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Edmund Crispin

2 series 11 books in order 1940–1993

Edmund Crispin (1921–1978) was the pseudonym of Robert Bruce Montgomery, usually credited as Bruce Montgomery, an English crime writer and composer. He wrote nine detective novels and two collections of short stories under the pseudonym, and his output of music and fiction all but ceased after the 1950s, though he continued writing reviews of crime novels and science fiction works for The Sunday Times.

Born
1921
Active years
1940–1993
Known for
Gervase Fen, Main line mysteries

Series by Edmund Crispin

Gervase Fen

9 books in order · 1944–1977

  1. Cover of The Case of the Gilded Fly

    The Case of the Gilded Fly

    1944 · Edmund Crispin

    In October 1940, at Oxford, playwright Robert Warner brings his troupe to rehearse his new play Metromania before its premiere at a repertory…

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  2. Cover of Holy Disorders

    Holy Disorders

    1945 · Edmund Crispin

    The investigation into the death of a cathedral organist, seemingly simple at first, draws Professor Gervase Fen, an idiosyncratic Oxford don and…

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  3. Cover of The Moving Toyshop

    The Moving Toyshop

    1946 · Edmund Crispin

    Named by P.D. James as one of the best five mysteries of all time, this novel follows Richard Cadogan, at loose ends in Oxford late at night, who is…

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  4. Cover of Swan song

    Swan song

    1947 · Edmund Crispin

    This is a detective novel featuring Gervase Fen, an Oxford professor and amateur sleuth. The story begins when an opera company gathers in Oxford for…

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  5. Cover of Love Lies Bleeding

    Love Lies Bleeding

    1971 · Edmund Crispin

    Castrevenford school prepares for Speech Day, and English professor and amateur sleuth Gervase Fen is asked to present the prizes. The night before,…

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  6. Cover of Buried for Pleasure

    Buried for Pleasure

    Year unknown · Edmund Crispin

    In the village of Sanford Angelorum, Oxford professor and amateur detective Gervase Fen takes a break from academia to run for Parliament. The…

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  7. Cover of Frequent Hearses

    Frequent Hearses

    1950 · Edmund Crispin

    Written by Robert Bruce Montgomery under the name Edmund Crispin, this is the seventh novel featuring Oxford professor Gervase Fen. Fen visits a film…

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  8. Cover of The Long Divorce

    The Long Divorce

    1951 · Edmund Crispin

    The English town of Cotten Abbas is plagued by anonymous poisoned pen letters accusing recipients of crimes or moral breaches, at least one of which…

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  9. Cover of The Glimpses of the Moon

    The Glimpses of the Moon

    1977 · Edmund Crispin

    In and around an English village, murder follows murder and corpse is piled upon corpse, and Fen once again finally sorts out the intricate puzzle,…

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Main line mysteries

67 books in order · 1940–1993

  1. Think of death

    1947 · Richard Lockridge

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  2. Cover of Twice retired

    Twice retired

    1970 · Richard Lockridge

    Professor Emeritus Walter Brinkley finds General Philip Armstrong's body in the back seat of his car after a university dinner, his head bashed in…

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  3. Cover of A client is canceled

    A client is canceled

    1993 · Richard Lockridge

    Winifred and Orson Otis go swimming nude before dawn only to later discover the dead body of Winifred's uncle, followed by another corpse. Captain…

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  4. Cover of Stand up and die

    Stand up and die

    1953 · Richard Lockridge

    A beautiful blonde is dead when a handsome young Marine, just out of the service, meets her on a lane in Westchester County. She had a younger…

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  5. Cover of Death on the hour

    Death on the hour

    1974 · Richard Lockridge

    Clayton Carter, a top reporter and head of IBC's news department, is killed when his personal television-monitoring gadget is tampered with.…

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  6. Cover of Accent on murder

    Accent on murder

    1958 · Richard Lockridge

    Professor Walter Brinkley hosts a cocktail party for the newly-wed Craigs, unaware it will lead to murder in quiet Westchester County. When Caroline…

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  7. Cover of First come, first kill

    First come, first kill

    1962 · Richard Lockridge

    Old Tom, a thin and shabby handyman known as the self-appointed gardener of Van Brunt, New York, collapses on the driveway of Captain Merton Heimrich…

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  8. Cover of Inspector's holiday

    Inspector's holiday

    1971 · Richard Lockridge

    Inspector Merton Heimrich takes a rare vacation, a Mediterranean cruise, after his wife Susan contracts pneumonia. Among the passengers is Sir Ronald…

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  9. Cover of Dead run

    Dead run

    1976 · Richard Lockridge

    Sam Jackson is run over twice in a country inn parking lot on an icy December night. Inspector M. L. Heimrich has a personal stake, as Jackson was a…

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  10. Cover of The tenth life

    The tenth life

    1977 · Richard Lockridge

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Frequently asked questions

How many books has Edmund Crispin written?

We list 11 books by Edmund Crispin across 2 series, published between 1940–1993 — each shown in full reading order.

What order should I read Edmund Crispin's books?

Read each series in publication order. A good place to start is “The Case of the Gilded Fly.” Open any series above for its complete numbered reading order.

Where can I buy Edmund Crispin's books?

Every title links to Amazon from its series page. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.

Bibliography and reading orders compiled from verified bibliographic data. Spotted an error? We continuously correct the catalog.