Bone Rattler Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Bone Rattler |
2007 |
Buy |
| Eye of the Raven |
2009 |
Buy |
| Original Death |
2013 |
Buy |
| Blood of the Oak |
2016 |
Buy |
| Savage Liberty |
2018 |
Buy |
| The King’s Beast |
2020 |
Buy |
| Freedom’s Ghost |
2023 |
Buy |
Inspector Shan Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| The Skull Mantra |
1999 |
Buy |
| Water Touching Stone |
2001 |
Buy |
| Bone Mountain |
2002 |
Buy |
| Beautiful Ghosts |
2004 |
Buy |
| Prayer of the Dragon |
2007 |
Buy |
| The Lord of Death |
2009 |
Buy |
| Mandarin Gate |
2012 |
Buy |
| Soul of the Fire |
2014 |
Buy |
| Skeleton God |
2017 |
Buy |
| Bones of the Earth |
2019 |
Buy |
Standalone Novels#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Ashes of the Earth |
2012 |
Buy |
Eliot Pattison writes historical mysteries set in places and time periods rarely explored in the genre. His two main series take readers to very different worlds: Inspector Shan investigates crimes in modern Tibet under Chinese occupation, while the Bone Rattler books follow Duncan McCallum through the dangers of colonial America. In both cases, Pattison uses historical and political context not just as backdrop but as a driving force in the mysteries themselves.
Pattison’s debut novel The Skull Mantra won the Edgar Award for Best First Novel in 2000, launching the Inspector Shan series that would eventually span ten books. The Bone Rattler series, which began in 2007 and ran to seven books through 2023, tackles the American Revolution era with the same attention to cultural detail that marks his Tibet novels. He also published the standalone novel Ashes of the Earth in 2012.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many books has Eliot Pattison written?
Eliot Pattison has written eighteen books across three series.
What was Eliot Pattison's first book?
Eliot Pattison’s first book is The Skull Mantra, published in 1999.
What settings does Eliot Pattison use in his novels?
Pattison is known for setting his mysteries in unusual and richly detailed locations. The Inspector Shan series takes place in Chinese-occupied Tibet, while the Bone Rattler series is set in 18th-century colonial America. Both settings are central to the stories and inform the mysteries in each book.