📖 About Benjamin January Mysteries

Benjamin January Mysteries is a series universe written by Barbara Hambly. The complete collection runs to 26 books across 1 series, published between 1997 and 2025.

The main series is Publication Order of Benjamin January Books with 26 books. It opens with A Free Man of Color (1997) and currently runs to Murder in the Trembling Lands (2025).

Series included on this page:

🎯 Where to Start with Benjamin January Mysteries

New readers should begin with the first book of the main series in publication order: A Free Man of Color (1997), book 1 of Publication Order of Benjamin January Books. Reading in publication order lets the world and characters develop the way the author intended, and it avoids spoilers that later books may contain.

Each of the 1 series on this page is expandable — click a series heading to see every title it contains, in order, with a direct link to buy the book on Amazon.

📚 Benjamin January Mysteries Books in Order

Publication Order of Benjamin January Books
26 books
1
A Free Man of Color book cover1A Free Man of Color1997Buy on Amazon
Fever Season book cover2Fever Season1998Buy on Amazon
Graveyard Dust book cover3Graveyard Dust1999Buy on Amazon
Sold Down the River book cover4Sold Down the River2000Buy on Amazon
Die Upon a Kiss book cover5Die Upon a Kiss2001Buy on Amazon
Wet Grave book cover6Wet Grave2002Buy on Amazon
Days of the Dead book cover7Days of the Dead2003Buy on Amazon
Dead Water book cover8Dead Water2004Buy on Amazon
Dead and Buried book cover9Dead and Buried2010Buy on Amazon
The Shirt On His Back book cover10The Shirt On His Back2011Buy on Amazon
Ran Away book cover11Ran Away2011Buy on Amazon
Good Man Friday book cover12Good Man Friday2013Buy on Amazon
Crimson Angel book cover13Crimson Angel2014Buy on Amazon
Hagar book cover14Hagar2015Buy on Amazon
Libre book cover15Libre2015Buy on Amazon
There Shall Your Heart Be Also book cover16There Shall Your Heart Be Also2015Buy on Amazon
A Time For Every Purpose Under Heaven book cover17A Time For Every Purpose Under Heaven2015Buy on Amazon
Death on the Moon book cover18Death on the Moon2016Buy on Amazon
Drinking Gourd book cover19Drinking Gourd2016Buy on Amazon
Murder in July book cover20Murder in July2017Buy on Amazon
Cold Bayou book cover21Cold Bayou2018Buy on Amazon
Lady of Perdition book cover22Lady of Perdition2019Buy on Amazon
House of the Patriarch book cover23House of the Patriarch2020Buy on Amazon
Death and Hard Cider book cover24Death and Hard Cider2022Buy on Amazon
The Nubian’s Curse book cover25The Nubian’s Curse2024Buy on Amazon
Murder in the Trembling Lands book cover26Murder in the Trembling Lands2025Buy on Amazon

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How many Benjamin January Mysteries books are there?
There are 26 books in the Benjamin January Mysteries collection, organised into 1 series and published between 1997 and 2025.
What is the first Benjamin January Mysteries book?
The first book is A Free Man of Color, published in 1997.
What order should I read the Benjamin January Mysteries books in?
Most readers use publication order, which is the order the books were originally released. A chronological order is also provided on this page for readers who prefer to follow the internal timeline of the story.
Who wrote the Benjamin January Mysteries books?
The Benjamin January Mysteries books were written by Barbara Hambly.
Is the Benjamin January Mysteries series finished?
The main series, Publication Order of Benjamin January Books, has 26 books so far. The most recent title listed on this page gives the current end point of the series.
When did the Benjamin January Mysteries series start?
The earliest title in this collection was published in 1997, and the most recent in 2025.