Rex and the Dowager Books in Order

The Rex and the Dowager mysteries are 1920s British whodunits with country houses, high society, sharp-tongued suspects, and murders that arrive at the most inconvenient moments. At the centre are Rex Sutherland and Eleanor, Dowager Duchess of Drakeford. Rex works alongside the duchess, whom he calls HG, and soon learns that she is no stranger to crime scenes or difficult questions.

HG has a long-standing connection with Inspector Whipple of Scotland Yard. When trouble appears, their partnership brings together the duchess's social access, Rex's close observation, and Whipple's official authority. The three make an entertaining investigative team, especially when they must sort through the rivalries and carefully guarded reputations of the well-to-do people around them.

Murder is terribly bad for a picnic.

The series starts with A Posh Murder, set at Bircham Manor. Rex and HG find a body near the lake while visiting the home of one of the duchess's friends. A country-house weekend suddenly becomes an investigation filled with guests, servants, gossip, romantic complications, and another death. It is a classic closed-circle setup, where nearly everyone has a reason to hide something.

The following books expand the pair's 1920s world without losing the focus on a contained puzzle. In A Spiffing Murder, a lavish gathering at the Hilltop estate turns deadly when a chief accountant collapses after eating cake. HG, Rex, and Whipple must work through class tensions, private vendettas, and secrets behind the estate's polished surface before the killer has another chance.

A Dapper Murder moves the action to Norwich in 1922 and into the glamorous setting of a high-society fashion show. When a model is shot and another woman is later found dead, the trio follows rumours that point toward the secretive Three Circles Society. The change of setting adds fashion and scandal to the usual mix of social games, but the driving question remains simple: who benefits from the crime?

These are historical cozy mysteries with a light, playful edge and real stakes beneath the champagne and cream cakes. The books suit readers who enjoy Golden Age-style puzzles, a recurring detective trio, and settings where polite conversation can hide a great deal. Begin with A Posh Murder to meet Rex, HG, and Whipple before following them into their later cases.