Years' War, following the women who influenced King Charles VII of France.
  • As Shadows Haunting (1993 / 2015 reissue) – A historical romance tracking romantic intrigues through different eras.
  • Banishment (1994 / 2015 reissue) – A historical drama focusing on exile and personal redemption.
  • The Prince's Women (2019) – A detailed look at the romantic and family life of Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie), utilizing historical correspondence.

Supernatural Tales: Lovers Lost in Time

In 2017, Lake published six short supernatural romance novellas. She later compiled these stories into a single omnibus collection, Lovers Lost in Time (2018). The individual stories are:

  • The Moonlit Baths (Book 1)
  • The Gemini Syndrome (Book 2)
  • The Wardrobe (Book 3)
  • The Anklets (Book 4)
  • The Staircase (Book 5)
  • The Mermaid's Kiss (Book 6)

What to Know Before You Start

Deryn Lake was known as the 'Queen of the Georgian Murder Mystery' for a reason. Her John Rawlings books are celebrated for their meticulous research. The character of Sir John Fielding, the blind magistrate who assists Rawlings, was a real historical figure who helped found London's first professional police force (the Bow Street Runners). While each mystery in the Rawlings series is self-contained and resolves its central crime, reading them out of order will spoil the major milestones in John's personal life, including his marriage, the tragic loss of his wife, and the growth of his daughter Rose. For the best reading experience, stick to the publication order.

Frequently Asked

Do you need to read the John Rawlings books in order?

Yes, it is highly recommended. While the individual murder mysteries are resolved in each book, the overarching story of John Rawlings' life—including his career as an apothecary, his relationships, and his family—develops chronologically from Death in the Dark Walk through Death on the River Thames.

Who was the real-life inspiration for John Rawlings?

While researching the history of the 19th-century soft drink company H.D. Rawlings, Deryn Lake discovered historical records of a real-life John Rawlings who became a member of the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries in London in 1755, which inspired her to create the character.

Are the Deryn Lake and Dinah Lampitt books written by the same person?

Yes. Dinah Lampitt is the author's real name. She used the pseudonym Deryn Lake for her mystery novels, and many of her older historical romances originally published under her birth name have since been reissued under the Deryn Lake pen name.

What is the Reverend Nick Lawrence series about?

The Reverend Nick Lawrence books are contemporary cozy mysteries featuring a young vicar who solves crimes in the fictional Sussex village of Lakehurst. It is a three-book series starting with The Mills of God.

Was Sir John Fielding a real historical figure?

Yes. Sir John Fielding (known as the 'Blind Beak') was a famous 18th-century magistrate who, despite being blind, co-founded the Bow Street Runners with his half-brother Henry Fielding. He appears as John Rawlings' mentor and ally in the series.