Rosemary Edghill was an American science fiction, fantasy, mystery, romance, and tie-in writer whose bibliography spans several names and a remarkable number of collaborations.
Readers may encounter her work as Rosemary Edghill, as eluki bes shahar, and in some bibliographic records under the shared or alternate name James Mallory. She also collaborated extensively with Mercedes Lackey, Andre Norton, and Marion Zimmer Bradley.
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That makes the name on the cover almost as important as the series title.
Her clearest solo sequences are the Hellflower trilogy, the Bast mysteries, and the Twelve Treasures trilogy. Her major collaborative sequences include the Light books with Marion Zimmer Bradley, Carolus Rex with Andre Norton, Bedlam’s Bard material with Mercedes Lackey, and the Shadow Grail quartet with Lackey.
Start Here: Rosemary Edghill’s Main Series
For a quick reading-order answer, use these sequences.
Hellflower
Published originally as eluki bes shahar:
- Hellflower
- Darktraders
- Archangel Blues
Bast Mysteries
- Speak Daggers to Her
- Book of Moons
- The Bowl of Night
Then add the Bast short fiction collected in Failure of Moonlight.
Twelve Treasures
- The Sword of Maiden’s Tears
- The Cup of Morning Shadows
- The Cloak of Night and Daggers
Light Series, with Marion Zimmer Bradley
- Ghostlight
- Witchlight
- Gravelight
- Heartlight
Carolus Rex, with Andre Norton
- The Shadow of Albion
- Leopard in Exile
Shadow Grail, with Mercedes Lackey
- Legacies
- Conspiracies
- Sacrifices
- Victories
These are separate continuities.
Why Some Rosemary Edghill Books Are Filed Under eluki bes shahar
Before Rosemary Edghill became the name most readers knew, she published science fiction as eluki bes shahar, with the lower-case styling intentional.
The most important books under that name are the Hellflower novels.
Older copies may therefore appear under eluki bes shahar, while newer reissues may use Rosemary Edghill more prominently.
They are the same author.
Hellflower Books in Order
The Hellflower trilogy follows Butterfly St. Cyr, a starpilot operating on the rougher edges of an interstellar civilization.
Read:
- Hellflower (1991)
- Darktraders (1992)
- Archangel Blues (1993)
This is a continuous trilogy and should remain in publication order.
Hellflower
Hellflower introduces Butterfly St. Cyr and Valijon Starbringer, a young mercenary whom Butterfly nicknames Tiggy Stardust.
Included: Book 1.
Darktraders
The second novel continues Butterfly’s adventures and assumes familiarity with the first book.
Included: Book 2.
Archangel Blues
Archangel Blues concludes the original trilogy.
Included: Book 3.
Butterfly and Hellflower
The three Hellflower novels were collected in an omnibus titled Butterfly and Hellflower.
It contains:
- Hellflower
- Darktraders
- Archangel Blues
Readers who own the omnibus already have the complete trilogy.
Status: Omnibus, not Book 4.
What About the 2022 and 2023 Hellflower Editions?
The Hellflower novels were reissued decades after their original publication.
Those newer publication dates do not indicate new sequels.
The reading order remains:
- Hellflower
- Darktraders
- Archangel Blues
Check the original publication history rather than assuming a 2023 edition is a newly written continuation.
Bast Mystery Books in Order
The Bast series follows Karen Hightower, known as Bast, a Wiccan amateur detective living in Manhattan.
The three novels are:
- Speak Daggers to Her (1994)
- Book of Moons (1995)
- The Bowl of Night (1996)
These are best read in order because Bast’s relationships and personal history develop across the series.
Speak Daggers to Her
The first Bast novel introduces Karen Hightower and the New York Pagan community around her.
Included: Book 1.
Book of Moons
The second mystery continues Bast’s life and investigative role.
Included: Book 2.
The Bowl of Night
The third novel completes the main published Bast novel sequence.
Included: Book 3.
Bell, Book, and Murder
Bell, Book, and Murder is sometimes listed as though it were another Bast installment.
It is actually an omnibus containing:
- Speak Daggers to Her
- Book of Moons
- The Bowl of Night
Status: Omnibus.
Do not count it as Book 4.
Bast Short Stories
Edghill later wrote additional Bast fiction.
