Elmore Leonard Reading Order

121 books (2002–2025)

The Akashic Noir series is an ongoing anthology collection that began in 2002 and has grown to encompass 121 volumes as of 2025. Each installment focuses on noir and crime fiction set in a different city or region, from San Francisco to London to Miami and beyond. Readers should follow the books in publication order, starting with San Francisco Noir, as each new entry explores the dark underbelly of its featured location through original short stories. This expansive series offers mystery and thriller enthusiasts a diverse geographic tour of noir fiction across multiple decades.

Start with San Francisco Noir, the first of 121 books in the Akashic Noir series.

#	Title
1	San Francisco Noir 2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Bronx Noir 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Seattle Noir 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Brooklyn Noir 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Hasidic Noir 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Brooklyn Noir 2 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Chicago Noir 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Dublin Noir 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Baltimore Noir 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	D.C. Noir 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	London Noir 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Manhattan Noir 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	Miami Noir 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	Twin Cities Noir 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	Detroit Noir 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	Havana Noir 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	Los Angeles Noir 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18	New Orleans Noir 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19	Wall Street Noir 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
20	Brooklyn Noir 3: Nothing But the Truth 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
21	D.C. Noir 2 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
22	Istanbul Noir 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
23	Las Vegas Noir 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
24	Manhattan Noir 2 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
25	Paris Noir 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
26	Queens Noir 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
27	Toronto Noir 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
28	Trinidad Noir 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
29	Boston Noir 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
30	Delhi Noir 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
31	Phoenix Noir 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
32	Portland Noir 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
33	Rome Noir 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
34	San Francisco Noir 2 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
35	Copenhagen Noir 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
36	Haiti Noir 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
37	Indian Country Noir 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
38	Lone Star Noir 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
39	Los Angeles Noir 2 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
40	Mexico City Noir 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
41	Moscow Noir 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
42	Orange County Noir 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
43	Philadelphia Noir 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
44	Richmond Noir 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
45	Barcelona Noir 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
46	Cape Cod Noir 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
47	New Jersey Noir 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
48	Pittsburgh Noir 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
49	San Diego Noir 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
50	Boston Noir 2 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
51	Kansas City Noir 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
52	Kingston Noir 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
53	Long Island Noir 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
54	Mumbai Noir 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
55	St. Petersburg Noir 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
56	Staten Island Noir 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
57	Venice Noir 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
58	Buffalo Noir 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
59	Dallas Noir 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
60	Haiti Noir 2 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
61	Manila Noir 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
62	USA Noir 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
63	Belfast Noir 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
64	Helsinki Noir 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
65	Prison Noir 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
66	Rio Noir 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
67	Singapore Noir 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
68	Tehran Noir 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
69	Tel Aviv Noir 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
70	Beirut Noir 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
71	Chicago Noir: The Classics 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
72	Marseille Noir 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
73	Memphis Noir 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
74	Providence Noir 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
75	Zagreb Noir 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
76	Brussels Noir 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
77	Mississippi Noir 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
78	New Orleans Noir: The Classics 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
79	Prague Noir 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
80	San Juan Noir 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
81	St. Louis Noir 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
82	Stockholm Noir 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
83	Atlanta Noir 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
84	Buenos Aires Noir 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
85	Montana Noir 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
86	Montreal Noir 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
87	New Haven Noir 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
88	Oakland Noir 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
89	Trinidad Noir: The Classics 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
90	Baghdad Noir 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
91	Berlin Noir 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
92	Hong Kong Noir 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
93	Lagos Noir 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
94	Marrakech Noir 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
95	Santa Cruz Noir 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
96	Sydney Noir 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
97	São Paulo Noir 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
98	Vancouver Noir 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
99	Amsterdam Noir 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
100	Houston Noir 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
101	Milwaukee Noir 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
102	Accra Noir 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
103	Addis Ababa Noir 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
104	Alabama Noir 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
105	Belgrade Noir 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
106	Berkeley Noir 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
107	Columbus Noir 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
108	Miami Noir: The Classics 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
109	Nairobi Noir 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
110	Santa Fe Noir 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
111	Tampa Bay Noir 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
112	Palm Springs Noir 2021Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
113	Denver Noir 2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
114	Paris Noir: The Suburbs 2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
115	South Central Noir 2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
116	Cleveland Noir 2023Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
117	East Jerusalem Noir 2023Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
118	West Jerusalem Noir 2023Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
119	Honolulu Noir 2024Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
120	Hamburg Noir 2025Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
121	Sacramento Noir 2025Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

