Lestrade Books In Order

Publication Order of Lestrade Books

Author M. J. Trow pens the “Lestrade” series of historical mystery novels. The series began publication in the year 1985, when “The Adventures of Inspector Lestrade” was released.

The series stars an Inspector with Scotland Yard named Sholto Joseph Lestrade. This is the same character that Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson worked with. The series is set around the end of the nineteenth century and the start of the twentieth century.

“The Adventures of Inspector Lestrade” is the first novel in the “Lestrade” series, which was released in the year 1985. The year is 1891, and London is still trying to recover from the horror of the Jack the Ripper killings, which were unsolved. As Inspector Sholto Lestrade gets sent to the Isle of Wight to investigate an odd corpse that is found walled up in Shanklin Cline.

Lestrade whirls in different ballrooms, from spiritualist gather to vicarage. From the studio of Alma-Tadema to 221B Baker Street with gusto.

“Brigade” is the second novel in the “Lestrade” series, which was released in the year 1986. Scotland Yard has a new broom, and his name is Nimrod Frost. His very first “little job” for Inspector Lestrade to investigate a lion’s appearance in Cornwall, who is supposedly frightening men and savaging sheep. This is hardly the task suitable for an Inspector of the Criminal Investigation Department.

After he solves that case to his personal satisfaction, he goes back to London from one suspicious death to another. All of whom are old men that should have died peacefully in their sleep. Could there be a link somewhere? Could there be a mass killer at work?

Lestrade clashes with his superior officers and gets suspended from duty, but that is just a technicality to the fearless Lestrade. He moves from royal palace to workhouse, from regimental dinner to backstage at the Lyceum during his hunt for enlightenment and clues.

Lestrade is an excellent yet quirky detective. The book had enough turns and twists to the plot to hold the interest with a surprise happening at the end of the book. This writing is one of a kind, with puns and humor that makes you laugh out loud.

“Lestrade and the Hallowed House” is the third novel in the “Lestrade” series, which was released in the year 1987. Britain recently entered the twentieth century. Queen Victoria has died and the Boer War continues to rage. Lestrade has been called on to investigate Ralph Childers, MP, who has been brutally killed. It is just the first in a line of odd and confusing murders that lead Lestrade all over the country in the hunt of his enquiries.

The link between each of the victims looks to be politics. Could somebody be destroying the Government? It appears so, especially when there is a bomb found in the Palace of Westminster. Who is responsible for this? The Fenians? Or could the Suffragettes decided on a more drastic course of action to further their personal cause?

During his investigations Lestrade comes across some old and new faces. Among the new faces are the cousin and brother of the deceased Sherlock Holmes, who died at Reichenbach Falls eleven years ago. Could Holmes truly be dead? Dr. Watson does not believe so. Somebody wants to keep Holmes alive and Lestrade is made to “tread the boards”, playing himself, to find out the truth. As if things were not already serious enough, the King gets kidnapped right before his coronation ceremony.

Even by a different author, the prejudice, language, and concise description of action is still reminiscent of Doyle’s. The story is a great follow up to the books that come before it, and readers cannot wait to read more of these stories.

“Lestrade and the Leviathan” is the fourth novel in the “Lestrade” series, which was released in the year 1987. The year 1910 was promised to be a peaceful one. Lestrade’s men cannot help fill his wish. Nor can Emma, his daughter, who brings news to him of a tragic boating accident that involves members of his family.

Lestrade’s lot is really not a happy one. He has quite a few vicious killings to solve. A cross Channel swimmer that was found murdered, and one guy was hanged in the bell tower of a church. There is also Dr. Watson, Lestrade’s former sparring partner. Anarchists are threatening the peace of Europe and the whole Scotland Yard is trying to find “Peter the Painter”.

The thing that stands out in these books is the series of murder vignettes that Lestrade must solve, some of them link together, while some do not, or appear that they are unrelated. This makes it unclear how much attention you need to pay to each account. It gives these stories a realistic underpinning to the carefully made plot to the careless assembly of “webs” potentially seen after months of detective work.

“Lestrade and the Brother of Death” is the fifth novel in the “Lestrade” series, which was released in the year 1988. Lestrade is recovering from breaking his leg after his fall from the Titanic. He has been staying in the home of Fanny Berkley, his betrothed, and her dad, Tom, who is the Chief Constable of the county of Surrey.

This should have been a peaceful time, except for Lestrade’s lack of dexterity while steering his wheelchair. An attempt made on the life of his father-in-law-to-be makes him see that a cop is never truly off duty. Making things more puzzling is a letter he gets that says “Four of the Gospel Makers”, and it is not the first he has gotten.

Lestrade walks down Memory Lane to when he was a very naive and young constable. He reflects on previous cases in his career that did not end in satisfaction and hold some other clues as to who is sending these letters. Whoever it is, is one cold-blooded murderer.

Readers enjoy any and all books they are able to read from this excellent series, and this one is not an exception in the least. The book features some nice clues in the book, as it seems like Trow truly enjoys writing these stories and has fun writing for Lestrade.