Important titles include:
- The Iron Bride
- Burden of Guilt
- A Winter’s Tale
- Advice from a Young Witch to an Old Priestess
These take place around the novel sequence and can contain spoilers for the books.
Edghill herself advised readers that the shorter material includes events both before and after the novels.
For a first read, finish the three Bast novels before moving to the stories.
Failure of Moonlight
Failure of Moonlight: The Collected Bast Shorter Works gathers the additional Bast stories.
The safest order is therefore:
- Speak Daggers to Her
- Book of Moons
- The Bowl of Night
- Failure of Moonlight
Status: Recommended supplemental collection.
Twelve Treasures Books in Order
The Twelve Treasures trilogy is Edghill’s urban fantasy sequence involving elves, magical objects, and contemporary characters.
Read:
- The Sword of Maiden’s Tears (1994)
- The Cup of Morning Shadows (1995)
- The Cloak of Night and Daggers (1997)
The trilogy should be read in publication order.
The Sword of Maiden’s Tears
This begins the Twelve Treasures story.
Included: Book 1.
The Cup of Morning Shadows
The second novel continues the magical conflict established in the first.
Included: Book 2.
The Cloak of Night and Daggers
The third novel concludes the published trilogy.
Included: Book 3.
The Empty Crown
The Empty Crown is an omnibus containing all three Twelve Treasures novels.
It is not a fourth installment.
Readers with the omnibus already have:
- The Sword of Maiden’s Tears
- The Cup of Morning Shadows
- The Cloak of Night and Daggers
Status: Complete-series omnibus.
Light Series Books in Order
Edghill collaborated with Marion Zimmer Bradley on four supernatural novels.
Read:
- Ghostlight (1995)
- Witchlight (1996)
- Gravelight (1997)
- Heartlight (1998)
The books are sometimes grouped under names such as the Light series or Shadow’s Gate.
They should be read in publication order.
How Rosemary Edghill Was Involved in the Light Books
Edghill worked from Marion Zimmer Bradley material and helped shape the novels into their published form.
Older editions do not always foreground Edghill’s contribution in the same way later bibliographies do.
For a Rosemary Edghill completionist bibliography, all four belong.
Status: Collaborative series.
Carolus Rex Books in Order
Edghill collaborated with Andre Norton on the alternate-history fantasy sequence Carolus Rex.
Read:
- The Shadow of Albion (1999)
- Leopard in Exile (2001)
These are directly connected.
The Shadow of Albion
The first novel establishes an alternate Regency world involving politics, magic, and parallel possibilities.
Included: Book 1.
Leopard in Exile
Leopard in Exile continues the story and should be read second.
Included: Book 2.
Was Carolus Rex Supposed to Continue?
Yes.
Edghill later discussed plans and proposals for additional Albion books after Andre Norton’s death.
Those plans did not produce further published novels.
The completed published reading order therefore remains:
- The Shadow of Albion
- Leopard in Exile
Series status: Two published books.
Shadow Grail Books in Order
The Shadow Grail series was written by Mercedes Lackey and Rosemary Edghill.
Read:
- Legacies (2010)
- Conspiracies (2011)
- Sacrifices (2013)
- Victories (2014)
This is a continuous young adult fantasy series centered on Spirit White and Oakhurst Academy.
The four books should not be rearranged.
Legacies
Legacies introduces Spirit White, Oakhurst Academy, its magical students, and the danger surrounding the school.
Included: Book 1.
Conspiracies
The second novel continues the mysteries and conflicts established in Legacies.
Included: Book 2.
Sacrifices
The third novel escalates the struggle surrounding Oakhurst and the Shadow Knights.
Included: Book 3.
Victories
Victories concludes the four-book Shadow Grail sequence.
Included: Book 4 and series finale.
The Complete Shadow Grail Series
The four novels are also sold together as The Complete Shadow Grail Series.
That bundle contains:
- Legacies
- Conspiracies
- Sacrifices
- Victories
Status: Complete-series bundle.
Bedlam’s Bard and Eric Banyon Books
Edghill also became an important collaborator in Mercedes Lackey’s long-running urban fantasy world involving elves, bards, and the Serrated Edge continuity.
Her main Eric Banyon collaborations with Lackey are:
- Beyond World’s End (2001)
- Spirits White as Lightning (2001)
- Mad Maudlin (2003)
- Music to My Sorrow (2005)
These do not begin the entire Bedlam’s Bard universe.
