Burren Mysteries books in order

Q: "How many books are in the Burren Mysteries series?"

"There are sixteen books in the Burren Mysteries series, published between 2007 and 2017."

Q: "What is the first book in the Burren Mysteries series?"

"The first book in the Burren Mysteries series is My Lady Judge, published in 2007."

Q: "Who is Mara in the Burren Mysteries?"

"Mara is the Brehon of the Burren, the official law keeper and judge for the Burren region of County Clare under the Brehon legal system, the ancient Irish code that governed Gaelic territories before English common law replaced it in the seventeenth century. As Brehon, Mara has the authority to investigate deaths, hear cases, and deliver judgment. She runs a law school, has students who assist in her investigations, and moves through a tightly defined social world of lords, farmers, priests, and traders."

Reading order

#	Title	Published	Author	Buy on Amazon
1	My Lady Judge	2007	Cora Harrison	Buy
2	A Secret and Unlawful Killing	2008	Cora Harrison	N/A
3	Michaelmas Tribute / A Secret and Unlawful Killing	2008	Cora Harrison	Buy
4	The Sting of Justice	2009	Cora Harrison	Buy
5	Writ in Stone	2009	Cora Harrison	Buy
6	Eye of the Law	2010	Cora Harrison	Buy
7	Scales of Retribution	2011	Cora Harrison	Buy
8	Deed of Murder	2011	Cora Harrison	Buy
9	Laws in Conflict	2012	Cora Harrison	Buy
10	Chain of Evidence	2013	Cora Harrison	Buy
11	Cross of Vengeance	2013	Cora Harrison	Buy
12	Verdict of the Court	2014	Cora Harrison	Buy
13	Verdict of the Court: A Mystery Set in Sixteenth-Century Ireland	2014	Cora Harrison	N/A
14	Condemned to Death	2015	Cora Harrison	Buy
15	A Fatal Inheritance	2016	Cora Harrison	Buy
16	An Unjust Judge	2017	Cora Harrison	Buy

My Lady Judge (2007) introduced Mara and the Burren world to crime fiction readers, and the series ran for a decade through An Unjust Judge (2017). Harrison built the series on two foundations: the unusual legal setting of Brehon law, which gave Mara genuine authority in her investigations rather than the amateur-sleuth status typical of the genre, and the physical landscape of the Burren, the limestone plateau of County Clare with its distinctive flora, geology, and ancient monuments.

Each novel centers on a murder in the Burren community that Mara must investigate and bring to justice under the Brehon system. The procedural elements are tied to the historical legal framework: fines, honor prices, judgments delivered at public assemblies, giving the investigations a texture specific to the time and place.

The series expanded steadily across sixteen novels, developing recurring characters in Mara’s law school and household alongside the new cast each mystery brings. For readers interested in historical crime fiction set in Ireland outside the usual Victorian or Edwardian settings, the Burren Mysteries occupy a distinctive niche.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books are in the Burren Mysteries series?

There are sixteen books in the Burren Mysteries series, published between 2007 and 2017.

What is the first book in the Burren Mysteries series?

The first book in the Burren Mysteries series is My Lady Judge, published in 2007.

Who is Mara in the Burren Mysteries?

Mara is the Brehon of the Burren, the official law keeper and judge for the Burren region of County Clare under the Brehon legal system, the ancient Irish code that governed Gaelic territories before English common law replaced it in the seventeenth century. As Brehon, Mara has the authority to investigate deaths, hear cases, and deliver judgment. She runs a law school, has students who assist in her investigations, and moves through a tightly defined social world of lords, farmers, priests, and traders.

Reading order#

Frequently Asked Questions

Reading order