In What Order Were The Joe Grey Mystery Books Originally Published?

For collectors, first edition identification is a whole other hobby. The order is key to knowing what you're looking for. The first printings of 'Cat on the Edge' have a very different value than a recent reprint. Knowing the exact publication year for each title is the first step in that collector's journey. Some people enjoy the hunt for the original covers in the original order more than reading the stories themselves, which is a valid way to engage with the series fandom.

There's a map of Molena Point in some of the later editions. Watching that map fill out and become more detailed as you read in order is a small, delightful pleasure. New shops, character homes, and key locations get added as the town grows. If you read out of order, the map in, say, 'Cat Telling Tales' would be a spoiler, showing places that weren't introduced until later books. It's another subtle reason to respect the publication timeline.

Let's get the full chronology straight, because it does matter for character growth. Shirley Rousseau Murphy published them in this order: 1. Cat on the Edge (1996), 2. Cat Under Fire (1997), 3. Cat Raise the Dead (1997), 4. Cat in the Dark (1998), 5. Cat to the Dogs (2000), 6. Cat Spitting Mad (2001), 7. Cat on the Money (2001), 8. Cat Laughing Last (2002), 9. Cat Seeing Double (2003), 10. Cat Fear No Evil (2004). That's the solid first decade. After that, you have 'Cat Cross Their Graves' (2005), 'Cat Breaking Free' (2005), 'Cat Pay the Devil' (2007), 'Cat Deck the Halls' (2007), 'Cat Playing Cupid' (2009), 'Cat Telling Tales' (2010), 'Cat Bearing Gifts' (2012), 'Cat Shout for Joy' (2016), and finally 'Cat Shining Bright' (2019). It's a long, cozy journey worth taking in sequence.

I have a spreadsheet for my mystery series reading, and Joe Grey has its own tab. The publication order column is meticulously filled. Next to it, I have columns for my rating, the villain type, and which major human characters appear. It might sound obsessive, but for a series this long, it helps me remember the journey. And yes, the data confirms the publication order is the only logical way to track the ongoing subplots about the town's history and the cats' ancient origins. Spreadsheet-approved!

The covers! Don't forget the order lets you see the cover art evolution. The early photographic covers with real cats, the transition to more illustrated styles, the change in logo design... it's a visual history of book marketing trends from the 90s to the 2010s. Collecting them in order is like owning a piece of that publishing history. The books are artifacts as well as stories.