Earlier Bedlam material was written before Edghill joined the series.
Readers following only the Lackey and Edghill collaborations can start with Beyond World’s End, but readers wanting the complete Eric Banyon history should follow the broader Bedlam’s Bard publication order.
Beyond World’s End
This continues Eric Banyon’s story after earlier Bedlam’s Bard material.
It is therefore not a true first book in the wider continuity.
Status: Later Bedlam’s Bard installment.
Spirits White as Lightning
This follows Beyond World’s End closely and should come after it in an Edghill-focused route.
Mad Maudlin
Mad Maudlin continues Eric Banyon’s story and introduces major developments involving his family and younger characters.
Music to My Sorrow
Music to My Sorrow directly follows events from Mad Maudlin.
The Edghill and Lackey sequence is therefore:
- Beyond World’s End
- Spirits White as Lightning
- Mad Maudlin
- Music to My Sorrow
A Host of Furious Fancies
A Host of Furious Fancies collects two of the Lackey and Edghill novels:
- Beyond World’s End
- Spirits White as Lightning
It is not another sequel.
Status: Omnibus.
Bedlam’s Edge
Bedlam’s Edge is an anthology edited by Mercedes Lackey and Rosemary Edghill.
It contains urban fantasy stories by several writers.
It should not be inserted into the Eric Banyon novel numbering as though it were a direct fifth Lackey and Edghill novel.
Status: Multi-author anthology.
The Waters and the Wild
The Waters and the Wild was published in 2019 by Mercedes Lackey and Rosemary Edghill.
It belongs to the wider Serrated Edge urban fantasy world and is identified by Baen as a later entry in that larger series.
It does not directly continue Music to My Sorrow as Bedlam’s Bard Book 5.
Status: Shared-universe novel.
Readers following the complete Serrated Edge setting should use that broader multi-author series order.
Dead Reckoning
Dead Reckoning was written by Mercedes Lackey and Rosemary Edghill.
It is a young adult supernatural Western involving zombies.
It does not belong to Shadow Grail or Bedlam’s Bard.
Status: Standalone collaboration.
Rosemary Edghill Regency Romances in Publication Order
Edghill began her publishing career with Regency romance.
The principal novels are:
- Turkish Delight (1987)
- Two of a Kind (1988)
- The Ill-Bred Bride (1990)
- Fleeting Fancy (1993)
These are separate romances rather than a continuing four-book family saga.
They can be read in any order.
Publication order is useful only for readers following Edghill’s career.
Standalone Rosemary Edghill Novels
Several novels sit outside her principal series.
Met by Moonlight
Met by Moonlight (1998) is a standalone fantasy.
It is not part of the Twelve Treasures trilogy.
The Warslayer
The Warslayer (2002) follows actress Gloria McArdle, who plays a fantasy heroine on television and is unexpectedly called upon to become something much closer to the character she portrays.
It is independent from Hellflower and Twelve Treasures.
Status: Standalone.
Vengeance of Masks
Vengeance of Masks (2003) is another separate fantasy work.
It does not require one of Edghill’s earlier series.
Status: Standalone.
Rosemary Edghill Story Collections
Paying the Piper at the Gates of Dawn and Other Stories
This 2003 collection gathers shorter fiction by Edghill.
The stories span different subjects and are not a numbered continuation of one of her novel series.
Status: Short story collection.
Dreaming the Goddess
Edghill contributed to the 2021 multi-author anthology Dreaming the Goddess.
The book gathers stories by multiple writers exploring Goddess traditions and mythology.
Status: Multi-author anthology contribution.
Dreaming the God
Dreaming the God appeared in 2023 and again includes Edghill among a group of contributing authors.
It should not be counted as a solo Rosemary Edghill novel.
Status: Multi-author anthology contribution.
Licensed and Shared-Universe Fiction
Edghill also worked in established fictional universes.
These titles should remain outside her original series reading orders.
King’s Quest VI
Edghill wrote material associated with King’s Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow in The King’s Quest Companion.
This belongs to the King’s Quest game universe.
Status: Licensed fiction.
X-Men and Spider-Man
Edghill wrote Marvel-related prose, including Time’s Arrow: The Future with Tom DeFalco.
