Bill Hodges & Holly Gibney
crime thriller
Series · thriller
Beatrix Rose
The Beatrix Rose series by Mark Dawson has 6 known books (6 published) and is best read in publication order, starting with In Cold Blood (2014).
- Books
- 6 known books (5 novels + 1 novella)
- Published
- 6
- First published
- 2014
- Status
- ongoing
- Shelved under
- Thriller
- Last checked
Start here: In Cold Blood (2014) — then read straight through in publication order.
Reading order
The date order of published books and any announced future entries — the default way to read the series.
- Book 1:
In Cold Blood
In Cold Blood is the novel that opens Beatrix Rose, by Mark Dawson, first published in 2014 at 191 pages. It's followed in the reading order by Blood Moon Rising, the second entry in an ongoing series that began in 2014.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of In Cold Blood - Book 2:
Blood Moon Rising
Blood Moon Rising is the 2nd entry in Beatrix Rose, by Mark Dawson, published in 2014 at 214 pages. It follows In Cold Blood and precedes Blood and Roses in the reading order.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Blood Moon Rising - Book 3:
Blood and Roses
Blood and Roses is the 3rd entry in Beatrix Rose, by Mark Dawson, published in 2014 at 213 pages. It follows Blood Moon Rising and precedes White Devil in the reading order.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Blood and Roses - Book 4:
Phoenix
Phoenix is a novella in Beatrix Rose, by Mark Dawson, slotted at position 3.5 in the reading order, published in 2017 at 104 pages. It follows Dragon Head and precedes Tempest in the reading order.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Phoenix - Book 5:
Tempest
Tempest is the fourth entry in Mark Dawson's Beatrix Rose series, published in 2019, continuing the assassin's story after the crossover novella Phoenix paired her with John Milton on a joint operation in Venezuela.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Tempest - Book 6:
Pistolero
Pistolero is the 5th entry in Beatrix Rose, by Mark Dawson, published in 2023. It follows Tempest and is the most recent entry published in this ongoing series.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Pistolero
About the Beatrix Rose series
Beatrix Rose was Number One of Group Fifteen before John Milton took the title -- the deadliest assassin the British government ever fielded, until she was betrayed, her husband was murdered, and her infant daughter was taken from her. Mark Dawson's spin-off series, launched in 2014 with In Cold Blood, opens with Rose dying of cancer and spending what's left of her life working down a revenge list of everyone responsible, before the story loops back to fill in exactly how she survived Hong Kong's criminal underworld long enough to build that list in the first place.
The three prequel novellas collected as the Hong Kong Stories (White Devil, Nine Dragons, Dragon Head) tell that origin directly, while the core trilogy (In Cold Blood, Blood Moon Rising, Blood and Roses) follows the revenge mission itself. Phoenix (2017) is a shorter crossover story pairing Rose with John Milton on a joint operation in Venezuela, and Tempest (2019) and Pistolero (2023) continue her story afterward. The series shares its Group Fifteen setting and several characters with Dawson's John Milton, Isabella Rose, and Group Fifteen Files series.
Frequently asked questions
How many Beatrix Rose books are there?
Nine: three Hong Kong Stories prequel novellas, the three-book core trilogy, the crossover novella Phoenix, and two further novels, Tempest and Pistolero.
Do I need to read the Hong Kong Stories novellas first?
No -- they were published after the main trilogy as backstory and can be read either before or after In Cold Blood, whichever a reader prefers.
How does Beatrix Rose connect to John Milton?
Both are former Group Fifteen assassins in the same fictional world; Phoenix (2017) is a direct crossover story pairing the two characters on a joint mission.
Is Isabella Rose related to Beatrix Rose?
Yes -- Isabella is Beatrix's daughter, and the Isabella Rose series follows her into the same line of work; it's tracked separately in this catalogue.
If you like the Beatrix Rose series
Reading order last verified .