Author

Rhys Bowen

Q: What should I read first by Rhys Bowen?

Start with the Constable Evans series, since it is the first on file, then read it in publication order.

Rhys Bowen has 61 known credited books (61 published) across 3 series. Start with Constable Evans.

Rhys Bowen is the pen name of Janet Quin-Harkin, a Welsh-born, now California-based novelist who writes traditional mysteries across three series. The Royal Spyness novels follow Lady Georgiana Rannoch, a penniless minor royal solving crimes in 1930s Britain with wit and class-conscious comedy; the Molly Murphy Mysteries trace an Irish immigrant detective navigating turn-of-the-century New York; and her debut Constable Evans series, set in a Welsh mountain village, launched her mystery-writing career in 1997. All three are prized for meticulous period detail and a light, character-driven tone that favors charm over grit.

Since 2017, Bowen has also written a run of standalone World War II and dual-timeline historical novels — starting with In Farleigh Field and continuing through The Tuscan Child, The Venice Sketchbook, The Paris Assignment, and 2026's The Castle in the Glen — that lean toward wartime drama and mystery rather than her cozier series work, showing a real range beyond traditional mystery. Across a career spanning several decades and pen names (she also wrote as Janet Quin-Harkin for young-adult and category fiction earlier in her career), she has won multiple Agatha Awards and an Anthony Award for her mystery writing. A new reader drawn to a lighter, comic mystery should start with Her Royal Spyness, the first Georgiana book; one who wants grittier historical atmosphere might prefer Molly Murphy's debut, Murphy's Law, or the standalone In Farleigh Field. There is no film or television adaptation of any of her series, though her standalone war novels have drawn a wide readership independent of her mystery fan base.

Series: 3
Credited books: 61
Published: 61
Latest published book: The Castle in the Glen 4 August 2026
Active: 1997–present
Best known for: Constable Evans

Key facts about Rhys Bowen

Rhys Bowen has 61 books on our list. 51 of them belong to a series, while 10 stand alone. Since all 61 are out now, every book here is ready to read. Their series sit on our cozy mystery shelf.

Rhys Bowen has 3 series on file. Constable Evans has 10 books, while Molly Murphy has 22 books. Her Royal Spyness has 19 books, starting in 2007. In particular, Molly Murphy is the longest series on file.

Constable Evans starts with Evans Above, while Molly Murphy starts with Murphy's Law. Her Royal Spyness starts with Her Royal Spyness.

Since Constable Evans is the first series on file, it is the place to start. Their first published book on file came out in 1997. Meanwhile, The Castle in the Glen is the latest published book, out on 4 August 2026.

There are also 10 standalone books. You can read them in any order, since each one stands alone. The newest one that is out is The Castle in the Glen, from 2026. The oldest on file is In Farleigh Field, from 2017.