This is part of the wider X-Men and Spider-Man tie-in sequence rather than an original Edghill universe.
She also wrote Smoke and Mirrors, an X-Men novel.
Status: Licensed Marvel fiction.
Valdemar
Edghill contributed shorter fiction to Mercedes Lackey’s Valdemar universe.
These stories should be read according to Valdemar chronology if readers are following that setting.
They do not connect to Shadow Grail or Bedlam’s Bard.
Darkover
Edghill also contributed to Darkover anthologies, including work with India Edghill.
The 2023 story Nor Iron Bars a Cage appeared in Jewels of Darkover.
This is shared-universe short fiction, not a newly launched Rosemary Edghill novel series.
Did Rosemary Edghill Write as James Mallory?
Bibliographic and professional records also associate Edghill with the name James Mallory.
Because that name appears in collaborative publishing contexts and can create catalog confusion, readers searching for every Edghill credit may encounter books filed differently from her Rosemary Edghill or eluki bes shahar titles.
For a practical books-in-order guide, the major clearly identified Rosemary Edghill and eluki bes shahar sequences remain the priority.
Rosemary Edghill Books by Reading Priority
The easiest way to approach her work depends on the genre you want.
For Science Fiction
Read the Hellflower trilogy:
- Hellflower
- Darktraders
- Archangel Blues
For Urban Fantasy
Read Twelve Treasures:
- The Sword of Maiden’s Tears
- The Cup of Morning Shadows
- The Cloak of Night and Daggers
Or follow her Bedlam’s Bard collaborations after the earlier books in Mercedes Lackey’s wider series.
For Mystery
Read Bast:
- Speak Daggers to Her
- Book of Moons
- The Bowl of Night
- Failure of Moonlight for the shorter fiction
For Young Adult Fantasy
Read Shadow Grail:
- Legacies
- Conspiracies
- Sacrifices
- Victories
For Alternate-History Fantasy
Read Carolus Rex:
- The Shadow of Albion
- Leopard in Exile
Recommended Complete-Series Route
Readers who want a broad sample of Edghill’s own major series without mixing every collaboration by publication year can use:
Hellflower
- Hellflower
- Darktraders
- Archangel Blues
Bast
- Speak Daggers to Her
- Book of Moons
- The Bowl of Night
- Failure of Moonlight (optional)
Twelve Treasures
- The Sword of Maiden’s Tears
- The Cup of Morning Shadows
- The Cloak of Night and Daggers
Light Series
- Ghostlight
- Witchlight
- Gravelight
- Heartlight
Carolus Rex
- The Shadow of Albion
- Leopard in Exile
Shadow Grail
- Legacies
- Conspiracies
- Sacrifices
- Victories
This is a reader-friendly progression, not one fictional chronology.
Is There a Chronological Order Across Rosemary Edghill’s Books?
No.
Hellflower is space opera.
Bast is contemporary mystery.
Twelve Treasures is urban fantasy.
Carolus Rex is alternate-history fantasy.
Shadow Grail is young adult supernatural fantasy.
The Light books belong to another collaborative supernatural continuity.
Combining all of them into one timeline would create connections that do not exist.
Series order matters. Global chronology does not.
Publication Order or Series Order?
Series order is more useful for Edghill.
A strict publication chronology would alternate among Regency romance, science fiction, mystery, urban fantasy, collaboration, and licensed fiction.
That may be interesting for studying her career, but it repeatedly interrupts continuing stories.
For readers, finish one sequence before moving to another.
Rosemary Edghill’s Latest Publications
Edghill’s later years included both new collaborative work and reissues of earlier fiction.
The Waters and the Wild appeared in 2019 with Mercedes Lackey.
The Hellflower trilogy returned in new editions in the 2020s, but those were reissues of novels originally published from 1991 through 1993.
She also contributed to multi-author books including Dreaming the Goddess in 2021, Jewels of Darkover in 2023, and Dreaming the God in 2023.
Those anthology and reissue dates should not be mistaken for newly written sequels to her major series.
Rosemary Edghill’s Current Release Status
Rosemary Edghill died on April 7, 2026.
As of August 9, 2026, no new posthumous Rosemary Edghill novel with a firmly confirmed title and publication date has been identified.
