Roderick Alleyn books in order A series by Ngaio Marsh
The Roderick Alleyn series by Ngaio Marsh has 31 books, from A Man Lay Dead (1934) to Light Thickens (1982). Read it in order, starting with A Man Lay Dead.
Reading order: 1 A Man Lay Dead (1934) · 2 Enter a Murderer (1935) · 3 The Nursing Home Murder (1935) · 4 Death in Ecstasy (1936) · 5 Vintage Murder (1937) · 6 Artists in Crime (1938) · 7 Death in a White Tie (1942) · 8 Overture to Death (1939) · 9 Death at the Bar (1940) · 10 Surfeit of Lampreys (1941) · … all 31 below
Updated September 2026
All 31 Roderick Alleyn books in order
- 1.
A Man Lay Dead (1934)
- 2.
Enter a Murderer (1935)
- 3.
The Nursing Home Murder (1935)
- 4.
Death in Ecstasy (1936)
- 5.
Vintage Murder (1937)
- 6.
Artists in Crime (1938)
- 7.
Death in a White Tie (1942)
- 8.
Overture to Death (1939)
- 9.
Death at the Bar (1940)
- 10.
Surfeit of Lampreys (1941)
- 11.
Death and the Dancing Footman (1941)
- 12.
Colour Scheme (1943)
- 13.
Died in the Wool (1945)
- 14.
Final Curtain (1956)
- 15.
Swing, Brother, Swing (1956)
- 16.
Opening Night (1974)
- 17.
Scales of Justice (1955)
- 18.
Off With His Head (1957)
- 19.
Singing in the Shrouds (1958)
- 20.
False Scent (1960)
- 21.
Hand in Glove (1962)
- 22.
Dead Water (1964)
- 23.
Death at the Dolphin (1967)
- 24.
Clutch of Constables (1968)
- 25.
When in Rome (1970)
- 26.
Tied Up in Tinsel (1972)
- 27.
Black As He's Painted (1974)
- 28.
Last Ditch (1976)
- 29.
Grave Mistake (1978)
- 30.
Photo Finish (1980)
- 31.
Light Thickens (1982)
Roderick Alleyn FAQ
- How many Roderick Alleyn books are there?
- There are 31 Roderick Alleyn books, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read the Roderick Alleyn books in?
- In publication order, starting with A Man Lay Dead (1934): 1 A Man Lay Dead (1934) · 2 Enter a Murderer (1935) · 3 The Nursing Home Murder (1935) · 4 Death in Ecstasy (1936) · 5 Vintage Murder (1937) · 6 Artists in Crime (1938) · … all 31 below.
- What is the first Roderick Alleyn book?
- A Man Lay Dead (1934).
- What is the latest Roderick Alleyn book?
- Light Thickens (1982).
- Is the Roderick Alleyn series finished?
- There have been no new Roderick Alleyn books since 1982; Ngaio Marsh died in 1982.
Sources: series order and dates from Wikidata and Open Library. Last updated September 2026.