14 books (1961–2016)

Elmore Leonard's anthology collections span five decades, from Western Roundup in 1961 through Long Night in 2014, comprising 13 volumes that bring together short stories and essays across mystery, thriller, western, and non-fiction genres. These anthologies should be read in publication order to follow the evolution of Leonard's curated selections and contributions. The series includes both standalone collections and Leonard's appearances in larger anthologies like The Best American Mystery Stories series, offering readers diverse explorations of crime fiction, western tales, and literary analysis. This complete series provides a comprehensive look at short-form storytelling and genre writing across more than fifty years.

Start with Western Roundup, the first of 13 books in the Anthologies series.

#	Title
1	Western Roundup 1961Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Florida Stories 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	New Trails: Twenty-Three Original Stories 1994Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Murder For Love 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Pulp Frictions: Hardboiled Stories 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Naked Came the Manatee 1997Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	The Best American Mystery Stories 1997 1997Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Western Movies 1997Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Murder On The Railways 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	The Best American Mystery Stories 2003 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Mysterious Writers: The Many Facets of Mystery Writing 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Books to Die For 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	Long Night 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	The Best American Mystery Stories 2016 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

3 books (2005–2009)

Elmore Leonard's Carl Webster series comprises three books published between 2005 and 2009, with the complete trilogy consisting of The Hot Kid, Up in Honey's Room, and Comfort to the Enemy and Other Carl Webster Stories. Read the books in publication order to follow the character's story through these crime and western-influenced narratives. The series is complete and concluded with its final installment in 2009.

Start with The Hot Kid and read in order.

#	Title
1	The Hot Kid 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Up in Honey's Room 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Comfort to the Enemy and Other Carl Webster Stories 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (1990–1999)

Elmore Leonard's Chili Palmer series consists of two crime novels published between 1990 and 1999. The complete series should be read in publication order, beginning with Get Shorty followed by Be Cool. These standalone yet connected mysteries showcase Leonard's signature style within the crime thriller genre.

Start with Get Shorty and read in order.

#	Title
1	Get Shorty 1990Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Be Cool 1999Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

3 books (1998–1998)

Elmore Leonard's Western Roundup is a three-book complete series published in 1998, collecting the author's work in the Western genre. Read the books in publication order beginning with the first volume to experience Leonard's take on classic Western themes and characters. Each installment in this series stands as part of Leonard's broader exploration of the Western genre alongside his better-known crime and mystery fiction.

Start with Elmore Leonard's Western Roundup #1 and read in order.

#	Title
1	Elmore Leonard's Western Roundup #1 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Elmore Leonard's Western Roundup #2 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Elmore Leonard's Western Roundup #3 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (1976–1982)

The Frank Ryan series consists of two crime novels by Elmore Leonard published between 1976 and 1982. Both books should be read in publication order, beginning with Swag and continuing with Stick. The series is complete.

Start with Swag / Ryan's Rules and read in order.

#	Title
1	Swag / Ryan's Rules 1976Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Stick 1982Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (1996–2009)

Elmore Leonard's Jack Foley series consists of two crime novels published across thirteen years. The first book, Out Of Sight, appeared in 1996, followed by Road Dogs in 2009, completing the series. Read these titles in publication order to follow the character's story as intended by the author.

Start with Out Of Sight and read in order.

#	Title
1	Out Of Sight 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Road Dogs 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (1969–1977)

Elmore Leonard's Jack Ryan series consists of two crime thrillers published between 1969 and 1977. The complete series should be read in publication order, beginning with The Big Bounce followed by Unknown Man #89. These standalone novels showcase Leonard's signature style within the mystery and thriller genre.

Start with The Big Bounce and read in order.

