The reading order and series for my books!
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Magpie Sequence
The Charm of Magpies Series (Fantasy, Victorian England, m/m)
The romance and adventures of smuggler-turned-aristocrat Lord Crane and magical law enforcer Stephen Day.
1.5) ‘Interlude with Tattoos’ extra story included in The Magpie Lord
2.5 ‘A Case of Spirits’ extra story included in A Case of Possession
3.5) Feast of Stephen extra story included in Flight of Magpies
3.6) Free series epilogue ‘Five for Heaven’
There is also a free story ‘The Smuggler and the Warlord’ giving a prequel glimpse at Crane’s life in China.
The Charm of Magpies World (Fantasy, Victorian England, m/m)
Stories set in the Magpie world with overlapping characters.
Jonah Pastern, a magically gifted thief, meets Ben Spenser, policeman. Set after Flight of Magpies and contains spoilers for that book.
Waste-paper dealer Ned Hall encounters trainee magician Crispin Tredarloe in a frantic search for missing magical paper. Novelette, set during the period of A Case of Possession.
Ned and Crispin’s relationship is tested by Crispin’s ambition and a series of mysterious deaths. Set during the period of Flight of Magpies / Jackdaw.
London Sequence
Three series set in the same world, linked characters.
The Society of Gentlemen Series (Historical, Regency, m/m)
A group of gentlemen finding love amid the turbulent politics of the late Regency
0.5) The Ruin of Gabriel Ashleigh
Young wastrel Lord Gabriel Ashleigh and wealthy commoner Francis Webster face off over a game of cards with high stakes. Novelette.
Radical Harry Vane is reclaimed by his noble family. Icy-cold dandy Julius Norreys tries to teach him to become a gentleman…
Politics collide with romance as Home Office official Dominic Frey discovers his anonymous lover is Silas Mason, radical bookseller and suspected seditionist.
2.5) Free story: ‘A Confidential Problem’
Powerful nobleman Lord Richard Vane and his scheming valet David Cyprian can solve most things—but the class divide between them may tear them apart.
3.5) Free series epilogue: ‘A Private Miscellany’
The Sins of the Cities series (Historical, Victorian, 1870s. Definitely read these in order!)
Unconventional Victorians caught up in a sensation-novel plot. Contains fog and murder.
1) An Unseen Attraction (m/m)
Lodging-house keeper Clem Talleyfer and taxidermist Rowley Green are two reserved men who just want a quiet life, until they get mixed up in murder.
2) An Unnatural Vice (m/m)
Crusading journalist Nathaniel Roy is determined to expose fake spiritualist and charlatan Justin Lazarus—until they both get dragged into the ongoing murder mystery.
3) An Unsuitable Heir (m/enby)
Trapeze artist Pen Starling and private detective Mark Braglewicz must find a way to each other as the mystery comes to an explosive end.
The Lilywhite Boys series (Historical, Victorian, 1890s)
A pair of jewel thieves pride themselves on not getting caught, but pride comes before a fall…
0.5) The Rat-Catcher’s Daughter (m/trans f)
A prequel story, starring music hall singer Miss Christiana and the Lilywhite Boys’ fence Stan Kamarzyn. Novelette.
1) Any Old Diamonds (m/m)
Alec Pyne recruits the notorious jewel thieves the Lilywhite Boys to rob his father, the Duke of Ilvar. This means him getting a lot closer to thief Jerry Crozier than either of them had expected.
2) Gilded Cage (m/f)
Jewel thief Templeton Lane is wanted for murder, and the only person who can help him is private detective Susan Lazarus. Unfortunately, they have history…
3) Masters in this Hall (m/m)
John Garland is jobless, alone, and determined to avenge himself on the thief who ruined his life. All he wants for Christmas is to see Barnaby Littimer in gaol. But there’s more to it than meets the eye. Novella .
England World
Linked but no need to read the novels in order.
1) Proper English (f/f, Edwardian, murder mystery)
House-party shenanigans abound as champion shot Patricia Merton meets social butterfly Fenella Carruth–her host’s fiancée.
2) Think of England (m/m, Edwardian, pulp thriller)
Boer War veteran Archie Curtis collides with decadent poet Daniel da Silva for more house party murder shenanigans.
2.5) ‘Song for a Viking’ free epilogue to Think of England
The Will Darling Adventures (1920s, m/m)
A pulp adventure romance trilogy starring dodgy aristo Kim Secretan and soldier-turned-bookseller Will Darling. (No HEA till the third book.)
2.5) Free story ‘To Trust Man on His Oath’
3) Subtle Blood
3.5) Free Will Darling/Think of England series epilogue ‘How Goes the World?’
Green Men World
Occult England.
The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal (paranormal m/m, occult detective, 1890s to WW1)
Journalist Robert Caldwell recounts his life with ghost-hunter Simon Feximal in a series of ghostly investigations.
Remnant (co-written with Jordan L Hawk). Free Secret Casebook linked story (crossover with Jordan’s Whyborne & Griffin series).
Spectred Isle (paranormal m/m, 1920s)
Disgraced archaeologist Saul Lazenby and occultist Randolph Glyde take on a mystery that threatens London. (This is Green Men #1, the series is as yet incomplete)
Gentle Art World
Heyer but gayer. The first two can be read in any order.
1) The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting (Regency m/m)
Grumpy baronet Sir John Hartlebury intends to protect his niece from glib fortune hunter Robin Loxleigh. Which he does. Sort of.
2) A Thief in the Night (Regency m/m)
An exasperated (and bankrupt) earl and a penniless thief join forces to retrieve a stolen bracelet.
2.5) Free story ‘A Rose by Any Name’ with Robin and Toby’s reunion, coming out in my newsletter in April 2023.
The Doomsday Books
Smugglers on Romney Marsh. The two books are linked: can be read as standalone but #2 will have spoilers for #1!
1) The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen (m/m, 1810)
Newly promoted baronet Sir Gareth Inglis finds himself living on the remote Romney Marsh…all too close to his former lover, the smuggler Joss Doomsday.
2) A Nobleman’s Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel (m/m, 1823)
Standalone Books
The Henchmen of Zenda (alt-late Victorian adventure, m/m)
A reworking of pulp classic The Prisoner of Zenda with a different perspective and a lot more banging. Not a conventional HEA as such.
The Price of Meat (f/f, horror, novelette)
A horror story based on the Sweeney Todd legend. Not a romance!
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The following are all standalone books but set in the same world and very, very loosely linked by a fictional filthy novel called Jonathan by Theodore Swann. No reading order!
Wanted, a Gentleman (m/m novella, Georgian, 1805)
Businessman Martin St Vincent and dodgy author Theo Swann set off on a road-trip to pursue a runaway couple, and find love on the way.
Linked free story: ‘Wanted, an Author’
Band Sinister (m/m, Georgian, 1807)
Retiring young scholar Guy Frisby is forced into company with notorious rake Sir Philip Rookwood, who turns out to be a lot more charming than he expects…
Unfit to Print (m/m novella, Victorian, 1870s)
Lawyer Vikram Pandey unexpectedly encounters his old school friend Gil Lawless, now a bookseller of ill repute, in the course of a search for a missing boy.