Craig Rice Reading Order
7 series · 54 books · Born 5 June 1908
Craig Rice, an influential figure in American mystery writing, penned a remarkable 54 books spanning seven series, including the John J. Malone and Bingo Riggs adventures, as well as standalone novels and short story collections. Active from 1939 to 2010, she captivated readers with her sharp wit and engaging narratives. Among her notable works, she is best remembered for her clever and entertaining contributions to the genre, particularly through her Black Gat Books series.
Anthologies Series
Complete3 books (1968–2003)
Start with The Locked Room Reader: Stories of Impossible Crimes and Escapes and read in order.
Bingo Riggs and Handsome Kusak Series
Complete3 books (1942–1958)
Start with The Sunday Pigeon Murders and read in order.
Black Gat Books Series
Complete23 books (1945–2001)
Start with Two Names for Death(By: E.P. Fenwick), the first of 23 books in the Black Gat Books series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Two Names for Death(By: E.P. Fenwick) 1945Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  Stranger at Home(As: George Sanders, With: Leigh Brackett) 1946Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 | My Old Man's Badge(By: Ferguson Findley) 1950Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 | The Persian Cat(By: John Flagg) 1950Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 | Little Sister(By: Lee Roberts) 1952Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 | Tears are for Angels(By: Paul Connolly) 1952Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 | You'll Get Yours(By: William Ard) 1952Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 |  Madball(By: Fredric Brown) 1953Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 | Stool Pigeon(By: Louis Malley) 1953Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 | She Got What She Wanted(By: Orrie Hitt) 1954Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 11 |  The Woman on the Roof(By: Helen Nielsen) 1954Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 12 | Never Say No to a Killer(By: Clifton Adams) 1956Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 13 | The Men From the Boys(By: Ed Lacy) 1956Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 14 | Dead Wrong(By: Lorenz Heller) 1957Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 15 | The Hoods Take Over(By: Ovid Demaris) 1957Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 16 | The Living End(By: Frank Kane) 1957Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 17 | End of the Line(By: Bert and Dolores Hitchens) 1958Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 18 | The Last Notch(By: Matthew Gant) 1958Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 19 | Angel's Flight(By: Lou Cameron) 1960Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 20 | Frantic(By: Noël Calef) 1961Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 21 | A Haven for the Damned(By: Harry Whittington) 1962Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 22 | Frenzy of Evil(By: Henry Kane) 1963Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 23 | Eddie's World(By: Charlie Stella) 2001Buy 🇺🇸 |
Gypsy Rose Lee Plays Series
Complete1 book (1994–1994)
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  Gypsy: A Musical Suggested by the Memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee(With:Arthur Laurents) 1994Buy 🇺🇸 |
John J. Malone Series
Complete14 books (1939–1967)
Start with Eight Faces at Three / Death at Three, the first of 14 books in the John J. Malone series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  Eight Faces at Three / Death at Three 1939Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 | The Corpse Steps Out 1940Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  The Wrong Murder 1940Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  The Right Murder 1941Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 |  Trial by Fury 1941Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 |  The Big Midget Murders 1942Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 |  Having a Wonderful Crime 1943Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 |  The Lucky Stiff 1945Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 | The Fourth Postman 1948Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 | My Kingdom for a Hearse 1957Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 11 | The Double Frame / Knocked for a Loop 1957Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 12 |  The Name is Malone 1958Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 13 |  Murder, Mystery and Malone 1963Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 14 | But the Doctor Died 1967Buy 🇺🇸 |
Short Story Collections Series
Complete1 book (2010–2010)
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | I'm a Stranger Here Myself and Other Stories 2010Buy 🇺🇸 |
Standalone Novels Series
Complete9 books (1942–1953)
Start with The Man Who Slept All Day(As: Michael Venning), the first of 9 books in the Standalone Novels series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | The Man Who Slept All Day(As: Michael Venning) 1942Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 | Yesterday's Murder / Telefair 1942Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 | To Catch a Thief 1943Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  Crime on My Hands(As: George Sanders) 1944Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 |  Home Sweet Homicide 1944Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 | Stranger at Home(As: George Sanders, With: Leigh Brackett) 1946Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 | Innocent Bystander 1949Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 |  Once Upon a Train 1950Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 | Don't Go Near 1953Buy 🇺🇸 |
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many books has Craig Rice written?
- Craig Rice has written 54 books across 7 series. Their published works span from 1939 to 2010.
- What is the first book in each Craig Rice series?
- Here are the first books in Craig Rice's series: Anthologies: The Locked Room Reader: Stories of Impossible Crimes and Escapes; Bingo Riggs and Handsome Kusak: The Sunday Pigeon Murders; Black Gat Books: Two Names for Death(By: E.P. Fenwick); John J. Malone: Eight Faces at Three / Death at Three.
- What order should I read Craig Rice's books?
- We recommend reading Craig Rice's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
- Are Craig Rice's series complete?
- Craig Rice has 7 completed series.