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A Cleopatra Fox Mystery — by C.J. Archer
Cleopatra Fox Series in Order: 13 books
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Murder at the Mayfair Hotel
Book - 1
It was the most fashionable place to stay in London, until murder made a reservation. Solve the puzzle in this new mystery from USA Today bestselling author of the Glass and Steele series.December 1899. After the death of her beloved grandmother, Cle...
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Murder at the Piccadilly Playhouse
Book - 2
When a hotel guest's mistress is found dead in the stalls of the Piccadilly Playhouse, a verdict of suicide is given. Convinced his lover didn't kill herself, Lord Rumford wants the truth uncovered. Against his better judgement, he hires Cleo Fox to ...
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Murder in the Drawing Room
Book - 3
Scandal, secrets and bawdy photographs are uncovered when the wife of a politician is murdered. Untangle the lies with Cleo and her friends and find the killer. When Harry Armitage passes an investigation to Cleo involving adultery, they both think i...
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Murder at the Dressmaker's Salon
Book - 4
As fashion designer to London's elite, she had an eye for detail and a flare for the dramatic. But there's nothing stylish about her cold-blooded murder. With the social season just around the corner, the women in Cleo's family are having new ...
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Murder at the Debutante Ball
Book - 5
In this 5th installment of the bestselling mystery series, Cleopatra Fox gets entangled in a web of betrayal and blackmail that leaves the high society matchmakers scandalized. When a notorious cad is bludgeoned to death with a candlestick in ...
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Murder at the Crown and Anchor
Book - 6
A wealthy businessman with a reputation for taking risks rose from the slums to the height of success. But success comes at a price, especially when it's achieved at the expense of others. When a former guest of the hotel is found dead in a doc...
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Murder at the Polo Club
Book - 7
The sport of kings is the backdrop for a game of murder where one player loses more than the match. Can Cleo solve the case, or will the murderer win? Summer has arrived along with a plethora of social events that keep Cleo and her cousins busy. Betw...
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Murder at the Dinner Party
Book - 8
The staff in high society households are expected to be unobtrusive, but a dead butler in the dining room tends to get noticed. Did he die of natural causes or was he poisoned? Cleo is hired by the housekeeper at a Mayfair residence afte...
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Murder on the Brighton Express
Book - 9
Gossip, scandal and murder collide on the express train to London. Did the journalist fall from the first-class carriage, or was she pushed? Cleo's holiday with her family to the seaside resort town of Brighton is everything she hoped it would...
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Murder at Hambledon Hall
Book - 10
The genteel tranquility of a country house party is shattered when the gamekeeper is shot. Was his death the result of his recent indiscretions, or long-buried secrets? The weekend was supposed to be an enjoyable time with her family at the ne...
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Murder on Harley Street
Book - 11
When a patient is electrocuted by a medical therapy device, the manufacturer proves it was tampered with. Who killed her? And what grudge did they hold against her doctor, whose reputation now lies in tatters? The medical profession's faith in elec...
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Murder and the Missing Treasure
Book - 12
A pirate's treasure, lost for decades, lures the greedy and adventurer alike. Did someone commit murder to get their hands on it? When the celebrated biographer of the infamous pirate Blackheart takes a suite at the Mayfair Hotel to live out his fi...
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Series Premise
Cleopatra “Cleo†Fox, newly arrived in Chicago after a family tragedy, takes a job at the luxurious Mayfair Hotel, where she repeatedly becomes entangled in suspicious deaths and crimes among guests, staff, and the city’s elite. With the help of the hotel’s enigmatic detective and a small circle of allies, she uncovers motives rooted in greed, jealousy, family secrets, or hidden identities, all while navigating her own complicated past and growing attraction to the man who both assists and frustrates her investigations.
The series should be read in publication order. While each book features a self-contained murder mystery with its own investigation, suspects, and resolution, significant continuity exists: Cleo’s personal backstory, her evolving relationship with Detective Harry Armitage, her deepening ties to the hotel staff, and subtle references to prior cases build progressively across the volumes. Order matters for emotional depth, romantic progression, and avoiding spoilers on major character developments—though the individual mysteries are strong enough to be enjoyed somewhat independently if read out of sequence.
Cleopatra Fox Series Characters
Cleopatra “Cleo†Fox — The protagonist, a bright, resourceful young woman with a sharp eye for detail and a deep love of puzzles. Independent, quick-witted, and kind-hearted, she is determined to make her own way while uncovering the truth behind each crime.
- Harry Armitage — The hotel’s charming, enigmatic detective (and Cleo’s reluctant partner/rival-turned-love-interest). Skilled, observant, and guarded, he hides his own past while gradually opening up to Cleo, creating a slow-burn, will-they-won’t-they dynamic.
- Supporting hotel staff and friends — A warm ensemble of recurring characters: the kind-hearted housekeeper, the gossipy bellboy, the stern but loyal manager, and other employees who provide humor, information, and a strong sense of found family.
- Suspects and victims — A rotating cast of hotel guests, wealthy patrons, and local figures whose motives are typically rooted in greed, jealousy, family secrets, or personal scandal—keeping the mysteries intimate and believable.
Setting of the Cleopatra Fox Series
The series is primarily set in early 1920s Chicago, with the luxurious Mayfair Hotel as the central hub—a grand, opulent building filled with marble lobbies, elegant ballrooms, private suites, rooftop gardens, and hidden service corridors where secrets are easily overheard. Mysteries often unfold within the hotel (guest rooms, dining rooms, kitchens, staff quarters) or extend into the vibrant, bustling city—speakeasies, theaters, wealthy mansions, and foggy streets—capturing the glamour and grit of Prohibition-era America. The hotel itself feels like a character: a glittering microcosm of society where the rich, famous, and infamous cross paths, and nothing stays hidden for long.
Tone & Themes of the Cleopatra Fox Series
The tone is light-hearted yet suspenseful, with a classic cozy mystery feel that emphasizes clever deduction, witty banter, and warm character moments over graphic violence or grim darkness. The stories are engaging and entertaining—murders are treated seriously but handled with a gentle touch, and the focus remains on puzzle-solving, friendship, and slow-burn romance. Humor is dry and character-driven (Cleo’s quick wit, Harry’s dry sarcasm, hotel staff quirks), while the romance is tender, teasing, and emotionally satisfying. The overall mood is cozy, optimistic, and immersive: justice is served, relationships deepen, and even the most tangled cases end with hope and connection.
C.J. Archer’s Cleopatra Fox series offers delightful, atmospheric cozy mysteries that combine clever sleuthing, slow-burn romance, and the cozy charm of a grand hotel filled with secrets. Through Cleo’s sharp mind and growing bond with Harry, the books explore friendship, loyalty, truth, and the quiet courage it takes to uncover hidden darkness in a glittering world. The series remains a warm, engaging favorite—perfect for readers who love traditional whodunits with humor, heart, and a strong sense of place. It leaves the happy assurance that in a place like the Mayfair Hotel, no mystery is too clever, no secret too well-hidden, and no heart too guarded to be won by persistence and kindness.
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