Donald Hamilton Reading Order
5 series Β· 45 books Β· Born 1916
Donald Hamilton was an American novelist and short story writer who built a prolific career crafting spy thrillers and crime fiction for paperback audiences from the 1940s through the 1990s. He is best recognized for the Matt Helm series, a 27-book saga spanning three decades that follows a government operative navigating espionage, assassination, and covert operations. Beyond spy narratives, Hamilton also wrote westerns and standalone works, establishing himself as a versatile genre fiction craftsman with particular skill in action-driven plots and morally complex protagonists.
Anthologies Series
Complete2 books (1967β1998)
Start with Iron Men and Silver Stars and read in order.
Start this series with Iron Men and Silver Stars
Buy Book 1 πΊπΈπ§ Listen free on Audible| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Iron Men and Silver Stars |
| 2 | The Greatest Western Stories of the 20th Century |
Matt Helm Series
Complete27 books (1960β1993)
Start with Death of a Citizen, the first of 27 books in the Matt Helm series.
Start this series with Death of a Citizen
Buy Book 1 πΊπΈπ§ Listen free on Audible| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Death of a Citizen |
| 2 | The Wrecking Crew |
| 3 | The Removers |
| 4 | Murderers' Row |
| 5 | The Silencers |
| 6 | The Ambushers |
| 7 | The Ravagers |
| 8 | The Shadowers |
| 9 | The Devastators |
| 10 | The Betrayers |
| 11 | The Menacers |
| 12 | The Interlopers |
| 13 | The Poisoners |
| 14 | The Intriguers |
| 15 | The Intimidators |
| 16 | The Terminators |
| 17 | The Retaliators |
| 18 | The Terrorizers |
| 19 | The Revengers |
| 20 | The Annihilators |
| 21 | The Infiltrators |
| 22 | The Detonators |
| 23 | The Vanishers |
| 24 | The Demolishers |
| 25 | The Frighteners |
| 26 | The Threateners |
| 27 | The Damagers |
Short Stories/Novellas Series
Complete1 book (1967β1967)
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | The Guns of William Longley |
Short Story Collections Series
Complete1 book (1966β1966)
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Murder Twice Told |
Standalone Novels Series
Complete14 books (1947β1980)
Start with Date With Darkness, the first of 14 books in the Standalone Novels series.
Start this series with Date With Darkness
Buy Book 1 πΊπΈπ§ Listen free on Audible| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Date With Darkness |
| 2 | The Steel Mirror |
| 3 | Night Walker |
| 4 | Rough Company |
| 5 | Smoky Valley |
| 6 | Line of Fire |
| 7 | Assassins Have Starry Eyes |
| 8 | Assignment: Murder |
| 9 | Mad River |
| 10 | The Big Country |
| 11 | The Man from Santa Clara |
| 12 | Texas Fever |
| 13 | The Two-Shoot Gun |
| 14 | The Mona Intercept |
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many books has Donald Hamilton written?
- Donald Hamilton has written 45 books across 5 series. Their published works span from 1947 to 1998.
- What is the first book in each Donald Hamilton series?
- Here are the first books in Donald Hamilton's series: Anthologies: Iron Men and Silver Stars; Matt Helm: Death of a Citizen.
- What order should I read Donald Hamilton's books?
- We recommend reading Donald Hamilton's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
- Are Donald Hamilton's series complete?
- Donald Hamilton has 5 completed series.

