Martha Grimes Books in Order: Richard Jury Mysteries, Emma Graham & More

Martha Grimes is best known for her atmospheric mystery novels featuring Scotland Yard Superintendent Richard Jury, an intelligent and understated detective whose investigations take readers through picturesque English villages, country estates, pubs, and occasionally far beyond Britain.

But the Richard Jury series isn’t the whole of Grimes’s bibliography. She has also written the Emma Graham series, the Andi Olivier books, standalone novels, short fiction, poetry, and memoir.

That makes a single chronological list of every Martha Grimes book less useful than a series-by-series reading order.

If you’re primarily interested in her famous British-style mysteries, start with the Richard Jury novels. The books are connected through recurring characters—including Melrose Plant, Wiggins, Brian Macalvie, and Richard Jury himself—so publication order is the best way to experience the series.

Richard Jury Books in Order

The Richard Jury series is Martha Grimes’s signature mystery series. The novels combine traditional British detective fiction with dark humor, eccentric characters, atmospheric settings, and intricate murder investigations.

The official author site currently lists The Red Queen as the latest Richard Jury novel, while Simon & Schuster identifies it as the 26th novel in the series.

1. The Man with a Load of Mischief (1981)

The Man with a Load of Mischief introduces Scotland Yard Superintendent Richard Jury and the eccentric world that surrounds him. Two murders in the village of Long Piddleton draw Jury into a case involving an English pub, local secrets, and a cast of memorable characters.

Publication Year: 1981
Reading Position: Richard Jury #1
Key Themes: Murder, village mystery, Scotland Yard, English pubs, eccentric characters

2. The Old Fox Deceiv’d (1982)

Jury investigates a murder in the village of Rackmoor, where an apparently respectable community conceals complicated relationships and old tensions. The investigation deepens Jury’s connection with Melrose Plant and the eccentric characters who become recurring figures throughout the series.

Publication Year: 1982
Reading Position: Richard Jury #2
Key Themes: Murder, village secrets, relationships, Scotland Yard, deception

3. The Anodyne Necklace (1983)

A stolen necklace and a brutal murder bring Richard Jury back to Long Piddleton. The case mixes valuable jewelry, family complications, village gossip, and a crime that proves considerably more complicated than it first appears.

Publication Year: 1983
Reading Position: Richard Jury #3
Key Themes: Jewelry, murder, family secrets, village life, investigation

4. The Dirty Duck (1984)

Jury investigates a murder connected to a pub called The Dirty Duck. As he works through conflicting stories and suspicious relationships, the investigation reveals the darker side of a seemingly ordinary English community.

Publication Year: 1984
Reading Position: Richard Jury #4
Key Themes: Pub mystery, murder, deception, village life, crime

5. The Jerusalem Inn (1984)

Set during the Christmas season, The Jerusalem Inn places Jury in a snowbound English setting filled with suspicious guests, romantic complications, and an inevitable murder. The isolated atmosphere gives this mystery a particularly classic English whodunit feel.

Publication Year: 1984
Reading Position: Richard Jury #5
Key Themes: Christmas mystery, murder, isolation, romance, English country house

6. Help the Poor Struggler (1985)

Three children are murdered around bleak Dartmoor, bringing Jury together with local policeman Brian Macalvie. The investigation reaches an isolated estate and uncovers connections between an old injustice and a new series of killings.

Publication Year: 1985
Reading Position: Richard Jury #6
Key Themes: Child murder, Dartmoor, old crimes, injustice, Scotland Yard

7. The Deer Leap (1985)

Jury is drawn into another murder investigation involving the English countryside and a community where personal relationships conceal dangerous secrets. The case continues Grimes’s distinctive blend of traditional mystery plotting and character-driven storytelling.

