E.C.R. Lorac Books in Order

Where to Start with E.C.R. Lorac

Edith Caroline Rivett (writing as E.C.R. Lorac and Carol Carnac) was one of the most prolific and atmospheric writers of the Golden Age of detective fiction. With over 70 novels to her name, diving into her work can seem daunting. Fortunately, almost all of her novels function as standalones, meaning you do not need to read them in strict publication order to follow the plots.

If you are looking for the absolute best starting points, we recommend beginning with her most celebrated novels reissued by the British Library Crime Classics series. These books are widely available and show off her signature style—rich atmospheres, fair-play puzzles, and a strong sense of place:

• Bats in the Belfry (1937): A brilliant London-based mystery involving a missing novelist, a headless corpse, and a gothic studio setting. It is the perfect introduction to her primary detective, Robert Macdonald.
• Murder by Matchlight (1945): Set during the dark, tense nights of wartime London's blackout. It showcases Lorac's ability to turn real-world history and atmosphere into a key element of the puzzle.
• Fell Murder (1944): If you prefer rural mysteries, this story set in the stark, beautiful hills of Lancashire highlights Lorac's deep connection to the English countryside and regional farm life.

Chief Inspector Robert Macdonald Reading Order

Chief Inspector Robert Macdonald is Lorac's primary series sleuth, appearing in 46 novels between 1931 and 1960, along with a couple of posthumous releases. Macdonald is a quiet, intellectual Scotland Yard detective of Scottish descent who loves long walks in the countryside and tackles crimes with cool-headed logic. He is frequently assisted by Detective Inspector Reeves.

While the books are episodic, reading them in publication order allows you to appreciate the shifting social landscape of mid-century Britain—from the pre-war 1930s, through the dark years of World War II, and into the rebuilding era of the 1950s. Notably, two novels were published decades after her death from recovered manuscripts: The Devil and the C.I.D. (2012) and Death Came Softly (2021).

Here is the full list of Robert Macdonald books in order of publication:

1. The Murder on the Burrows (1931)
2. The Affair on Thor's Head (1932)
3. The Greenwell Mystery (1932)
4. Death On The Oxford Road (1933)
5. The Case of Colonel Marchand (1933)
6. Murder in St. John's Wood (1934)
7. Murder in Chelsea (1934)
8. The Organ Speaks (1935)
9. Post After Post-Mortem (1936)
10. A Pall for a Painter (1936)
11. Crime Counter Crime (1936)
12. These Names Make Clues (1937)
13. Bats in the Belfry (1937)
14. Slippery Staircase (1938)
15. Black Beadle (1939)
16. John Brown's Body (1939)
17. Tryst for a Tragedy (1940)
18. Death at Dyke's Corner (1940)
19. Case in the Clinic (1941)
20. Rope's End, Rogue's End (1942)
21. The Sixteenth Stair (1942)
22. Checkmate to Murder (1944)
23. Fell Murder (1944)
24. Murder by Matchlight (1945)
25. Fire in the Thatch (1946)
26. Relative to Poison (1947)
27. Part for a Poisoner (1948)
28. Death Before Dinner (1948)
29. Policemen in the Precinct (1949)
30. Still Waters (1949)
31. Accident by Design (1951)
32. Murder of a Martinet (1951)
33. Murder in the Mill-Race (1952)
34. The Dog It Was That Died (1952)
35. Crook O'Lune (1953)
36. Let Well Alone (1954)
37. Shroud of Darkness (1954)
38. Ask A Policeman (1955)
39. Murder in Vienna (1956)
40. Picture of Death (1957)
41. Dangerous Domicile (1957)
42. Murder On a Monument (1958)
43. The Last Escape / Dishonour Among Thieves (1959)
44. The Theft of the Iron Dogs (1960)
45. The Devil and the C.I.D. (2012)
46. Death Came Softly (2021)

Writing as Carol Carnac: Ryvet and Rivers

In addition to her E.C.R. Lorac books, Edith Caroline Rivett wrote extensively under the pseudonym Carol Carnac. Under this pen name, she developed two other key series:

Inspector Ryvet Books

Inspector Ryvet's name was a playful, thin disguise for Rivett's own surname. This short series runs for six books and captures the classic pre-war puzzle style:

1. Triple Death (1936)
2. The Missing Rope (1937)
3. Murder at Mornington (1937)
4. The Case of the First-Class Carriage (1939)
5. When the Devil Was Sick (1939)
6. Death in the Diving Pool (1940)

Chief Inspector Julian Rivers Books

Following the Ryvet series, she introduced Chief Inspector Julian Rivers. Rivers' cases are written with the same keen eye for location and detail as her Macdonald books, ranging from snowy alpine adventures to quiet English villages:

1. A Double for Detection (1945)
2. The Striped Suitcase (1946)
3. Clue Sinister (1947)
4. Over the Garden Wall (1948)
5. Copy for Crime (1950)
6. Upstairs, downstairs (1950)
7. Crossed Skis (1952)
8. Murder As a Fine Art (1953)
9. A Policeman At the Door (1953)
10. Impact of Evidence (1954)
11. Murder Among Members (1955)
12. Rigging the Evidence (1955)
13. The Double Turn (1956)
14. Long Shadows (1958)

Standalone Novels and Lost Manuscripts

If you want to step away from recurring detectives, Lorac has a handful of standalone novels. The most famous of these is Two-Way Murder. Written late in her career but left unpublished during her lifetime, the manuscript was discovered in her archives and finally published in 2021 as part of the British Library Crime Classics series. It is a brilliant, suspenseful mystery set on the English coast during a stormy night.

Other standalone novels include The Burning Question (1957) and Death of a Lady Killer (1959), both published under her Carol Carnac pseudonym, and Death in Triplicate (1958) under the E.C.R. Lorac name.

The British Library Crime Classics Renaissance

For many years, Edith Caroline Rivett's books were highly sought-after collector's items, with first editions fetching thousands of pounds. This changed when the British Library began reissuing her books, bringing her atmospheric stories back to print. If you are collecting the physical editions, keep an eye out for titles like Crossed Skis, Murder in the Mill-Race, and Checkmate to Murder, which highlight her mastery of the Golden Age detective formula.