#	Title
1	The Big Bounce 1969Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Unknown Man #89 1977Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (1990–2006)

Elmore Leonard's two-book non-fiction series offers insight into his craft and creative process. Published between 1990 and 2006, these works should be read in publication order beginning with Notebooks. The series is complete and provides valuable guidance for writers interested in Leonard's approach to storytelling and technique.

Start with Notebooks and read in order.

#	Title
1	Notebooks 1990Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Elmore Leonard's 10 Rules of Writing 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (1978–1992)

Elmore Leonard's crime fiction series featuring the criminal duo Ordell Robbie and Louis Gara spans two novels published between 1978 and 1992. The complete series should be read in publication order, beginning with The Switch and concluding with Rum Punch. These standalone-style entries showcase Leonard's signature approach to mystery and thriller narratives.

Start with The Switch and read in order.

#	Title
1	The Switch 1978Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Rum Punch 1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

5 books (1993–2018)

Elmore Leonard's Raylan Givens series spans five novels published between 1993 and 2018, following the character through crime stories set in Kentucky and beyond. The series should be read in publication order, beginning with Pronto and continuing through Riding the Rap, Fire in the Hole, Raylan, and concluding with Raylan Goes to Detroit, which was completed by Peter Leonard after the author's death. This complete series combines Leonard's signature crime fiction style with Western influences across mystery and thriller narratives.

Start with Pronto, the first of 5 books in the Raylan Givens series.

#	Title
1	Pronto 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Riding the Rap 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Fire in the Hole 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Raylan 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Raylan Goes to Detroit(By: Peter Leonard) 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

1 book (2025–2025)

10 books (1953–2015)

Elmore Leonard's Short Story Collections series comprises ten volumes of his short fiction published between 1953 and 2015, spanning mystery, thriller, and western genres. The series is complete and should be read in publication order, beginning with Three-Ten to Yuma and Other Stories. Collections include both general and western-focused anthologies, with some volumes devoted entirely to stories set in the American West, while others mix Leonard's crime and mystery tales with his western work. Reading through the series in order provides a comprehensive view of Leonard's evolution as a short fiction writer across six decades.

Start with Three-Ten to Yuma and Other Stories, the first of 10 books in the Short Story Collections series.

#	Title
1	Three-Ten to Yuma and Other Stories 1953Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Tonto Woman and Other Western Stories 1975Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Dutch Treat 1985Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	When the Women Come Out to Dance 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	The Complete Western Stories 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	The Complete Western Stories of Elmore Leonard 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Blood Money and Other Stories 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Moment of Vengeance and Other Stories 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Trail of the Apache and Other Stories 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Charlie Martz and Other Stories 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

31 books (1953–2013)

Elmore Leonard's 31 standalone novels span six decades from 1953 to 2013, offering readers a complete collection of crime thrillers, westerns, and mysteries independent of one another. While each book functions as its own story, reading them in publication order from The Bounty Hunters through his final works allows appreciation of Leonard's evolving style and mastery of the crime and western genres. The series showcases his talent for crafting memorable characters and tense narratives across diverse settings, from desert standoffs to Detroit crime scenes. All 31 novels are now complete, making this a comprehensive retrospective of one of America's most celebrated crime fiction writers.

Start with The Bounty Hunters, the first of 31 books in the Standalone Novels series.

#	Title
1	The Bounty Hunters 1953Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Law at Randado 1954Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Escape from Five Shadows 1956Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Last Stand at Saber River 1959Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Hombre 1961Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	The Moonshine War 1969Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Valdez Is Coming 1970Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Forty Lashes Less One 1972Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	52 Pick Up 1974Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Mr Majestyk 1974Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	The Hunted 1977Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Gunsights 1979Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	City Primeval: High Noon in Detroit 1980Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	Gold Coast 1980Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	Split Images 1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	Cat Chaser 1982Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	LaBrava 1983Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18	Glitz 1985Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19	Bandits 1987Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
20	Touch 1987Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
21	Freaky Deaky 1988Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
22	Killshot 1989Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
23	Maximum Bob 1991Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
24	Cuba Libre 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
25	Pagan Babies 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
26	Tishomingo Blues 2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
27	A Coyote's in the House 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
28	Mr. Paradise 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
29	Djibouti 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
30	Confession 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
31	The Trespassers 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible