
Erle Stanley Gardner Reading Order
10 series Β· 164 books Β· Born 17 July 1889
Erle Stanley Gardner was a highly prolific American author renowned for his legal thrillers, particularly the iconic Perry Mason series. Over his remarkable career from 1933 to 2022, he authored 164 books across ten series, including titles featuring characters like Doug Selby and Donald Lam & Bertha Cool. Gardner's mastery of storytelling and intricate plots made him one of the best-selling authors of his time.
Anthologies Series
Complete10 books (1953β2003)
Start with Hard-Boiled Detectives, the first of 10 books in the Anthologies series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Hard-Boiled Detectives 1953Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | Daring Detectives 1969Buy πΊπΈ |
| 3 | Tantalizing Locked Room Mysteries 1982Buy πΊπΈ |
| 4 | Murder Plus 1992Buy πΊπΈ |
| 5 | The Mammoth Book of Short Spy Novels 1996Buy πΊπΈ |
| 6 | The Oxford Book of American Detective Stories 1996Buy πΊπΈ |
| 7 | Law and Order 1997Buy πΊπΈ |
| 8 | The Oxford Book of Detective Stories 2000Buy πΊπΈ |
| 9 | A Century of Great Suspense Stories 2001Buy πΊπΈ |
| 10 | Murder On The Railways 2003Buy πΊπΈ |
Donald Lam & Bertha Cool Series
Complete30 books (1939β1970)
Start with The Bigger They Come, the first of 30 books in the Donald Lam & Bertha Cool series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | The Bigger They Come 1939Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | The Knife Slipped 1939Buy πΊπΈ |
| 3 | Gold Comes in Bricks 1940Buy πΊπΈ |
| 4 | Turn on the Heat 1940Buy πΊπΈ |
| 5 | Double or Quits 1941Buy πΊπΈ |
| 6 | Spill the Jackpot 1941Buy πΊπΈ |
| 7 | Bats Fly at Dusk 1942Buy πΊπΈ |
| 8 | Owls Don't Blink 1942Buy πΊπΈ |
| 9 | Cats Prowl at Night 1943Buy πΊπΈ |
| 10 | Give 'em the Ax 1944Buy πΊπΈ |
| 11 | Crows Can't Count 1946Buy πΊπΈ |
| 12 | Fools Die on Friday 1947Buy πΊπΈ |
| 13 | Bedrooms Have Windows 1949Buy πΊπΈ |
| 14 | Top of the Heap 1952Buy πΊπΈ |
| 15 | Some Women Won't Wait 1953Buy πΊπΈ |
| 16 | Beware the Curves 1956Buy πΊπΈ |
| 17 | Some Slips Don't Show 1957Buy πΊπΈ |
| 18 | You Can Die Laughing 1957Buy πΊπΈ |
| 19 | The Count of 9 1958Buy πΊπΈ |
| 20 | Pass the Gravy 1959Buy πΊπΈ |
| 21 | Kept Women Can't Quit 1960Buy πΊπΈ |
| 22 | Bachelors Get Lonely 1961Buy πΊπΈ |
| 23 | Shills Can't Cash Chips 1961Buy πΊπΈ |
| 24 | Try Anything Once 1962Buy πΊπΈ |
| 25 | Fish or Cut Bait 1963Buy πΊπΈ |
| 26 | Up for Grabs 1964Buy πΊπΈ |
| 27 | Cut Thin to Win 1965Buy πΊπΈ |
| 28 | Widows Wear Weeds 1966Buy πΊπΈ |
| 29 | Traps Need Fresh Bait 1967Buy πΊπΈ |
| 30 | All Grass Isn't Green 1970Buy πΊπΈ |
Doug Selby Series
Complete9 books (1937β1949)
Start with The D.A. Calls It Murder, the first of 9 books in the Doug Selby series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | The D.A. Calls It Murder 1937Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | The D.A. Holds a Candle 1938Buy πΊπΈ |
| 3 | The D.A. Draws a Circle 1939Buy πΊπΈ |
| 4 | The D.A. Goes to Trial 1940Buy πΊπΈ |
| 5 | The D. A. Cooks a Goose 1942Buy πΊπΈ |
| 6 | The D.A. Calls a Turn 1944Buy πΊπΈ |
| 7 | The D.A. Breaks a Seal 1946Buy πΊπΈ |
| 8 | The D.A. Takes a Chance 1948Buy πΊπΈ |
| 9 | The D.A. Breaks An Egg 1949Buy πΊπΈ |
Gramp Wiggens Series
Complete3 books (1941β1960)
Start with The Case of the Turning Tide and read in order.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | The Case of the Turning Tide 1941Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | The Case of the Smoking Chimney 1943Buy πΊπΈ |
| 3 | The Case Of The Musical Cow 1960Buy πΊπΈ |
Non-Fiction Series
Complete5 books (1952β1969)
Start with The Court of Last Resort: The True Story of a Team of Crime Experts Who Fought to Save the Wrongfully Convicted, the first of 5 books in the Non-Fiction series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | The Court of Last Resort: The True Story of a Team of Crime Experts Who Fought to Save the Wrongfully Convicted 1952Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | The Hidden Heart of Baja 1962Buy πΊπΈ |
| 3 | Hunting the Desert Whale 1963Buy πΊπΈ |