Publication Year: 1985
Reading Position: Richard Jury #7
Key Themes: Murder, countryside, secrets, relationships, investigation

8. I Am the Only Running Footman (1986)

Two murders separated by almost a year appear to be connected, leading Jury and Brian Macalvie into the so-called Porphyria killings. The investigation stretches between London and the countryside as Jury, Wiggins, Macalvie, and Melrose Plant work through a labyrinth of clues.

Publication Year: 1986
Reading Position: Richard Jury #8
Key Themes: Serial murder, London, Devon, Scotland Yard, investigation

9. The Five Bells and Bladebone (1987)

Jury investigates another complex murder while Melrose Plant and the familiar cast of eccentric characters add their own complications to the case. The novel further establishes the unusual mixture of British mystery tradition and dark humor that defines the series.

Publication Year: 1987
Reading Position: Richard Jury #9
Key Themes: Murder, village mystery, friendship, eccentric characters, deception

10. The Old Silent (1989)

A new investigation brings Jury into another carefully constructed English mystery involving murder, relationships, and hidden motives. The novel continues the series’ increasingly developed cast while maintaining its classic country-house atmosphere.

Publication Year: 1989
Reading Position: Richard Jury #10
Key Themes: Murder, family, secrets, English mystery, relationships

11. The Old Contemptibles (1991)

Jury becomes involved in a murder investigation that combines a contemporary crime with complicated personal histories. The novel gives additional attention to the emotional lives of Grimes’s recurring characters while maintaining the series’ intricate mystery structure.

Publication Year: 1991
Reading Position: Richard Jury #11
Key Themes: Murder, family drama, secrets, friendship, investigation

12. The Horse You Came In On (1993)

Jury travels to Baltimore, Maryland, after a murder summons him across the Atlantic. Joined by Melrose Plant and Wiggins, he investigates a crime connected to a distinctive tavern called The Horse You Came In On.

Publication Year: 1993
Reading Position: Richard Jury #12
Key Themes: Baltimore, murder, travel, pubs, international investigation

13. Rainbow’s End (1995)

Jury’s investigation takes him from England to Santa Fe, New Mexico, as another case expands beyond its apparent boundaries. The American setting gives the familiar Richard Jury formula a different atmosphere while keeping the recurring characters at its center.

Publication Year: 1995
Reading Position: Richard Jury #13
Key Themes: Santa Fe, murder, travel, investigation, friendship

14. The Case Has Altered (1997)

Jury returns to England to investigate another murder while Melrose Plant and the series’ eccentric supporting cast become involved. The novel combines a traditional mystery with Grimes’s characteristic attention to character and atmosphere.

Publication Year: 1997
Reading Position: Richard Jury #14
Key Themes: Murder, England, friendship, secrets, village mystery

15. The Stargazey (1998)

The Stargazey sends Jury into another atmospheric English investigation involving murder and a collection of suspicious characters. The novel continues the increasingly personal relationships among Jury, Melrose Plant, Wiggins, and the wider cast.

Publication Year: 1998
Reading Position: Richard Jury #15
Key Themes: Murder, English villages, friendship, secrets, investigation

16. The Lamorna Wink (1999)

Jury investigates a murder in Cornwall after a disappearance and suspicious death expose complicated relationships within the community. The Cornish setting provides another richly atmospheric backdrop for Grimes’s intricate mystery plotting.

Publication Year: 1999
Reading Position: Richard Jury #16
Key Themes: Cornwall, murder, disappearance, secrets, village life

17. The Blue Last (2001)

Jury investigates a murder that leaves his future uncertain and places him in considerable danger. The novel became a major bestseller and generated strong reactions from readers concerned about Jury’s fate.

Publication Year: 2001
Reading Position: Richard Jury #17
Key Themes: Murder, danger, Scotland Yard, friendship, suspense

18. The Grave Maurice (2002)

Jury becomes involved in the world of horse breeding and racing after a corpse is discovered at a training farm. Meanwhile, a woman in hiding is trying to save horses from a dangerous operation, creating a mystery that mixes crime, money, and animal welfare.

Publication Year: 2002
Reading Position: Richard Jury #18
Key Themes: Horse racing, murder, animal welfare, money, investigation

19. The Winds of Change (2004)

Jury faces another complicated murder investigation as the familiar world of English villages and eccentric characters once again conceals unexpected motives. The novel continues the long-running personal and professional story surrounding Jury and his circle.

Publication Year: 2004
Reading Position: Richard Jury #19
Key Themes: Murder, relationships, change, secrets, investigation

20. The Old Wine Shades (2006)

Jury investigates a mysterious case involving a woman who appears to have vanished without explanation. The investigation leads him through London and the English countryside while Melrose Plant and the series’ recurring characters provide their usual complications.

Publication Year: 2006
Reading Position: Richard Jury #20
Key Themes: Disappearance, murder, London, friendship, mystery

21. Dust (2007)

A murder investigation takes Jury into a case involving the mysterious death of a young woman and the secrets surrounding those closest to her. As Jury follows the evidence, the distinction between coincidence and carefully concealed motive becomes increasingly important.

Publication Year: 2007
Reading Position: Richard Jury #21
Key Themes: Murder, secrets, relationships, deception, investigation

22. The Black Cat (2010)

Jury investigates the murder of a young woman found behind a village pub. The victim’s identity proves unexpectedly complicated, and the only apparent witness is the pub’s enigmatic black cat.

Publication Year: 2010
Reading Position: Richard Jury #22
Key Themes: Murder, identity, village mystery, London, deception

23. Vertigo 42 (2014)

Jury is asked to revisit a seventeen-year-old death that may have been murder. When another mysterious death occurs, past and present cases begin to intersect, creating one of Jury’s more challenging investigations and a story with Hitchcockian overtones.

Publication Year: 2014
Reading Position: Richard Jury #23
Key Themes: Cold case, murder, memory, London, Hitchcockian suspense

24. The Knowledge (2018)

A criminal escapes from London after a violent crime, while Jury recognizes one of the victims and begins pursuing the case. The investigation eventually stretches from London to Nairobi and Nevada, with Melrose Plant and the familiar cast joining the search.

Publication Year: 2018
Reading Position: Richard Jury #24
Key Themes: International crime, murder, London, Africa, investigation

25. The Old Success (2019)

When a French woman’s body washes ashore in the Scilly Islands, Brian Macalvie investigates while Jury becomes involved in a separate case nearby. As more murders occur, Jury, Macalvie, and retired detective Tom Brownell begin looking for connections between the seemingly unrelated crimes.

Publication Year: 2019
Reading Position: Richard Jury #25
Key Themes: Murder, Scilly Islands, Cornwall, cold cases, detectives

26. The Red Queen (2025)

In The Red Queen, businessman Tom Treadnor is shot inside the Queen Pub, but almost everything about his life seems open to conflicting interpretations. Jury investigates while Wiggins pursues a deeply personal family matter involving his long-lost sister, giving the latest mystery both a crime plot and a strong character thread.

Publication Year: 2025
Reading Position: Richard Jury #26
Key Themes: Murder, family secrets, identity, deception, Scotland Yard

Richard Jury Books in Simple Reading Order

If you only want the main Martha Grimes mystery series, this is the sequence to save:

1. The Man with a Load of Mischief — 1981
2. The Old Fox Deceiv’d — 1982
3. The Anodyne Necklace — 1983
4. The Dirty Duck — 1984
5. The Jerusalem Inn — 1984
6. Help the Poor Struggler — 1985
7. The Deer Leap — 1985
8. I Am the Only Running Footman — 1986
9. The Five Bells and Bladebone — 1987
10. The Old Silent — 1989
11. The Old Contemptibles — 1991
12. The Horse You Came In On — 1993
13. Rainbow’s End — 1995
14. The Case Has Altered — 1997
15. The Stargazey — 1998
16. The Lamorna Wink — 1999
17. The Blue Last — 2001
18. The Grave Maurice — 2002
19. The Winds of Change — 2004
20. The Old Wine Shades — 2006
21. Dust — 2007
22. The Black Cat — 2010
23. Vertigo 42 — 2014
24. The Knowledge — 2018
25. The Old Success — 2019
26. The Red Queen — 2025

The official Martha Grimes bibliography confirms the titles and publication sequence, while Simon & Schuster identifies The Red Queen as the 26th Richard Jury novel.

Emma Graham Books in Order

Martha Grimes’s Emma Graham series is quite different from Richard Jury. Instead of following a Scotland Yard detective, these novels center on Emma Graham, a young girl whose observations lead her into mysteries involving adults, family secrets, and events in her community.

1. Hotel Paradise (1996)

Hotel Paradise introduces twelve-year-old Emma Graham, who lives in a small Maryland town and becomes fascinated by the mysterious death of a young girl decades earlier. Emma’s curiosity gradually turns into an investigation of her own.

Publication Year: 1996
Reading Position: Emma Graham #1
Key Themes: Childhood, mystery, memory, small-town secrets

2. Cold Flat Junction (2000)

Emma continues investigating the mysteries surrounding her community while becoming increasingly aware of the complicated adult world around her. The novel deepens the themes of memory, family, secrets, and the ways children interpret events that adults try to hide.

Publication Year: 2000
Reading Position: Emma Graham #2
Key Themes: Family, childhood, secrets, murder, memory

3. Belle Ruin (2005)

Belle Ruin continues Emma’s story as her fascination with mysteries leads her into another complicated situation. The novel expands the emotional and historical layers of the series while retaining Emma’s distinctive perspective.

Publication Year: 2005
Reading Position: Emma Graham #3
Key Themes: Mystery, childhood, family, secrets, identity

4. Fadeaway Girl (2011)

Fadeaway Girl continues Emma’s search for answers as she encounters another mystery involving the past and the people around her. Emma’s curiosity once again reveals secrets that adults would rather leave undisturbed.

Publication Year: 2011
Reading Position: Emma Graham #4
Key Themes: Mystery, adolescence, secrets, memory, family

The four Emma Graham novels are listed together on Grimes’s official bibliography.

Andi Olivier Books in Order

The Andi Olivier books form a much smaller series centered on teenage characters and issues involving animal welfare.

1. Biting the Moon (1999)

Biting the Moon follows teenage heroines whose lives become connected to the problem of animal abuse. The novel marks a departure from Grimes’s Richard Jury mysteries and explores the emotional bond between young people and animals.

Publication Year: 1999
Reading Position: Andi Olivier #1
Key Themes: Animal welfare, adolescence, friendship, abuse, compassion

2. Dakota (2008)

Dakota continues the Andi Olivier storyline and expands the focus on young characters, relationships, and animal welfare. It can be read after Biting the Moon as the second book in the series.

Publication Year: 2008
Reading Position: Andi Olivier #2
Key Themes: Animal welfare, adolescence, friendship, responsibility

Grimes’s official bibliography lists Biting the Moon and Dakota together as the Andi Olivier series.

Other Martha Grimes Fiction

Not every Martha Grimes novel belongs to a series. If you want to explore her work beyond Richard Jury, Emma Graham, and Andi Olivier, these books can generally be read independently.

The End of the Pier (1993)

A contemporary novel set in Western Maryland, The End of the Pier combines a serial-killer mystery with a deeply personal story involving a mother and son. It marked a significant departure from Grimes’s Richard Jury mysteries.

Publication Year: 1993
Key Themes: Serial murder, family, mother-son relationships, suspense

Foul Matter (2004)

Foul Matter is a humorous novel about the publishing industry, turning its attention away from murder investigation and toward the often absurd relationships among writers, agents, editors, and publishers.

Publication Year: 2004
Key Themes: Publishing, writers, humor, literary satire

The Way of All Fish (2014)

The Way of All Fish is a collection of shorter fiction that demonstrates another side of Grimes’s storytelling beyond her long-running mystery series.

Publication Year: 2014
Key Themes: Short fiction, human relationships, mystery, character studies

The Train Now Departing (2001)

This collection brings together short stories exploring different characters and situations, giving readers a broader look at Grimes’s fiction outside her major mystery series.

Publication Year: 2001
Key Themes: Short stories, relationships, mystery, human behavior

Send Bygraves (1990)

Send Bygraves is an earlier work by Grimes that falls outside the Richard Jury sequence and can be read independently.

Publication Year: 1990
Key Themes: Fiction, character drama, mystery

How Many Richard Jury Books Are There?

There are currently 26 Richard Jury novels, with The Red Queen published in 2025 as the latest installment. Simon & Schuster describes it as the 26th novel in the bestselling series.

This is worth noting because some older Martha Grimes bibliography pages still describe the series as having 25 books, reflecting the period before The Red Queen was published. Her current official books page now includes The Red Queen.

Do Martha Grimes Books Need to Be Read in Order?

Only within a series.

The Richard Jury novels are best read in publication order because recurring characters and relationships develop throughout the series.

The Emma Graham and Andi Olivier books should also be read in order if you want the complete character arcs.

Her standalone novels, collections, and memoir do not require a particular sequence.

What Is the Best Martha Grimes Series to Start With?

For most mystery readers, the obvious starting point is the Richard Jury series, beginning with The Man with a Load of Mischief.

It is the series that established Grimes’s reputation and showcases her signature combination of British detective fiction, atmospheric settings, dark humor, eccentric characters, and intricate murder mysteries.

If you prefer mysteries seen through a younger protagonist’s eyes, the Emma Graham series is an interesting alternative.

What Makes the Richard Jury Series Different?

The Richard Jury novels have a distinctly British-mystery atmosphere even though Martha Grimes is an American author.

The books frequently feature:

• English villages
• Country pubs
• Scotland Yard investigations
• Country estates
• Eccentric suspects
• Intricate murders
• Dark humor
• Recurring friendships
• Melrose Plant’s aristocratic wit

Grimes has been particularly praised for combining the conventions of the British mystery tradition with an American sensibility.

Who Is Richard Jury?

Richard Jury is a Scotland Yard Superintendent and the central detective of Grimes’s longest-running series.

He is intelligent, thoughtful, somewhat reserved, and often surrounded by far more eccentric personalities than himself. His investigations frequently take him outside London and into English villages where murder is concealed beneath seemingly peaceful surroundings.

His friendship with Melrose Plant, an aristocrat and amateur sleuth, is one of the defining relationships of the series.

Who Is Melrose Plant?

Melrose Plant is an aristocrat, amateur detective, and close friend of Richard Jury.

He frequently assists Jury with investigations, often bringing a combination of intelligence, wit, social connections, and a distinctly eccentric perspective.

Plant becomes increasingly important as the Richard Jury series progresses and is one of the main reasons readers often become attached to the broader ensemble rather than Jury alone.

About Martha Grimes

Martha Grimes is an American mystery novelist best known for the Richard Jury series.

Her career is unusual because she became known for writing mysteries that strongly evoke the atmosphere and traditions of British detective fiction despite being American. Her fourth and fifth books attracted major critical attention, while The Five Bells and Bladebone became a New York Times bestseller.

Grimes received the Mystery Writers of America Grand Master Award in 2012, recognizing her long contribution to the mystery genre.

She has published more than thirty books, including 26 Richard Jury mysteries as well as the Emma Graham and Andi Olivier series and several standalone works.

Frequently Asked Questions About Martha Grimes Books

How many Richard Jury books are there?

There are 26 Richard Jury novels as of 2025. The series begins with The Man with a Load of Mischief and currently ends with The Red Queen.

What is the correct order to read the Richard Jury books?

