Sorry about that!
Go ahead and suggest them in the comments section below.
Are you already an expert with a particular author?
Read most (or all) of their books already?
Then your advice about the best reading order is very useful to new readers.
Go ahead and suggest the author and the best reading order in the comments below.
Nelson DeMille. I started with Up Country because I served in Viet Nam. I decided to read some more of his stuff and found it to be interesting in the wide variety of plots. All stand alone novels.
oh! Thanks for the tip Herb, I’ll check those out
There appears not to be a particular order for Nelson DeMille’s stand alone books:
The Quest, 1975 (short story version)
By the Rivers of Babylon, 1978
Cathedral, 1981
The Talbot Odyssey, 1984
Word of Honor, 1985
The Charm School, 1988
Spencerville, 1994
Mayday, 1998
The Quest, 2013 (based on the 1975 short story)
The Cuban Affair, 2017
The Deserter, 2019
But, looks to be a suggested reading order for his three series:
1. JOHN SUTTER
Gold Coast, 1990
The Gate House, 2008
2. PAUL BRENNER
The General’s Daughter, 1992
Up Country, 2002
The Panther, 2012
3. JOHN COREY
The Book Case, 2011
Plum Island, 1997
The Lion’s Game, 2000
Night Fall, 2004
Wild Fire, 2006
The Lion, 2010
The Panther (Paul Brenner #2), 2012
Radiant Angel/A Quiet End, 2015
Yes, I am a great fan of DeMille. All of his books are great. I just think the character John Cory is great. The thing that I like is he is one great Smart Ass.
Brad Taylor. Pike Logan series.
oh! Cool, thanks Mike 🙂
Dan Brown, is there a specific order his books should be read in? I had heard that Angels & Demons, though after The Da Vinci Code, really took place before the Da Vinci Code? Thanks for any suggestions.
Hi Dianne, I didn’t notice that when I read them. The publication order seemed to match the chronological order
Sheldon, I too am a Dan Brown fan. I started with The Lost Symbol. Mistake, wrong order (but great book!).
Wiser, here’s what I think it the best order for his Robert Langdon series:
Digital Fortress (1998)
Angels And Demons (2000)
Deception Point (2001)
The Da Vinci Code (2003)
The Lost Symbol (2009)
Inferno (2013)
Origin (2017).
I am a bit confused at to Meteor (2016); don’t know if it’s Robert Langdon series or not and it appears to be published by Lübbe, nur auf Deutsch, nur en Deutschland I danke…
I would like to recommend the author Vanessa Hogle ….her books are well written I feel and are all real accounts of her paranormal happenings and experiences that she has been a part of …
Great! Thanks C 🙂
I would suggest Michael Connelly to be added to this list. One can start with Lincoln Lawyer and then start Harry Bosch series with The Black Echo.
Great idea Ashok, thanks!
Stephen Hunter has created quite a character in Bob Lee Swagger books. I liked Reacher and Swagger is also compelling.
Brandon Sanderson has been creating a universe of inter-connected yet unrelated novels/novellas/short stories if you want to look into that.
Oh! Cool Alex, thanks
Even though she is a fairly new Author her books are “UNPUTDOWNABLE” B.A.Paris Behind Close Doors & The Breakdown.
Seriously These are GREAT books
Oh! Thanks for the tip Triana 🙂
My sister and I really like Karin Slaughter’s crime fiction books. She has several different series, all based in Georgia. I liked your analysis of Ken Follett’s many books… was confused as to how to approach them. I think I have a plan now!
Two suggestions – firstly, Rennie Airth’s absolutely brilliant Inspector Madden series, set between the time after WWI and the late 1950s in England. Never read a better crime thriller. Nothing for the faint-hearted though! And secondly, F. Paul Wilson’s Repairman Jack series, with all its spin-offs. If you like Jack Reacher and how he takes care of injustices, Repairman Jack should be right up your street!
oh! Cool, thanks Chris!
James Michener
Oooo! Got a favourite book Michele?
I love John Sanford! Both the Prey and Kidd series are AWESOME!!
Hi Sheldon,
I love how you set up this site. I love to read mysteries from the first book that is written to the last.
My fave’s are that I don’t see listed are:
Patricia Cornwell
Tami Hoag
Kathy Reich
Oh and I love all their books.
Great to hear Rose 🙂
Hi Sheldon,
love your site.
