Fliss Chester Books In Order

Publication Order of Cressida Fawcett Mystery Books

Publication Order of Fen Churche Mystery Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Fliss Chester
Fliss Chester lives in this little village in West Sussex, and she writes historical cozy crime. When she is not busy killing people off in her 1920s and 1940s whodunnits, she helps her husband (who’s a wine merchant) run their family business. Which means that Fliss is never too far away from a decent glass of something, which makes her quite happy indeed.

Before writing her two cozy crime series, she wrote these flirty and fun romance stories, the type of thing which might make your mom blush. Not hers however, since it was her mom that always encouraged her to be ‘anything you want, so long as it ain’t dull’. Hopefully her readers are going to attest to the fact that whether it is death by cyanide or a smooch in a hot tub, there is nothing that’s dull about Fliss’s books.

“Snowballs” is the first novel in the “French Escapes” series and was released in 2018. Join old university friends Sally, Angus, Hugo, Bertie, Max, and Jenna while they set off for this wintry weekend of fondue, fun, and frivolity on the glamorous Val d’Argent. Drinking, flirting, and dancing are on the agenda. As is doing a bit of skiing.

However once they arrive they are quickly waylaid by ominous oligarchs, secret passions, chairlift shenanigans, and the type of social climbing which requires more planning and effort than a solo ascent of Mont Blanc.

Clip your skis on, dig out your salopettes, and get ready for a bit of fun on the slopes.

“A Dangerous Goodbye” is the first novel in the “Fen Churche Mystery” series and was released in 2020. 1944 in England. Time stops for Fen Churche on a clear autumn morning in late September. Waiting on the scrubbed farmhouse table for her is this letter from her cherished and beloved Arthur Melville-Hare, who was a blue-eyed and brave captain that was shipped off to war. Through her tears, she knows what it means: that she won’t ever see her fiance again.

While reading the letter, she realizes something that even the War Office didn’t: Arthur and Fen shared this love of crosswords, and he has left her some clever clues to his disappearance.

Desperate to learn what happened to the love of her life, she heads off for France, heading to his final posting: this quaint village, which is surrounded by vineyards. However darkness lies under the charming surface of this countryside town, and once the beloved priest and son of a local winemaker are discovered dead, it is obvious that somebody wants to keep wartime secrets buried.

Can Fen actually survive just long enough to learn the truth?

“Death Among the Diamonds” is the first novel in the “Cressida Fawcett Mystery” series and was released in 2022. Everybody in 1920s London knows the name Honourable Cressida Fawcett: fiercely independent (even though she’s never apart from Ruby, her little pug), interior designer extraordinaire, and lover of martinis. She has solved so many crimes of fashion, so how about a murder?

Cressida Fawcett is heading out to the English countryside for a weekend of cocktails and partying out at her friend’s glamorous mansion, the location of this recent diamond heist. However only hours after she’s arrived, Cressida gets awakened by this almighty scream. Rushing over to the landing, she looks down upon the great hall just to find a trembling maid standing over Harry’s body, who was the friendly young chandelier cleaner.

Everybody believes that Harry’s death was just an accident. However while Cressida examines the opulent hall and the gorgeous grounds, she believes there is something much darker afoot. Why else clean a chandelier during the early morning hours? And who overheard Harry boasting all about coming into some unexpected wealth? A tiny piece of torn silk found near the body has got Cressida looking at the guests’ elegant clothes with a fresh set of eyes.

The short-tempered detective is insisting that Cressida keep her curious nose out of this investigation, however it is Cressida that realizes the stolen diamonds were hidden up in the sparkling chandelier. Convinced that there is a connection between the murder and the theft, this case takes a much more sinister turn once a guest gets murdered in his sleep after a brandy-fueled night spent playing cards. With everybody unable to leave, can Cressida’s sharp eye for detail catch this killer before another life gets taken

“Death by a Cornish Cove” is the second novel in the “Cressida Fawcett Mystery” series and was released in 2023. This seaside party at some Cornish mansion with enough fizz, what could possibly be more perfect? However something fishy is clearly afoot. There’s a killer lurking among the guests, and Cressida Fawcett is the only one able to stop them.

Cressida gets invited to stay at Penbeagle House out on the Cornish coast for this fancy dress ball, she looks forward to sipping rum cocktails while dressed as a pirate, watching the red-sailed boats go by and just relaxing in the sea air with Dotty, her good friend. However before they can even raise their glasses to toast Cressida’s old flame Lord Canterbury’s engagement, he drops dead right in front of the horrified guests.

The local doctor determines that he died from being poisoned, and Detective Chief Inspector Andrews is soon heading there from Scotland Yard. However Cressida is dismayed by the murder of the intrepid explorer that once asked her to get married, and she just can’t leave this case to the cops. Together with Dotty and Ruby, Cressida goes looking for clues just to find that many of the guests have got motives for murder. Did a bitter fellow explorer or an irate journalist send Lord Canterbury on his untimely final journey?

And once a young maid is discovered dead, floating up on the shimmering waters of the cove, Cressida realizes that time’s running out to catch this killer. Could some clue hidden among some pretty pungent crab sandwiches help her to solve this case before another murder’s committed?

A totally addictive and witty cozy mystery packed with enough glamour and intrigue.