Judge Dee books in order

Q: "How many books are in the Judge Dee series?"

"There are 23 books in the Judge Dee series, published between 1949 and 2024."

Q: "What is the first book in the Judge Dee series?"

"The first book in the Judge Dee series is I celebri casi del giudice Dee, published in 1949."

Q: "What is the relationship between the classic Judge Dee novels and the newer novellas?"

"The original Judge Dee novels were written by Robert van Gulik between 1949 and 1968, based on an 18th-century Chinese detective character. Lavie Tidhar has written a series of modern novellas beginning in 2020 that reimagine the character in new settings, from the streets of Montmartre to the courts of Count Werdenfels."

Reading order

#	Title	Published	Author	Buy on Amazon
1	I celebri casi del giudice Dee	1949	Lavie Tidhar	N/A
2	Judge Dee and the Limits of the Law	2020	Lavie Tidhar	Buy
3	The Chinese Maze Murders	1951	Lavie Tidhar	N/A
4	Judge Dee and the Three Deaths of Count Werdenfels	2021	Lavie Tidhar	Buy
5	Bí Mật Quả Chuông	1958	Lavie Tidhar	N/A
6	Judge Dee and the Poisoner of Montmartre	2021	Lavie Tidhar	Buy
7	Золото будды	1959	Lavie Tidhar	N/A
8	Seven Vampires	2022	Lavie Tidhar	Buy
9	Kiinalaiset järvimurhat	1960	Lavie Tidhar	N/A
10	Judge Dee and the Mystery of the Missing Manuscript	2022	Lavie Tidhar	Buy
11	Kiinalaiset naulamurhat	1961	Lavie Tidhar	N/A
12	Judge Dee and the Executioner of Epinal	2024	Lavie Tidhar	Buy
13	Kummitusluostari	1961	Lavie Tidhar	N/A
14	The Red Pavilion	1961	Lavie Tidhar	N/A
15	Lacquer Screen	1962	Lavie Tidhar	N/A
16	Keisarin helmi	1963	Lavie Tidhar	N/A
17	Apina ja tiikeri	1965	Lavie Tidhar	N/A
18	The Willow Pattern	1965	Lavie Tidhar	N/A
19	Murder in Canton	1966	Lavie Tidhar	N/A
20	The Phantom of the Temple: A Judge Dee Mystery	1966	Lavie Tidhar	N/A
21	Judge Dee at Work: Eight Chinese Detective Stories	1967	Lavie Tidhar	N/A
22	Necklace and Calabash	1967	Lavie Tidhar	N/A
23	Poets and Murder	1968	Lavie Tidhar	N/A

The Judge Dee series has roots going back to 1949 with Robert van Gulik’s classic detective novels based on a historical Chinese magistrate. Van Gulik wrote prolifically about Judge Dee from the 1950s through the late 1960s, producing novels like The Chinese Maze Murders, The Red Pavilion, and Murder in Canton that became beloved mysteries worldwide.

Lavie Tidhar has added to the Judge Dee canon with a series of modern novellas that place the detective in unexpected settings beyond Tang Dynasty China. Judge Dee and the Limits of the Law (2020), Judge Dee and the Three Deaths of Count Werdenfels (2021), and several other novellas reimagine the character for contemporary readers while preserving the puzzle-solving spirit of the originals.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books are in the Judge Dee series?

There are 23 books in the Judge Dee series, published between 1949 and 2024.

What is the first book in the Judge Dee series?

The first book in the Judge Dee series is I celebri casi del giudice Dee, published in 1949.

What is the relationship between the classic Judge Dee novels and the newer novellas?

The original Judge Dee novels were written by Robert van Gulik between 1949 and 1968, based on an 18th-century Chinese detective character. Lavie Tidhar has written a series of modern novellas beginning in 2020 that reimagine the character in new settings, from the streets of Montmartre to the courts of Count Werdenfels.

Reading order#

Frequently Asked Questions

Reading order