My books are best read in this order:
Dragon’s Gap Bk1 – Reighn & Sage’s Story
Dragon’s Gap Bk2 – Sharm & Edith’s Story
Dragon’s Gap – Love’s Catalyst ( A novella)
Dragon’s Gap Bk3 – Storm and Charlie’s Story
Dragon’s Gap Bk4 – Ash & Olinda’s Story
Dragon’s Gap Bk5 – Ace & Harper’s Story
Dragon’s Gap – Love’s Impulse (A novella)
Dragon’s Gap Bk6 – Thorn & Ciana
Dragon’s Gap Bk7 – Conor & Ocean
A Christmas Story. (A Novella)
So concludes my Dragon’s Gap series.
Ok, thanks!
I just started reading a new author by the name of Vince Flynn, and I’m already eight books into this great character’s adventures. This series would be a great addition to your list, as the publication order is different from the chronological order. With this series I have tried to stick to the chronological order as I was just starting this series. I actually like this way as you really get to know the main character and his motivation better when reading it in this order. Also the first two books in chrono order were written 10 years after the “first” book of this series.
I do find it interesting though as I can tell his writing skill/style improved as published books, but I have found it doesn’t distracted from the story, just something I noticed.
This would be how I have read these books:
Transfer of Power.
The Third Option.
Separation of Power.
Executive Power.
Memorial Day.
Consent to Kill.
Act of Treason.
Protect and Defend.
Extreme Measures
Pursuit of Honor
The Last Man
The following books still have the main character, but have been written by another author (Kyle Mills) after Vince Flynn’s death. I have yet to get to these last books, but I have heard they are still very interesting:
The Survivor
Order To Kill
Enemy of the State
Red War
Oooo! Thanks Chris!
Tom Clancy
Good point!
Ditto
I’m missing Chetan Bhagat books of reading order and also Jeff Kinney’s order of books
Hi Sheldon!
Your site is a God send. I really like Debra Dunbar’s Imp World books. There are the main books, with the main character, but, other, offshoot series, with secondary characters from the main series as mains. There are 32 novels and novellas in the series so far.
Also, have you considered Anne Rice’s series?
oh! Thanks, I’ll take a look 🙂
R.a.Salvatore the drizzt do urden books are brilliant … and another fantasy writer I love Robert Aspirin …. next best humorous fantasy writer to Terry pratchett his mything series is brill… also Tracy hickmen and margaret weis dungeons and dragons books
Brandon Sanderson’s books are fantastic!! He’s a prolific writer putting out 1 to 3 books per year. His specialty is epic fantasy and he became known for writing the last three books of Robert Jordan’s “Wheel of Time” series after his death. He has written adult fantasy, YA fantasy and even a juvenile series and I have yet to be disappointed by any of his books. I highly recommend his Stormlight Archive series and Mistborn series.
James Patterson by himself. Thanks
Elmore Leonard, John Sanford
John Sanford ~ James Lee Burke
Roger that. Just added John Sanford to get started
The Wizard of oz, but it has many authers… also Agatha Christie. The lady who wrote the dragon riders series that Terry Pratchet is taking over.
I just found your sight! Great help.
Celia Bartlett
Please add John Sandford
Good idea. Done! https://www.bestreadingorder.com/john-sanford-books-reading-order/
Hi Sheldon,
Great site, appreciate the time you’ve put in for us all!!
Re, Nelson DeMille & a reading order, I’ve read a couple (“Cuba” got me hooked; as you say, passed the “can’t put it down test”). I have an Army buddy, also a Vietnam vet like Herb (post from 5/16, thanks for your service Herb), and he puts DeMille up there with Connelly, Baldacci, Sandford, Lee Child, Karen Slaughter, et al.
I will research a reading order. In checking, I see the series: John Corey Series; Paul Brenner Series; John Sutter Series. Stand Alones and Short Stories; Other. If there is one, I’ll post it here if you like.
/r
Dave
Hi Sheldon! Doesn’t time have a way off getting in the rear window faster than it should? So from 2018 until present I have a few more books to ad to your amazing list.
Both new series are best read in the order shown.
Daughter of Ethos Series
Book 1: Daughter of Ethos: Prequel Book 0.5
Book 2: Daughter Of Ethos: Unknown Universe Book 1
Book 3: Daughter Of Ethos: Destination Home Book 2
Book 4: Daughter of Ethos: Price of Power Book 3
Book 5: Daughter Of Ethos: Divine Justice Book 4
Book 6: Daughter Of Ethos: Deadly Betrayal Book 5
Book 7: Daughter Of Ethos: Crystal City Book 6
Book 8: Daughter Of Ethos: The Ascension Book 7
Plus…
Pride of Lion Edge Series
Book 1: Recognition: (Pride of Lion Edge Book 1)
Book 2: Retribution: Pride of Lion Edge Book 2
Book 3:Reckoning: Pride of Lion Edge Book 3