Vicky Bliss books in order

The Vicky Bliss series by Elizabeth Peters is an art history mystery series following a tall, blonde American art historian working in Munich who gets tangled up with art theft and international crime.

Reading order

# Title Published Author Buy on Amazon
1 The Camelot Caper 1969 Elizabeth Peters Buy
2 Borrower of the Night 1973 Elizabeth Peters Buy
3 Street of the Five Moons 1978 Elizabeth Peters Buy
4 Silhouette in Scarlet 1983 Elizabeth Peters Buy
5 Trojan Gold 1987 Elizabeth Peters Buy
6 Night Train to Memphis 1994 Elizabeth Peters Buy
7 The Laughter of Dead Kings 2008 Elizabeth Peters Buy

The Vicky Bliss series follows Dr. Victoria Bliss, a six-foot-tall American art historian working at the National Museum in Munich. Vicky is brilliant, funny, and frequently annoyed by the men around her, especially the mysterious John Smythe, a good-looking con artist and art thief who keeps dragging her into dangerous situations. The series begins with The Camelot Caper (1969), set in England, before settling into its European groove with Borrower of the Night (1973), where Vicky hunts for a lost medieval treasure in a German castle.

Street of the Five Moons (1978) introduces John Smythe and kicks off the romantic tension that carries through the rest of the series. Silhouette in Scarlet (1983) takes Vicky to Stockholm, Trojan Gold (1987) involves a hunt for a lost Schliemann treasure, and Night Train to Memphis (1994) reunites Vicky and John on a Nile cruise. The final book, The Laughter of Dead Kings (2008), sends them to Egypt to solve the theft of King Tutankhamun’s mummy. The series is lighter in tone than the Amelia Peabody books, with more emphasis on banter and romantic comedy alongside the art world crimes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books are in the Vicky Bliss series?

There are seven books in the Vicky Bliss series, published between 1969 and 2008.

What is the first book in the Vicky Bliss series?

The first book in the Vicky Bliss series is The Camelot Caper, published in 1969.

Who is Sir John Smythe in the Vicky Bliss series?

Sir John Smythe is the recurring love interest and a charming art thief who operates under various aliases. He first appears in Street of the Five Moons and becomes a central figure in the series, with his on-again, off-again relationship with Vicky driving much of the ongoing plot.

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