Dorothy Dunnett Books in Order

How to Read Dorothy Dunnett: The Recommended Path

If you are ready to embark on a journey through Dorothy Dunnett’s sprawling, intricate historical worlds, the biggest question you will face is where to begin. Dunnett’s two masterpiece series—The Lymond Chronicles and The House of Niccolò—are deeply connected, but they were written decades apart and are set in different centuries.

While The House of Niccolò is a prequel set in the 15th century and The Lymond Chronicles is set in the 16th century, the strongest recommendation from both the author and her passionate fanbase is to read them in publication order. This means you should start with The Lymond Chronicles (beginning with The Game of Kings) and then move on to The House of Niccolò (starting with Niccolò Rising).

Why read the prequel second? There are several compelling reasons for this approach:

• Style and Accessibility: Dunnett’s writing style is notoriously complex, filled with multilingual phrases, historical allusions, and multi-layered plotting. Starting with The Game of Kings introduces you to this style in its original, brilliant form.
• Ancestral Connections and Spoilers: The House of Niccolò traces the lineage of the family that eventually produces Francis Crawford of Lymond. Reading the prequel series first will reveal family secrets, ancestral origins, and plot connections that act as major spoilers for the mystery surrounding Lymond’s heritage. The final book of the prequel series, Gemini, acts as the ultimate bridge that ties both series together, and its impact is far greater if you already know Lymond's story.
• Thematic Echoes: Dunnett wrote the prequel series with the expectation that readers were already familiar with the Lymond universe. The structural and thematic parallels are much richer when read in the order she created them.

The Lymond Chronicles

Set during the mid-16th century (1547–1558), this six-volume saga follows the charismatic, brilliant, and deeply flawed Scottish nobleman Francis Crawford of Lymond. Accused of treason, Lymond must navigate the deadly political waters of Regency Scotland, France, the Mediterranean, Russia, and the Ottoman Empire to clear his name and protect his homeland.

The series should be read strictly in publication order:

1. The Game of Kings (1961) – Set in 1547. Lymond returns to Scotland in disguise, branded an outlaw and rebel.
2. Queens' Play (1964) – Set in 1550. Lymond travels to the French court to protect the young Mary, Queen of Scots.
3. The Disorderly Knights (1966) – Set in 1551. The action shifts to Malta and the conflict involving the Knights of St. John.
4. Pawn in Frankincense (1969) – Set in 1552. A tense chase across the Mediterranean culminates in a legendary, high-stakes game of chess in Constantinople.
5. The Ringed Castle (1971) – Set in 1553. Lymond journeys to the court of Ivan the Terrible in Russia to command the Tsar's army.
6. Checkmate (1975) – Set in 1557. The thrilling finale brings the saga back to France and Scotland, resolving Lymond's complex family relationships and personal destiny.

The House of Niccolò

Written between 1986 and 2000, this eight-volume prequel series moves back to the 15th century (1460–1483). It follows Nicholas de Fleury (originally known as Claes), a seemingly simple dyer's apprentice in Bruges who uses his extraordinary mathematical mind and strategic genius to rise through the ranks of the European merchant banking system. His adventures span the globe, from Venice and Iceland to Cyprus, West Africa, and the Silk Road.

Read the series in this order:

1. Niccolò Rising (1986) – The introduction to Claes in Bruges as he begins his meteoric rise.
2. The Spring of the Ram (1987) – Nicholas travels to Trebizond on the Black Sea during the fall of the Byzantine Empire.
3. Race of Scorpions (1990) – A struggle for power and business control in Cyprus.
4. Scales of Gold (1991) – Nicholas leads an expedition to the trade routes of West Africa.
5. The Unicorn Hunt (1993) – Nicholas’s personal and business conflicts take him to Scotland and the Sinai Desert.
6. To Lie with Lions (1995) – High-stakes mercantile warfare between Scotland and Flanders.
7. Caprice and Rondo (1997) – Nicholas operates in Danzig and Eastern Europe after a devastating personal betrayal.
8. Gemini (2000) – The final volume that ties the fate of Nicholas to the future lineage of the Crawford family.

The Johnson Johnson Mystery Series (Dolly Books)

If you want a change of pace from epic historical sagas, Dunnett also wrote a series of contemporary espionage mysteries. These books feature Johnson Johnson, a widowed portrait painter and British intelligence agent who sails the world on his yacht, the Dolly.

Each book is narrated by a different young woman who gets caught up in a mystery, and each begins with a description of Johnson’s bifocals. The publishing history of this series is notoriously complex because the books were retitled multiple times. In 2012, House of Stratus reissued several books, and more recently, Farrago Books standardized the titles. Below is the list based on the local database's publication and chronological orders.

Publication Order of the Johnson Johnson Books

• Dolly and the Singing Bird (1968) – Also published as Rum Affair.
• Dolly and the Cookie Bird (1970) – Also published as Ibiza Surprise.
• Dolly and the Doctor Bird (1971) – Also published as Operation Nassau.
• Dolly and the Starry Bird (1973) – Also published as Roman Nights.
• Dolly and the Nanny Bird (1976) – Also published as Split Code.
• Dolly and the Bird of Paradise (1983) – Also published as Tropical Issue.
• Moroccan Traffic (1991) – Originally published in the UK as Send a Fax to the Kasbah.

Chronological Order of the Johnson Johnson Books

If you prefer to follow the timeline of Johnson Johnson's life rather than the order the books were written, use this chronological reading path:

1. Dolly and the Nanny Bird (1976)
2. Moroccan Traffic (1991)
3. Dolly and the Singing Bird (1968)
4. Dolly and the Cookie Bird (1970)
5. Dolly and the Doctor Bird (1971)
6. Dolly and the Starry Bird (1973)
7. Dolly and the Bird of Paradise (1983)

Standalone Novels and Non-Fiction

For readers who want to experience Dunnett’s work outside of her multi-book series, she produced several notable standalone and non-fiction titles:

• King Hereafter (1982) – This massive, meticulously researched historical novel is Dunnett's reimagining of the life of Macbeth. She presents the bold historical hypothesis that Macbeth and Thorfinn, Earl of Orkney, were actually the same person. It is widely considered one of her finest achievements.
• The Scottish Highlands (1988) – A non-fiction travelogue exploring the history and beauty of Scotland, co-authored by Dunnett, her husband Sir Alastair Dunnett, and photographer David Paterson.
• The Miraculous Mirror (2012) – A posthumously published non-fiction essay focusing on history and cultural themes.

What to Know Before You Start

Reading Dorothy Dunnett is a unique literary challenge. She does not hold your hand; she drops you directly into the action, expecting you to keep up with intricate political negotiations, historical figures, and obscure literary quotes. Many new readers feel lost in the opening chapters of The Game of Kings or Niccolò Rising. The best advice is to keep reading—the pieces will fall into place, and the payoff is immense.

If you find yourself struggling, you can consult companion guides like The Dorothy Dunnett Companion by Elspeth Morrison, which provides translations of foreign quotes and historical context. The Dorothy Dunnett Society is also a fantastic resource for readers looking to discuss the books and clarify complex plot points.