Here’s an interesting fact about Elly Griffiths; her real name is Domenica de Rosa. Many people consider “Domenica de Rosa” to be her pen name, but in reality, the reverse is true.
Elly Griffiths is a British author who gained excellence and fame in writing intriguing crime thrillers. Born in 1963 in London, she took all the different influences while growing up and put them into her storytelling skills.
Incorporating the twists and turns of London’s alleyways in her story, both literally and figuratively, Griffiths has created some of the most interesting and intriguing crime thrillers.
Griffiths has written over thirty books with gripping stories, divided into four different book series. The crown jewel, however, is her Ruth Galloway series which has fifteen books. The latest book in the series is about to be released in 2023.
So while everyone waits for the book, if you are planning to get started with Griffiths books, don’t get scared by looking at the number of books in the bookstores.
We’ve created a detailed and well-categorized list of all the books written by Elly Griffiths, including the different series.
So pick up whichever series you want to start with and get the reading order of all the books in that series. Let’s get started.
Elly Griffiths Book Series
Elly Griffiths has written four different book series. Here are all of them:
| Sr. No. | Title | Publication Date | Print Length | Publisher | Where to Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Crossing Places | January 5, 2010 | 320 pages | Houghton Mifflin Harcourt | Amazon |
| 2 | The Zig Zag Girl | September 06, 2016 | 336 pages | Mariner Books | Book Shop |
| 3 | A Girl Called Justice | May 2, 2019 | 320 pages | Quercus Children's Books | Amazon |
| 4 | The Stranger Diaries | March 05, 2019 | 352 pages | Mariner Books | Book Shop |
| 5 | The Italian Quarter | August 31, 2004 | 288 pages | Gardners Books | Amazon |
Let’s look into each of the series and the books in reading order in detail.
1. Ruth Galloway
The Ruth Galloway series is the most famous and read book series written by Elly Griffiths, and it is quite evident from the number of books that have been published in this series. With 15 books already published and the sixteenth book in the pipeline, there is a lot to unpack here.
The Ruth Galloway series puts us in the shoes of the protagonist with the same name. Ruth lives in a desolate place with hardly anyone else.
The world-building methods Griffiths uses to create this sense of isolation, mystery, and even loneliness.This mixes very well with the contrasting elements of the story.
One such element, for example, is when Ruth partners up occasionally with Harry Nelson, who is her on-and-off lover.
The cute banter between the two lightens up the mood, while the great chemistry between them makes you want to read more about their relationship. But there’s a lot more to the story than this.
There’s so much mystery in the stories of this series that it will keep you hooked to the book. With great plot twists, amazing storylines, and confounding setups, solving the mysteries that are posed in the stories is a challenging task for the protagonist, and watching her figure out the plot is equally entertaining.
Start With: The Crossing Places
The protagonist of the story is a forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway. She is an introverted woman who likes to spend her time alone with her cats.
She lives in a small town called Norfolk, which is not exactly a happening and bustling city. A desolate place, a quiet home, and a calming life is what Galloway prefers.
But one day, her life completely changes when while digging for bones, she discovers the bones of a human child. The story then takes a different turn, with the chief detective Nelson calling Galloway for her help in another case that might involve the killer of the child whose bones Ruth discovered.
Nelson gets a letter that he had received back when another girl of the same age went missing, and now it is up to Nelson and Ruth to get into the roots of this mystery and stop the killer at all costs. A brilliant read that perfectly balances emotions and makes this series very enjoyable.
Read this series for a great ensemble of cast, brilliant world-building and immersion, great characters, and thrilling stories. Here’s the list of all the books in the Ruth Galloway series in reading order.
- The Crossing Places
- The Janus Stone
- The House at Sea’s End
- A Room Full of Bones
- Ruth’s First Christmas Tree
- A Dying Fall
- The Outcast Dead
- The Ghost Fields
- The Woman in Blue
- The Chalk Pit
- The Dark Angel
- The Stone Circle
- The Lantern Men
- The Night Hawks
- The Locked Room
- The Last Remains (Expected: April 25, 2023)
2. The Brighton Mysteries (DI Stephens and Max Mephisto Series)
The Brighton Mysteries is one of the most interesting book series that you’ll ever come across. This book series is often referred to as the DI Stephens and Max Mephisto series or just The Magic Men. The story is about two magicians who use their expertise to uncover the mysteries of some of the most horrific murders.
The use of magic tricks and the way the world is crafted by the author add life to this book series. Each of the books in this series deals with a shocking and confounding murder mystery that is bound to leave the readers scratching their heads.
But what makes this series so enjoyable is the characters. Griffiths has understood the craft of creating engaging, interesting characters that can keep the readers hooked. With an ensemble of varied characters who will invoke just the emotion the authors want, you’ll be finishing this collection of books in no time.
Start With: The Zig Zag Girl
The Zig Zag Girl is one of the most creative murder mystery books you’ll ever read. The story is about two great protagonists, Edgar Stephens and Max Mephisto. A murder has shocked the entire police department, where a girl is cut into three parts. But why does it concern Stephens so much?
