Fred Vargas books in order
French writer, archaeologist and historian
- Born
- 1957
- Country
- France
- Books
- 24
- Series
- 2
Fred Vargas has published 24 novels, beginning with The Chalk Circle Man (1991). The 2 series include Commissioner Jean-Baptiste Adamsberg (10 books, starting with The Chalk Circle Man) and The Evangelists (3 books, starting with Debout Les Morts). The best-known is Pars Vite Et Reviens Tard (2001). The latest is This Poison Will Remain (2017).
Updated September 2026
Commissioner Jean-Baptiste Adamsberg books in order (10)Series page
Reading order: 1 The Chalk Circle Man (1991) · 2 L'Homme À L'envers (1999) · 3 Pars Vite Et Reviens Tard (2001) · 4 Sous Les Vents De Neptune (2004) · 5 Dans Les Bois Éternels (2006) · 6 An Uncertain Place (2008) · 7 L'Armée Furieuse (2011) · 8 Temps Glaciaires (2015) · 9 This Poison Will Remain (2017) · The Four Rivers (2000)
- 1.
The Chalk Circle Man (1991)
- 2.
L'Homme À L'envers (1999)
- 3.
Pars Vite Et Reviens Tard (2001)
- 4.
Sous Les Vents De Neptune (2004)
- 5.
Dans Les Bois Éternels (2006)
- 6.
An Uncertain Place (2008)
- 7.
L'Armée Furieuse (May 2011)
- 8.
Temps Glaciaires (Mar 2015)
- 9.
This Poison Will Remain (May 2017)
The Four Rivers (2000)
The Evangelists books in order (3)Series page
Reading order: 1 Debout Les Morts (1995) · 2 Sans Feu Ni Lieu (1997) · 3 Un Peu Plus Loin Sur La Droite (2005)
- 1.
Debout Les Morts (1995)
- 2.
Sans Feu Ni Lieu (Oct 1997)
- 3.
Un Peu Plus Loin Sur La Droite (2005)
Where to start with Fred Vargas
Start here
The Chalk Circle Man
Book 1 of Commissioner Jean-Baptiste Adamsberg, the series that includes Pars Vite Et Reviens Tard, Fred Vargas's most-read book.
Newest
This Poison Will Remain
Published May 2017.
Standalone novels in order
Les Jeux De L'amour Et De La Mort (1986)
Ceux Qui Vont Mourir Te Saluent (1994)
This Night's Foul Work (1998)
Seeking Whom He May Devour (2004)
The Three Evangelists (2006)
Wash This Blood Clean from My Hand (2007)
The Night's Foul Work (2009)
The Ghost Riders Of Ordebec A Commissaire Adamsberg Mystery (2013)
The Ghost Riders Of Ordebec (2014)
A Climate of Fear (2016)
The Accordionist (2017)
Film and TV adaptations
- Have Mercy on Us All (2007)Film · from Pars Vite Et Reviens Tard
About Fred Vargas
Fred Vargas is the pseudonym of Frédérique Audoin-Rouzeau, a French historian, archaeologist and novelist.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Fred Vargas FAQ
- How many books has Fred Vargas written?
- Fred Vargas has published 24 novels that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Fred Vargas's books in?
- Read each series in its own order: start Commissioner Jean-Baptiste Adamsberg with The Chalk Circle Man and The Evangelists with Debout Les Morts. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.
- What is Fred Vargas's latest book?
- This Poison Will Remain (2017).
- What is Fred Vargas's most famous book?
- Pars Vite Et Reviens Tard (2001) is Fred Vargas's most widely read book.
- Are Fred Vargas's books connected?
- 13 books belong to 2 series (Commissioner Jean-Baptiste Adamsberg and The Evangelists); the other 11 books stand alone.
- Which Fred Vargas books have been adapted?
- 1 book has been adapted for film or TV, including Pars Vite Et Reviens Tard (as Have Mercy on Us All, film, 2007).
Authors like Fred Vargas
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.