The correct order begins with The Man with a Load of Mischief, followed by The Old Fox Deceiv’d, The Anodyne Necklace, The Dirty Duck, and the remaining novels in publication order through The Red Queen. Reading them chronologically is recommended because Jury’s relationships and recurring characters develop throughout the series.

What is the first Martha Grimes book?

The Man with a Load of Mischief, published in 1981, is the first Martha Grimes novel and the first Richard Jury mystery. It introduces Richard Jury and the distinctive English mystery world that would become the foundation of Grimes’s career.

What is the latest Martha Grimes book?

The latest Richard Jury novel is The Red Queen, published in 2025. It is the 26th novel in the Richard Jury series and follows Jury as he investigates the murder of businessman Tom Treadnor.

Do you have to read Martha Grimes books in order?

You should read the Richard Jury, Emma Graham, and Andi Olivier books in order, but there is no requirement to read Grimes’s entire bibliography chronologically. Her standalone novels can generally be enjoyed independently.

What is the best Martha Grimes book to start with?

If you’re interested in traditional detective fiction, start with The Man with a Load of Mischief. It introduces Richard Jury and establishes the recurring characters, atmosphere, and style that make the series so distinctive.

Is Richard Jury a Scotland Yard detective?

Yes. Richard Jury is a Superintendent at Scotland Yard who investigates murders throughout the Richard Jury series. His cases often take him from London into English villages and country communities.

Who is Melrose Plant in the Richard Jury books?

Melrose Plant is Richard Jury’s aristocratic friend and amateur sleuth. He frequently assists Jury and provides much of the series’ dry humor and social insight.

Are Martha Grimes books cozy mysteries?

The Richard Jury novels have some characteristics associated with cozy mysteries, particularly their English villages, pubs, eccentric characters, and recurring amateur sleuth Melrose Plant. However, the books can also be darker and more complex than a conventional cozy mystery, particularly in their treatment of murder and character psychology.

What are the Emma Graham books in order?

The Emma Graham books are Hotel Paradise (1996), Cold Flat Junction (2000), Belle Ruin (2005), and Fadeaway Girl (2011). They follow Emma Graham as her curiosity leads her into mysteries involving family, memory, secrets, and her community.

What are the Andi Olivier books in order?

The two Andi Olivier books are Biting the Moon (1999) and Dakota (2008). The series focuses on teenage characters and animal welfare and represents a significant departure from Grimes’s Richard Jury mysteries.

Is The Red Queen a Richard Jury book?

Yes. The Red Queen is the 26th Richard Jury mystery and was published in 2025. It follows Jury’s investigation into the shooting death of businessman Tom Treadnor while Wiggins deals with a separate family mystery.

Final Verdict

If you’re discovering Martha Grimes books for the first time, start with The Man with a Load of Mischief and follow the Richard Jury mysteries in publication order. With 26 books currently in the series, there’s an enormous amount of atmospheric British-style detective fiction to explore.

Once you’ve finished—or if you want something different—move to the Emma Graham series for a more character-driven mystery experience, or explore the Andi Olivier books and Grimes’s standalone fiction.

What makes Grimes particularly rewarding is that the mystery isn’t always the only reason to keep reading. Richard Jury, Melrose Plant, Wiggins, Brian Macalvie, and the other recurring characters gradually become as important as the murders themselves, giving the long-running series a sense of familiarity that rewards readers who stay with it.

Written by

Emon Anam

Hi, I’m Emon. I’m the voice and heart behind Whimsy Read. After nine years in the world of banking, I followed my passion for storytelling into the world of SEO and content strategy. Now, I blend that analytical eye with a deep love for literature to bring you book reviews that are thoughtful, honest, and always focused on the stories that stay with you. When I’m not reading or writing, you’ll find me enjoying joyful chaos with my wife and three kids, getting lost in a new series, or revisiting my old loves: theater, music, and gaming. At the end of the day, I believe great books are meant to be shared, and I’m so glad you’re here to share them with me.