Gervase Fen Books in Order

fictional detective

Publication order

In the order the books were originally released.

  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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Frequently asked questions

What order should I read the Gervase Fen books in?

Read them in publication order, starting with “The Case of the Gilded Fly”. Start with “The Case of the Gilded Fly.”

How many books are in the Gervase Fen series?

We list 9 books by Edmund Crispin , published between 1944–1977.

Where can I buy the Gervase Fen books?

Each title above links to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.

Reading order compiled from author/publisher guidance and verified bibliographic data. Spotted an error? We continuously correct the catalog.