Daphne Jones Mysteries Books in Order
Part ofPhillipa Nefri Clark Books in OrderExplore the Daphne Jones Mysteries by Phillipa Nefri Clark in order, with cozy summaries, background, and guidance on where to start this celebrant sleuth series.
Last updated: January 16, 2026
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Publication Order
5 books
Time of Daph
by Phillipa Nefri Clark
2023
Daphne and her husband John set off on another journey in Bluebell, expecting a season of simple ceremonies and quiet campgrounds. Instead, a new booking stirs up old dangers and forces Daphne to decide how far she is willing to go for justice and the people she marries.
Daph on the Beach
by Phillipa Nefri Clark
2022
Before she ever solved a murder, celebrant Daphne Jones just wanted a sunny seaside ceremony and a few days in her caravan, Bluebell. When tensions spike between guests, her curiosity turns a simple beach job into her first taste of amateur sleuthing.
Till Daph Do Us Part
by Phillipa Nefri Clark
2021
Daphne Jones arrives in Little Bridges to marry Lisa Brooker and Steve Tanning, hoping for a joyful day. When the groom ends up dead in the swimming pool, Daphne wades into a family feud, three suspicious widowhoods, and a murderer determined to silence her.
The Shadow of Daph
by Phillipa Nefri Clark
2021
In a picturesque town called Shady Bend, Daphne is booked to officiate a funeral for beloved local Edwina Drinkwater. An empty casket, poisoned food, and a tangle of old grudges turn the trip into her most dangerous investigation yet.
Tales of Life and Daph
by Phillipa Nefri Clark
2021
Daphne heads to an exclusive mountain resort for a conference of wedding celebrants, expecting workshops and pampering. Instead she is drawn into late-night mischief, a possible body in a fountain, and a locked-in whodunit where a killer may be hiding in plain sight.
Series background & context
The Daphne Jones Mysteries follow Daphne, a later-in-life sleuth who has swapped running a real estate office for a new vocation as a travelling celebrant. With her husband John and their caravan, Bluebell, she criss-crosses regional Australia to officiate weddings and funerals in small towns that are not nearly as peaceful as they look.
In Till Daph Do Us Part, Daphne arrives in Little Bridges to marry Lisa Brooker and Steve Tanning at a family property. Old feuds simmer beneath the smiles, and when the groom ends up dead in the swimming pool, Daphne's sense that this was no accident pulls her into her first full-blown investigation.
The Shadow of Daph takes her to the mountain town of Shady Bend to conduct a funeral for community matriarch Edwina Drinkwater. An empty casket, poisoned food, and a book of blackmail material turn the farewell into a dangerous puzzle, with Daphne uncovering long-standing resentments as the body count rises.
In Tales of Life and Daph, she attends a conference for celebrants at a luxurious alpine retreat, expecting networking and pampering. Instead she finds herself wading into a fountain in the middle of the night, wondering whether she really saw a body, and trying to keep everyone safe when a storm cuts the resort off from the outside world.
Shorter works like Daph on the Beach and Time of Daph round out her adventures, showing earlier ceremonies and later crossroads in her life on the road. Across the stories, John provides quiet backup, strong cups of tea, and a steady voice when Daphne's curiosity steers them into trouble.
The tone of the series is warm and cozy, with later-in-life protagonists, supportive relationships, and a focus on community connections. Weddings, funerals, family gatherings, and country hospitality sit alongside murder, greed, and old secrets.
Each book contains a self-contained mystery, so you can start almost anywhere, but reading in order lets you watch Daphne grow into her role as a sleuth and see how each case leaves its mark on her marriage, her confidence, and her beloved Bluebell.
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