Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | In the Blood | 2011 | Steve Robinson | Buy |
| 2 | To The Grave | 2012 | Steve Robinson | Buy |
| 3 | The Last Queen of England | 2012 | Steve Robinson | Buy |
| 4 | The Lost Empress | 2014 | Steve Robinson | Buy |
| 5 | Kindred | 2016 | Steve Robinson | Buy |
| 6 | Dying Games | 2017 | Steve Robinson | Buy |
| 7 | Letters from the Dead | 2018 | Steve Robinson | Buy |
| 8 | The Girl in the Painting | 2021 | Steve Robinson | Buy |
Jefferson Tayte carries a briefcase and a methodical approach to ancestry research — which turns out to be a surprisingly effective investigative tool when the family histories he traces contain hidden crimes, contested identities, and dangerous secrets. Steve Robinson uses the genealogical premise to move the stories between time periods, with historical flashback sections illuminating the present-day mystery.
The series runs from In the Blood (2011) through The Girl in the Painting (2021), covering eight complete mysteries. The Last Queen of England, The Lost Empress, and Letters from the Dead all signal cases with historical sweep, while Kindred and Dying Games reflect more contemporary thriller territory.
Robinson’s own curiosity about genealogy — prompted in part by uncertainty about his own family history — gave the series its starting impulse, and that personal investment shows in how seriously the books treat the research process.