Charles Lenox Books In Order

Publication Order of Charles Lenox Mysteries Books

Chronological Order of Charles Lenox Mysteries Books

Using the Victorian era to situate his mystery novels in, American author Charles Finch has been writing the ‘Charles Lenox Mysteries’ series for some time now. Featuring the exploits of a gentleman sleuth named Charles Lenox, they follow his work as he aims to crack the case and solve any mystery presented to him. With a debonair air, this line of books set in the 1860s are filled with both suspense and intrigue, as they chart the progress of this armchair explorer.

Searching Victorian London for the clues to help him in his next case, he’s constantly called upon by those in need. As charming as he is intelligent, he has an eye for detail as he always keeps his eye on the finer points making sure to never miss a thing. With over seven books and more expected on the way, Finch aims to expand upon the series as his audience continues to grow.

Charles Lenox Mysteries: A Beautiful Blue Death

Initially published on the 26th of June, 2007, this book was the first in the series that author Charles Lenox used to setup the premise as a whole. Introducing the readers to protagonist Charles Lenox, it created the world within for him to investigate. The time period is also established here, as the overall tone of Victorian era London is conjured up for the audience.

Whilst Charles Lenox, the debonair English gent and scholar, simply wants to relax in his study as a man of leisure, he still can’t resist the lure of an ever enticing mystery to solve. Content to simply sit there and read his book by the open roar of the fire, he is a man of simple pleasures as he enjoys nothing more than a quiet cup of tea. Soon this peace is abruptly punctured though as his friend, the good Lady Jane, disturbs it by asking a large favor from him; to solve a mystery most crucial. With nowhere else to turn, she finds herself in dire need of his help, and it is with that that this particular one-time armchair explorer finds himself embarking on a mystery of the highest order. Unable to help himself, he finds that he must get up and move through the snow outdoors end enter the nearby townhouse, an unusual act for him.

The mystery presented to him just happens to be a death that at first appears to be a straightforward suicide, one of Lady Jane’s servants has appeared to taken their own life. The servant named Prudence Smith has killed herself, but the death itself seems somewhat suspicious to Charles Lenox, as he comes to believe that there might be foul play afoot. Believing that this could in fact be murder through the use of an extremely deadly, but also extremely rare poison, he sets about investigating the case as he aims to get to the bottom of it. In her lifetime Prudence was well known for being liked by a lot of men, and that leads Lenox to believe there might be a large pool of potential suspects. The lack of motive in her suicide is what drives his case forwards, when finally another death occurs at the most fashionable of balls in London. Who could the killer be and is their motive driven by that of jealousy, in what could’ve been a test of loyalties? Where may the killer strike next and could Charles be in danger himself as he races to crack the case? What happened on that fateful night when there was a beautiful blue death?

Charles Lenox Mysteries: The September Society

Carrying on in the same vein as the first, this novel originally written in 2008 on the first of January, was published by Finch as he continued the story his ever capable protagonist. Still set in the same region, Lenox continues to be a gentleman of leisure who solves crimes in his spare time. With another mystery, Finch this time goes straight into the action having already established his character in the last book.

This time it appears that Lenox is once again to be disturbed from the simple life relaxing in his study, as he’s interrupted with a new case involving a missing person. The year is now 1886 and he receives a visit from Lady Annabelle who turns up at his home in the very early hours one Autumn morning. Now a detective, he takes case promptly as she proceeds to inform him of what happened; her son has disappeared without a trace from his room at Oxford University. It seems there’s not much to go on either, apart from a collection of cryptically bizarre clues that Lenox unearths once he arrives at the alma mater of the missing student there. It seems that there’s a murdered cat left along with a card that simply refers to ‘The September Society’. As Lenox begins to investigate further, he hears news of a student dying nearby as foul play is afoot.

It seems that there’s a ghost from the past haunting Oxford as history seems not to be lying down, instead coming back revealing what might be skeletons in its closet. The September Society seem impenetrable though, as nobody really knows who or what they are, or even where they congregate as their actions are shrouded in mystery. With that it’s up to Lenox to ask for the help of some of his friends who reside within the upper echelons of British society, providing him with the strings he needs to save his own skin, as time is running out. Will he be able to solve the case in time before the killer comes looking for him? Can he save himself in the process and prevent any more murders from taking place? Just who and what are The September Society?

The Charles Lenox Mysteries Series

As the character of Charles Lenox has come to be well regarded over the course of the series, it appears that Finch has no intention of stopping anytime soon. With a lot more mysteries ready in the pipeline, it seems these books can continue indefinitely. For the foreseeable future it would appear they’re going to be carrying on.

One Response to “Charles Lenox”

1. Susan M: 2 years ago

   Love the Charles Lenox series. Best series going right now. Descriptions of Londan and the countryside evoke such fond memories of visiting there. Little bits of how things came to be are always fun. Excellent series.

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