Stephens is reminded of a magic trick called “The Zig Zag Girl,” which could be a clue in finding the murderer. But he needs the help of his friend, Max Mephisto, to help him solve the case. Both Mephisto and Stephens used to be the “Magic Men” during the World War, using tricks to defeat the enemy.
Now they need to work together to catch the killer and prevent the death of other innocent people. The case takes another turn when Edgar receives a letter that mentions the term “The Wolf Trap”. Read the story for a thrilling experience.
There are six books in the series
- The Zig Zag Girl
- Smoke and Mirrors
- The Blood Card
- The Vanishing Box
- Now You See Them
- The Midnight Hour
3. Justice Jones (Middle Grade)
For young adults who are looking for a book series about mysterious murders, thrilling plot twists, and a strong female lead who is charming, smart, and brave but at the same time struggles with the things every teenage kid struggles with, then Justice Jones is the perfect series.
The lead of the story, Justice, suffers from a tragedy when her mother dies. Being unable to take care of his daughter, Justice’s father sends her to a boarding school. A young girl struggling with the loss of her mother now has to adjust to a new world. But there’s more than meets the eye.
The murder of a chambermaid has created a scandal, but everyone seems to be burying the matter. Now it is up to the genius of Justice Jones to figure out what’s happening underneath, and she has to do it fast before another accident strikes.
The entire Justice Jones series is about the brilliant young girl discovering crimes that perplex the readers.
It is truly a treat seeing her go through the details, figure out what’s happening, and solve the case, all while struggling internally—brilliant characters, great and easy-to-read plot, perfect for young adults.
Start With: A Girl Called Justice
A Girl Called Justice is a wonderful book for young readers who want to get into mystery thrillers but something that’s not too dark or intense.
Aimed at teenage readers, especially girls, A Girl Called Justice is not just about a great gripping story, but it also has a great emotional layer to it as well.
A young girl named Justice Jones gets her life completely changed after a tragedy hits her. Justice’s mother dies, and she is sent to a boarding school.
A completely different life, a completely new world, and a lot of challenges to face in getting comfortable with the new life, Justice has to go through a lot.
But things take a turn for the worse when Justice discovers that something sinister is going on in the school, and she must try to solve the case herself to prevent things from going bad to worse.
An interesting and enjoyable read, perfect for teenage girls who love reading murder mysteries.
Here are the four books arranged in the reading order.
- A Girl Called Justice
- The Smugglers’ Secret
- A Ghost in the Garden
- The Spy at the Window
4. Harbinder Kaur
Another excellent book series about an equally excellent character. But this time, there’s more. The first book in the series has Clare as the main character, but it also introduces another character, Harbinder Kaur.
Kaur is a single, gay, Sikh woman who is a brilliantly crafted character. While the first book just introduces her, the second book in the series, The Post Script Murders, carries her forward.
The stories of the Harbinder Kaur series are thrilling, with great characters and their backstories. The characters are fleshed out, they have intriguing personalities and a complex emotional palette, and they are very grounded. This makes the series even more enjoyable as it ups the “real” factor.
There’s plenty of mystery in this series as well. Murders are wrapped beautifully in mysteries, and the main character goes through a lot of hardship to uncover the case. This makes the reveal even more worth it and gives the readers a rewarding feeling as the payoff is worth it.
Start With: The Stranger Diaries
People who will be starting this series, they’d be surprised to see that Harbinder Kaur is not the protagonist in this novel. Instead, the lead here is Clare Cassidy, an English teacher. Her life takes a completely different turn when she discovers a murderer with a note that mentions a quote from a book by her favorite author.
So how does this connect to the main lead of this series, Harbinder Kaur? Harbinder Kaur is introduced as a police officer in this story as she helps the protagonist solve the mystery.
The character of Kaur was so interesting that the author decided to give this series entirely to her, and it works really well.
It is very refreshing to see a person of color who has a completely different set of values and a lifestyle that will interest the readers a lot.
The characters are relatable, especially the protagonist when it comes to emotional flaws and actions. It is, indeed, a great read for people who wants to read something with a fresh take on the murder mystery protagonists.
Here are the three books in reading order. The last book, “Bleeding Heart Yard,” has not been published. It is expected to be released in November 2022.
5. Published as Domenica de Rosa
Start With: The Italian Quarter
The Italian Quarter is a great read as it shows a completely different writing style and genre from the author. This series is published under a different name, and you’d actually feel the series has been written by someone else as well.
The story is about an Italian family, about an Italian girl more specifically, and her journey to find out more about her family history.
She wants to learn more about her grandfather and his life during the war. The story takes interesting turns, and the characters open up more, connecting them firmly to the readers.
Elly Griffiths published four books under her real name, Domenica de Rosa. Here are the four books:
Conclusion
Elly Griffiths is one of the most loved authors of thriller/mystery novels with her unique style added to the stories. This makes her stories not only hooking and intense but also enjoyable and memorable.
A great host of characters, each with their own struggle, battles, and growth that will make the story connect better with the readers, you’d love to start any of her book series. So grab a copy and start reading.