Daisy Dalrymple Books in Order: Why This 1920s Series Still Matters

If you’re hunting for a mystery series that feels like a warm cup of Earl Grey with a sharp side of cyanide, you’ve probably stumbled across Carola Dunn’s work. Specifically, the Honorable Daisy Dalrymple. She’s not your typical 1920s flapper, though she certainly has the spirit. Daisy is the daughter of a Viscount who, quite frankly, is broke—or at least "aristocratic broke." Instead of wallowing in a drafty family estate, she grabs her typewriter and sets out to earn her own living as a journalist.

That’s how it starts. A lady writing for magazines like Town & Country. But as anyone who reads cozy mysteries knows, journalists in fiction have a terrifying habit of tripping over fresh corpses. If you want to dive in, you’ve gotta do it right. Reading daisy dalrymple books in order isn't just about following the clues; it’s about watching a woman navigate the massive social shifts of post-WWI England.

The Early Years: Setting the Stage

Honestly, the first few books are essential for understanding why Daisy is the way she is. She’s stubborn. She refuses to live on her family's charity. This grit is what makes her more than just a "shrewd amateur."

1. Death at Wentwater Court (1994): This is the one that kicked it all off. Daisy goes to a country house to write an article and ends up witnessing a "skating accident" that turns out to be murder. It’s also where she meets Detective Inspector Alec Fletcher. Their chemistry? Let’s just say it’s a slow burn that actually pays off.
2. The Winter Garden Mystery (1995): Daisy heads to Occles Hall. She finds a buried body in the garden. It’s a bit darker than the first, dealing with a pregnant maid and the harsh realities of class during that era.
3. Requiem for a Mezzo (1996): Opera, poison, and London. This one is fun because it gets Daisy out of the country estates and into the city’s cultural scene.
4. Murder on the Flying Scotsman (1997): If you love train mysteries (who doesn't?), this is your stop. It introduces Alec’s daughter, Belinda, who becomes a staple of the series.

Moving Into the 1920s Groove

As the series progresses, the world expands. You start to see more of the "Superfluous Women"—those who lost their husbands and brothers to the Great War and had to reinvent themselves. Daisy represents that shift perfectly.

The Middle Chapters (Books 5-15)

By the time you hit Damsel in Distress, things get interesting. This is the fifth book, and it’s notable because... well, no one actually dies. It’s a kidnapping plot. It’s a nice break from the constant body count and focuses more on the ensemble cast, like Daisy’s friend Phillip Petrie.

After that, we get back to the murders.

• Dead in the Water (Book 6) takes us to the Thames.
• Styx and Stones (Book 7) deals with a rash of "poison pen" letters.
• Rattle His Bones (Book 8) is set in the Natural History Museum. Who doesn't want a murder mystery surrounded by dinosaur bones?

You’ve also got To Davy Jones Below, which takes Daisy on a cruise. It’s very much in the vein of Agatha Christie’s travel mysteries. By the time you reach The Case of the Murdered Muckraker (Book 10) and Mistletoe and Murder (Book 11), the relationship between Daisy and Alec has evolved significantly. They actually get married. This is a big deal because many cozy series keep the protagonists in a state of "will-they-won't-they" forever. Carola Dunn lets them grow up.

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The Later Mysteries and Recent Additions

As we move into the later 2000s and 2010s releases, the series maintains its charm but starts looking at deeper historical niches. Anthem for Doomed Youth (Book 19) is a standout, referencing the Wilfred Owen poem and dealing with the lingering trauma of the war.

The series seemingly "ended" for a bit, but then we got The Corpse at the Crystal Palace in 2018. It’s book 23. It’s a bit of a nostalgic trip, taking the whole family (including the kids!) to the iconic Victorian landmark.

Why people get the order wrong

Kinda funny, but some readers try to read these based on the year they take place rather than the publication year. Don't do that. Carola Dunn wrote them in a way that the internal timeline mostly matches the release order. If you skip around, you’ll miss the development of the "Fletcher household." You’ll see characters who should be dead or married off acting like they’ve never met. It’s jarring. Stick to the publication sequence.

The Full List for Your Bookshelf

Here’s the breakdown. No fancy tables, just the straight list so you can check them off:

1. Death at Wentwater Court
2. The Winter Garden Mystery
3. Requiem for a Mezzo
4. Murder on the Flying Scotsman
5. Damsel in Distress
6. Dead in the Water
7. Styx and Stones
8. Rattle His Bones
9. To Davy Jones Below
10. The Case of the Murdered Muckraker
11. Mistletoe and Murder
12. Die Laughing
13. A Mourning Wedding
14. Fall of a Philanderer
15. Gunpowder Plot
16. The Bloody Tower
17. Black Ship
18. Sheer Folly
19. Anthem for Doomed Youth
20. Gone West
21. Heirs of the Body
22. Superfluous Women
23. The Corpse at the Crystal Palace

E-E-A-T: Is Daisy Actually Realistic?

Look, I’m not saying a Viscount’s daughter would really solve 23 murders in the span of a decade. That’s the "Jessica Fletcher" effect. But Carola Dunn does something most cozy writers fail at: she respects the history.

In the 1920s, a woman of Daisy's status working was a scandal. Her mother, the Dowager, is constantly horrified. That tension is real. The series also doesn't shy away from the fact that the "Bright Young Things" were often masking deep depression from the war. It’s light reading, sure, but it has roots.

If you’re a fan of Downton Abbey or Maisie Dobbs, you’ll find Daisy is the perfect middle ground. She isn't as grim as Maisie, but she’s sharper and more independent than the characters in a standard "cat in a library" mystery.

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Practical Steps for Your Reading Journey

• Start with the First Three: Don't judge the series until you've finished Requiem for a Mezzo. The first book is a bit of a "pilot episode" where things are still being figured out.
• Track the Romance: The real joy isn't just the "whodunnit." It’s watching Alec, a middle-class policeman, try to handle Daisy, who has a title and zero regard for "proper" police procedure.
• Check Your Local Library: These books are staples in the "Large Print" and "Mystery" sections of almost every public library. You don't need to drop $200 on the whole set at once.
• Audiobook Alert: Lucy Rayner narrates many of these, and she’s fantastic. She nails the "posh but playful" tone that Daisy requires.

If you’re looking for a series to sink into for the next six months, this is it. It’s consistent, it’s well-researched, and honestly, Daisy is just great company.