Dinah Lampitt Books in Order

Where to Start with Dinah Lampitt and Deryn Lake

British novelist Dinah Lampitt achieved initial acclaim writing sweeping historical family sagas and romance novels under her own name, many of which feature supernatural components like time-slip elements, ghostly visitations, and multi-generational curses. Later in her career, she adopted the pen name Deryn Lake to write historical and contemporary mystery series, most notably the John Rawlings Georgian mystery series.

If you want to experience the best of her historical fiction, begin with the Sutton Place Trilogy (published under her real name). This series is her signature work of historical drama, tracing a family curse across several centuries of English history. If you prefer detective mysteries with a rich historical backdrop, your best starting point is Death in the Dark Walk, the first book in the John Rawlings series written under her Deryn Lake pseudonym.

The Sutton Place Trilogy

The Sutton Place books blend meticulous historical research with eerie, supernatural themes. The premise revolves around a curse cast in 1051 by Queen Edith, which haunts the heirs of the real-world Tudor manor of Sutton Place in Surrey, England, across successive generations. The trilogy must be read in publication order to appreciate the chronological flow of the estate's history and the curse's grip on the characters.

• Sutton Place (1983): Explores the early history of the estate, focusing on Francis Weston and his tragic connection to Queen Anne Boleyn.
• The Silver Swan (1984): Moves forward to the Elizabethan era, tracing the fortunes and struggles of the estate's heirs.
• Fortune’s Soldier (1985): Follows the family's legacy through the 18th century, showing how the original curse continues to impact the family during the Georgian era.

The John Rawlings Georgian Mystery Series

Writing as Deryn Lake, the author launched a highly successful historical mystery series featuring John Rawlings, a real-life historical figure reimagined as an apothecary-turned-sleuth in 18th-century London. Rawlings is a colorful protagonist who moves easily between the high-society drawing rooms of Georgian England and the gritty underbelly of London's slums. To properly follow John's personal life, his romance arcs, and his evolution as a detective, it is highly recommended to read this series in order of publication.

1. Death in the Dark Walk (1994)
2. Death at the Beggar's Opera (1995)
3. Death at the Devil's Tavern (1996)
4. Death on the Romney Marsh (1998)
5. Death in the Peerless Pool (1999)
6. Death at Apothecaries' Hall (2000)
7. Death in the West Wind (2001)
8. Death at St. James's Palace (2002)
9. Death in the Valley of Shadows (2003)
10. Death in the Setting Sun (2004)
11. Death and the Cornish Fiddler (2006)
12. Death in Hellfire (2007)
13. Death and the Black Pyramid (2009)
14. Death at the Wedding Feast (2011)
15. Death on the Rocks (2014)
16. Death at the Boston Tea Party (2016)
17. Death on the River Thames (2022)

The Reverend Nick Lawrence Mysteries

In addition to historical sleuthing, the author penned a contemporary cozy mystery trilogy featuring Reverend Nick Lawrence, a young and attractive Anglican vicar who relocates to the quiet, eccentric Sussex village of Lakehurst. Alongside Detective Inspector Dominic Tennant, Nick finds himself solving local murders. This series should be read in order of publication to follow the relationships and ongoing character development.

• The Mills of God (2010): Introduces Reverend Nick Lawrence as he arrives in Lakehurst and must help stop a serial killer who leaves cryptic religious messages.
• Dead on Cue (2012): The peace of the parish is shattered again during an amateur dramatics production that ends in murder.
• The Moonlit Door (2015): The final mystery in the trilogy, involving dark secrets and local scandals.

Standalone Historical Novels

Beyond her series, Lampitt wrote several standalone historical novels. Many of these standalones focus on real historical figures, such as Jane Seymour or the Prince Regent (later George IV), and weave fictional characters into documented events. Because they are self-contained stories, they can be read in any order. Many of these books were originally published under the name Dinah Lampitt and subsequently reissued under the Deryn Lake pseudonym.

• To Sleep No More (1987): A time-spanning novel focusing on reincarnation and historical secrets.
• Pour the Dark Wine (1989): Reimagines the rise and fall of the Seymour family in Tudor England, centering on the charisma of Jane and Thomas Seymour.
• The King’s Women (1992): Focuses on the court of King Henry VIII and the women who surrounded him.
• As Shadows Haunting (1993): A haunting historical story blending romance and time-slip mystery.
• Banishment (1994): A sweeping romance set against historical struggles.
• The Prince’s Women (2019): Focuses on the romantic entanglements and courtly intrigues surrounding the Prince Regent.

Short Stories and Novellas

The author has also written six short stories that blend historical romance with supernatural elements. These stories were initially published as individual e-novellas in 2017 and later compiled into a single omnibus collection. Because they are independent tales of romance defying time, they can be read in any order.

• Lovers Lost in Time: A Collection of Novellas (2018): The complete compilation containing the following six short works:
  • The Moonlit Baths (set in Georgian Bath, featuring a Roman soldier)
  • The Gemini Syndrome
  • The Wardrobe
  • The Anklets (set at an archaeological dig in Knidos, Turkey)
  • The Staircase
  • The Mermaid's Kiss

What to Know Before You Start

When diving into Dinah Lampitt's bibliography, keep in mind that she frequently weaves supernatural elements into traditional historical fiction. If you are expecting purely factual accounts, be prepared for ghosts, premonitions, and reincarnation themes, particularly in her standalone novels and the Sutton Place series. However, her historical detail is highly accurate; the author spent decades researching British history, newsrooms, and archival materials. Furthermore, when purchasing physical or digital copies, do not be confused if the same novel lists Dinah Lampitt on one edition and Deryn Lake on another; they are the same author, and the publisher re-released her early catalog under her mystery pseudonym to align her works under a single brand.