Her principal completed solo series remain Hellflower, Bast, and Twelve Treasures, while Shadow Grail is a completed four-book collaboration with Mercedes Lackey.
Any future posthumous edition should be distinguished carefully between a newly published manuscript, a reissue, an anthology appearance, and previously published material.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Rosemary Edghill book should I read first?
For science fiction, begin with Hellflower.
For mystery, begin with Speak Daggers to Her.
For urban fantasy, begin with The Sword of Maiden’s Tears.
For collaborative young adult fantasy, begin with Legacies.
Is eluki bes shahar Rosemary Edghill?
Yes.
The Hellflower trilogy was originally published under the name eluki bes shahar.
What order are the Hellflower books?
Read:
- Hellflower
- Darktraders
- Archangel Blues
Is Butterfly and Hellflower another book?
No.
It is an omnibus containing all three Hellflower novels.
What order are the Bast books?
Read the novels:
- Speak Daggers to Her
- Book of Moons
- The Bowl of Night
Then add Failure of Moonlight for the shorter Bast fiction.
Is Bell, Book, and Murder Bast Book 4?
No.
It is an omnibus collecting the three Bast novels.
Is The Iron Bride a Bast novel?
No.
It is Bast short fiction.
It is best read after the novels rather than treated as a fourth full-length mystery.
What order are the Twelve Treasures books?
Read:
- The Sword of Maiden’s Tears
- The Cup of Morning Shadows
- The Cloak of Night and Daggers
Is The Empty Crown Book 4?
No.
It is an omnibus of the complete Twelve Treasures trilogy.
What order are the Marion Zimmer Bradley and Rosemary Edghill books?
Read:
- Ghostlight
- Witchlight
- Gravelight
- Heartlight
What order are the Carolus Rex books?
Read:
- The Shadow of Albion
- Leopard in Exile
Is Carolus Rex complete?
Only two novels were published.
Further books were planned, but no additional completed novel appeared.
What order are the Shadow Grail books?
Read:
- Legacies
- Conspiracies
- Sacrifices
- Victories
The series is complete.
What order should I read Edghill’s Bedlam’s Bard books?
For her principal collaborations with Mercedes Lackey:
- Beyond World’s End
- Spirits White as Lightning
- Mad Maudlin
- Music to My Sorrow
However, these occur inside the larger Bedlam’s Bard continuity, which began before Edghill joined the series.
Is A Host of Furious Fancies a sequel?
No.
It collects Beyond World’s End and Spirits White as Lightning.
Is The Waters and the Wild a Bedlam’s Bard sequel?
It belongs to Mercedes Lackey’s broader Serrated Edge urban fantasy world, but it should not be treated simply as the next numbered Eric Banyon novel after Music to My Sorrow.
Is Dead Reckoning part of Shadow Grail?
No.
It is a separate supernatural Western collaboration by Mercedes Lackey and Rosemary Edghill.
What is Rosemary Edghill’s latest novel?
Her later novel-length work included The Waters and the Wild with Mercedes Lackey in 2019.
Later catalog dates for Hellflower titles largely represent reissues rather than new novels.
Will there be more Rosemary Edghill books?
Edghill died in April 2026.
No new posthumous novel with a confirmed publication date was identified for this update.
Best Rosemary Edghill Reading Order
Rosemary Edghill’s bibliography is easiest to navigate by paying attention to both the series and the author name printed on the book.
For her solo science fiction, begin with Hellflower, originally published as eluki bes shahar, and continue through Darktraders and Archangel Blues.
For mystery, read Speak Daggers to Her, Book of Moons, and The Bowl of Night, then add the Bast shorter fiction. For fantasy, read the Twelve Treasures trilogy beginning with The Sword of Maiden’s Tears.
Her collaborations need their own boundaries. Read Ghostlight through Heartlight with Marion Zimmer Bradley, The Shadow of Albion before Leopard in Exile with Andre Norton, and Legacies through Victories for the complete Shadow Grail quartet with Mercedes Lackey.
The main purchasing warning is simple: several Edghill books have been reissued, collected, or published under another name. Check whether a title is a new story, an omnibus, or a later edition before assuming it belongs at the end of a series.
Frank is the editor of BookSeries.blog, focusing on publication order, chronological timelines, and spoiler-free reading guides for book series and fictional universes.