Edward Marston Books in Order

Where to Start Reading Edward Marston

Edward Marston is the pen name of Keith Miles, a prolific Welsh author who has spent decades crafting rich, detailed historical mysteries. Because Marston writes distinct series set in completely different historical eras, you do not need to read his entire bibliography in a single chronological timeline. Instead, the best approach is to pick a historical period that interests you and read that specific series in its publication order.

While individual mystery cases are typically resolved within each book, the personal lives, romantic interests, and career progressions of the recurring characters evolve significantly over time. Starting with the first book of your chosen series is highly recommended to fully appreciate this character development.

The Railway Detective Series (Inspector Robert Colbeck)

Set in the 1850s during the height of the Victorian railway boom, this is Marston's most famous and longest-running series. It follows Detective Inspector Robert Colbeck (dubbed "The Railway Detective" for his expertise) and his sidekick, Sergeant Victor Leeming, as they solve murders, train robberies, and conspiracies across the expanding British railway network.

Recommended Reading Order:

• The Railway Detective (2004)
• The Excursion Train (2005)
• The Railway Viaduct (2006)
• The Iron Horse (2007)
• Murder on the Brighton Express (2007)
• The Silver Locomotive Mystery (2009)
• Railway to the Grave (2010)
• Blood on the Line (2011)
• The Stationmaster's Farewell (2012)
• Peril on the Royal Train (2013)
• A Ticket to Oblivion (2014)
• Timetable of Death (2015)
• Signal for Vengeance (2016)
• The Circus Train Conspiracy (2017)
• A Christmas Railway Mystery (2017)
• Points of Danger (2019)
• Fear on the Phantom Special (2019)
• Slaughter in the Sapperton Tunnel (2020)
• Tragedy on the Branch Line (2021)
• The Railway Detective's Christmas Case (2022)
• Death at the Terminus (2023)
• Murder in Transit (2024)

For fans who want extra short stories featuring Inspector Colbeck, the collection Inspector Colbeck's Casebook (2014) can be read at any point after the first few novels.

The Elizabethan Theater Series (Nicholas Bracewell)

This series transports readers to late 16th-century London, exploring the theatrical world of the Elizabethan era. The books follow Nicholas Bracewell, the resourceful bookkeeper and director for the Westfield’s Men, a theatrical company constantly plagued by rivalry, plague, and murder.

Recommended Reading Order:

• The Queen's Head (1988)
• The Merry Devils (1989)
• The Trip to Jerusalem (1990)
• The Nine Giants (1991)
• The Mad Courtesan (1992)
• The Silent Woman (1992)
• The Roaring Boy (1995)
• The Laughing Hangman (1996)
• The Fair Maid of Bohemia (1997)
• The Wanton Angel (1999)
• The Devil's Apprentice (2001)
• The Bawdy Basket (2002)
• The Vagabond Clown (2003)
• The Counterfeit Crank (2004)
• The Malevolent Comedy (2005)
• The Princess of Denmark (2006)

Note: While some bibliographies index further books in this universe, these 16 novels form the core Elizabethan Theater run in the local database.

The Domesday Books

Set in 1086, shortly after the Norman Conquest, this series follows the unlikely partnership between Ralph Delchard, a Norman soldier, and Gervase Bret, a Saxon lawyer. Together, they travel across England resolving disputes and investigating crimes arising from the compilation of William the Conqueror's Domesday Book.

Recommended Reading Order:

1. The Wolves of Savernake (1993)
2. The Ravens of Blackwater (1994)
3. The Dragons of Archenfield (1995)
4. The Lions of the North (1996)
5. The Serpents Of Harbledown (1996)
6. The Stallions of Woodstock (1997)
7. The Hawks of Delamere (1998)
8. The Wildcats of Exeter (1998)
9. The Foxes of Warwick (1999)
10. The Owls of Gloucester (2000)
11. The Elephants of Norwich (2000)

The Home Front Detective Series

Set in London during the dark days of the First World War, this series follows Detective Inspector Harvey Marmion and Sergeant Joe Keedy as they solve domestic crimes while dealing with Zeppelin raids, wartime rationing, and the changing social landscape of Great Britain.

Recommended Reading Order:

• A Bespoke Murder (2011)
• An Instrument of Slaughter (2012)
• Five Dead Canaries (2013)
• Deeds of Darkness (2014)
• Dance of Death (2015)
• The Enemy Within (2016)
• Under Attack (2017)
• The Unseen Hand (2019)
• Orders to Kill (2021)
• Danger of Defeat (2023)
• Spring Offensive (2024)

Other Historical Mystery Series

Marston has also written several shorter, period-specific series that are highly recommended for fans of historical details:

The Restoration Series (Christopher Redmayne)

Set in the 1660s following the Great Fire of London, this series pairs Christopher Redmayne, a stylish young architect, with Jonathan Bale, a strict Puritan constable.

• The King's Evil (1999)
• The Amorous Nightingale (2000)
• The Repentant Rake (2001)
• The Frost Fair (2003)
• The Parliament House (2006)
• The Painted Lady (2007)

Ocean Liner Mysteries (Dillman & Masefield)

Originally published under the pseudonym Conrad Allen, these Edwardian-era mysteries feature shipboard detectives George Porter Dillman and Genevieve Masefield investigating crimes on luxury cruise ships.

• Murder on the Lusitania (1999)
• Murder on the Mauretania (2000)
• Murder on the Minnesota (2002)
• Murder on the Caronia (2003)
• Murder on the Marmora (2004)
• Murder on the Salsette (2005)
• Murder on the Oceanic (2006)
• Murder on the Celtic (2007)

The Bow Street Rivals

Set in Regency London during the Napoleonic Wars, this series follows identical twins and rival private investigators Peter and Paul Skillen.

• Shadow of the Hangman (2015)
• Steps to the Gallows (2017)
• Date with the Executioner (2017)
• Fugitive from the Grave (2018)
• Rage of the Assassin (2021)

Captain Daniel Rawson Series

A military mystery series set during the War of the Spanish Succession in the early 1700s, featuring soldier of fortune Captain Daniel Rawson.

• Soldier of Fortune (2008)
• Drums of War (2008)
• Fire and Sword (2009)
• Under Siege (2010)
• A Very Murdering Battle (2011)

Alan Saxon Contemporary Golfing Mysteries (Written as Keith Miles)

Before achieving major success under his Edward Marston pseudonym, the author published several series under his real name, Keith Miles. The most famous of these is the contemporary sports mystery series featuring professional golfer Alan Saxon.

• Bullet Hole (1986)
• Double Eagle (1987)
• Green Murder (1990)
• Bermuda Grass (2002)
• Honolulu Play-Off (2004)
• Flagstick (2012)

Other books published under his real name include the Merlin Richards architectural mysteries (starting with Murder in Perspective), the Sin Bin sports series, and the Action Scene novels.

What to Know Before You Start

Edward Marston's books are highly celebrated for their meticulous historical research, drawing on his background studying Modern History at Oxford. Rather than dumping raw facts onto the page, he seamlessly blends the social hierarchies, slang, and transport details of each era directly into the plots. If you enjoy cozy historical mysteries with strong partnerships, clean prose, and a dash of dry humor, any of his main series will be an excellent fit.