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Inspector Lynley

by Elizabeth George

21 books Started 1988 Latest 2022
Publication Reading Order

The Inspector Lynley is a Crime Fiction / Mystery series by Elizabeth George, made up of 21 books published between 1988 and 2022. It begins with A Great Deliverance (1988), and is best read in publication order. The most recent entry is Something to Hide (2022), spanning 34 years of storytelling.

21books
34years active
5decades
~1.7yrs between books
2022latest release
# Title Year Buy
1980s
1 A Great Deliverance 🏆 Anthony Award 1989🏆 Agatha Award 1988Edgar Awards 1989Full award history → 1988 Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia
2 Payment in Blood 1989 Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia
3 Well-Schooled in Murder 1989 Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia
1990s
4 A Suitable Vengeance Dilys Award 1992Full award history → 1991 Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia
5 For the Sake of Elena 1992 Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia
6 Missing Joseph 1992 Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia
7 Playing for the Ashes 1994 Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia
8 In the Presence of the Enemy 1996 Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia
9 Deception on His Mind 1997 Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia
10 In Pursuit of the Proper Sinner 1999 Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia
2000s
11 A Traitor to Memory 2001 Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia
12 A Place of Hiding 2003 Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia
13 With No One as Witness 2005 Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia
14 What Came Before He Shot Her 2006 Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia
15 Careless in Red 2008 Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia
2010s
16 This Body of Death 2010 Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia
17 Believing the Lie 2012 Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia
18 Just One Evil Act 2013 Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia
19 A Banquet of Consequences 2015 Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia
20 The Punishment She Deserves 2018 Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia
2020s
21 Something to HideLatest 2022 Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia

Inspector Lynley series: frequently asked questions

What order should I read the Inspector Lynley series?

Start with A Great Deliverance (1988), the first book in the Inspector Lynley series by Elizabeth George. Follow the books in publication order for the best reading experience.

How many books are in the Inspector Lynley series?

There are 21 books in the Inspector Lynley series by Elizabeth George, published between 1988 and 2022.

What is the first book in the Inspector Lynley series?

The first book in the Inspector Lynley series is A Great Deliverance, published in 1988 by Elizabeth George.

What is the latest book in the Inspector Lynley series?

The most recent book in the Inspector Lynley series is Something to Hide (2022) by Elizabeth George.

More books by Elizabeth George View all series and reading orders →
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About Elizabeth George

Elizabeth George is an American author renowned for her mystery and crime novels. Born in 1949 in Warren, Ohio, she developed a passion for storytelling at an early age. After graduating from law school, she initially pursued a career in criminal law, drawing inspiration from her experiences for her future novels. George's debut novel, "A Great Deliverance," was published in 1988 and introduced Detective Superintendent Thomas Lynley and Sergeant Barbara Havers, characters who have become central to her series. She has since written over 20 novels featuring these protagonists, including "Payment in Blood," "Well-Schooled in Murder," and "A Place of Hiding." George's novels are known for their intricate plots, well-developed characters, and exploration of social issues. She has received numerous accolades, including the Agatha Award for Best Novel (three times) and the Macavity Award for Best Mystery Novel (twice). Her work has been translated into over 30 languages and has a global following.

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About the Inspector Lynley series

Elizabeth George's Inspector Lynley novels are richly characterised British mysteries with an American author's outsider eye. Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley is an aristocrat — the eighth Earl of Asherton — paired, often abrasively, with the working-class Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers. Their class-crossing partnership is the heart of the series.

George writes long, novelistic mysteries as interested in psychology, grief and social tension as in whodunit mechanics. The character development across the series is unusually deep, with real consequences that carry from book to book.

Because Lynley's and Havers's personal arcs evolve significantly, the series is best read in order from "A Great Deliverance."