| 4 | The Desert is Yours 1963Buy πΊπΈ |
| 5 | Drifting Down Delta 1969Buy πΊπΈ |
Perry Mason Series
Likely Complete85 books (1933β2022)
Start with The Case of the Sulky Girl, the first of 85 books in the Perry Mason series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | The Case of the Sulky Girl 1933Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | The Case of the Velvet Claws 1933Buy πΊπΈ |
| 3 | The Case of the Curious Bride 1934Buy πΊπΈ |
| 4 | The Case of the Howling Dog 1934Buy πΊπΈ |
| 5 | The Case of the Lucky Legs 1934Buy πΊπΈ |
| 6 | The Case of the Caretaker's Cat 1935Buy πΊπΈ |
| 7 | The Case of the Counterfeit Eye 1935Buy πΊπΈ |
| 8 | The Case of the Sleepwalker's Niece 1936Buy πΊπΈ |
| 9 | The Case of the Stuttering Bishop 1936Buy πΊπΈ |
| 10 | The Case of the Dangerous Dowager 1937Buy πΊπΈ |
| 11 | The Case of the Lame Canary 1937Buy πΊπΈ |
| 12 | The Case of the Shoplifter's Shoe 1938Buy πΊπΈ |
| 13 | The Case of the Substitute Face 1938Buy πΊπΈ |
| 14 | The Case of the Perjured Parrot 1939Buy πΊπΈ |
| 15 | The Case of the Rolling Bones 1939Buy πΊπΈ |
| 16 | The Case of the Baited Hook 1940Buy πΊπΈ |
| 17 | The Case of the Silent Partner 1940Buy πΊπΈ |
| 18 | The Case of the Empty Tin 1941Buy πΊπΈ |
| 19 | The Case of the Haunted Husband 1941Buy πΊπΈ |
| 20 | The Case of the Careless Kitten 1942Buy πΊπΈ |
| 21 | The Case of the Drowning Duck 1942Buy πΊπΈ |
| 22 | The Case of the Buried Clock 1943Buy πΊπΈ |
| 23 | The Case of the Drowsy Mosquito 1943Buy πΊπΈ |
| 24 | The Case of the Black-Eyed Blonde 1944Buy πΊπΈ |
| 25 | The Case of the Crooked Candle 1944Buy πΊπΈ |
| 26 | The Case of the Golddigger's Purse 1945Buy πΊπΈ |
| 27 | The Case of the Half-Wakened Wife 1945Buy πΊπΈ |
| 28 | The Case of the Borrowed Brunette 1946Buy πΊπΈ |
| 29 | The Case of the Fan-Dancer's Horse 1946Buy πΊπΈ |
| 30 | The Case of the Lazy Lover 1947Buy πΊπΈ |
| 31 | The Case of the Lonely Heiress 1948Buy πΊπΈ |
| 32 | The Case of the Vagabond Virgin 1948Buy πΊπΈ |
| 33 | The Case of the Cautious Coquette 1949Buy πΊπΈ |
| 34 | The Case of the Dubious Bridegroom 1949Buy πΊπΈ |
| 35 | The Case of the Negligent Nymph 1950Buy πΊπΈ |
| 36 | The Case of the One-Eyed Witness 1950Buy πΊπΈ |
| 37 | The Case of the Angry Mourner 1951Buy πΊπΈ |
| 38 | The Case of the Fiery Fingers 1951Buy πΊπΈ |
| 39 | The Case of the Grinning Gorilla 1952Buy πΊπΈ |
| 40 | The Case of the Moth-Eaten Mink 1952Buy πΊπΈ |
| 41 | The Case of the Green-Eyed Sister 1953Buy πΊπΈ |
| 42 | The Case of the Hesitant Hostess 1953Buy πΊπΈ |
| 43 | The Case of the Fugitive Nurse 1954Buy πΊπΈ |
| 44 | The Case of the Restless Redhead 1954Buy πΊπΈ |
| 45 | The Case of the Runaway Corpse 1954Buy πΊπΈ |
| 46 | The Case of the Glamorous Ghost 1955Buy πΊπΈ |
| 47 | The Case of the Nervous Accomplice 1955Buy πΊπΈ |
| 48 | The Case of the Sun Bather's Diary 1955Buy πΊπΈ |
| 49 | The Case of the Terrified Typist 1955Buy πΊπΈ |
| 50 | The Case of the Demure Defendant 1956Buy πΊπΈ |
| 51 | The Case of the Gilded Lily 1956Buy πΊπΈ |
| 52 | The Case of The Screaming Woman 1957Buy πΊπΈ |
| 53 | The Case of the Daring Decoy 1957Buy πΊπΈ |
| 54 | The Case of the Lucky Loser 1957Buy πΊπΈ |
| 55 | The Case of the Calendar Girl 1958Buy πΊπΈ |
| 56 | The Case of the Foot-Loose Doll 1958Buy πΊπΈ |
| 57 | The Case of the Long-Legged Models 1958Buy πΊπΈ |
| 58 | The Case of the Deadly Toy 1959Buy πΊπΈ |
| 59 | The Case of the Mythical Monkeys 1959Buy πΊπΈ |
| 60 | The Case of the Singing Skirt 1959Buy πΊπΈ |
| 61 | The Case of the Duplicate Daughter 1960Buy πΊπΈ |
| 62 | The Case of the Shapely Shadow 1960Buy πΊπΈ |
| 63 | The Case of the Waylaid Wolf 1960Buy πΊπΈ |
| 64 | The Case of the Bigamous Spouse 1961Buy πΊπΈ |
| 65 | The Case of the Spurious Spinster 1961Buy πΊπΈ |
| 66 | The Case of the Blonde Bonanza 1962Buy πΊπΈ |
| 67 | The Case of the Ice-Cold Hands 1962Buy πΊπΈ |
| 68 | The Case of the Mischievous Doll 1962Buy πΊπΈ |
| 69 | The Case of the Reluctant Model 1962Buy πΊπΈ |
| 70 | The Case of the Amorous Aunt 1963Buy πΊπΈ |
| 71 | The Case of the Stepdaughter's Secret 1963Buy πΊπΈ |
| 72 | The Case of the Daring Divorcee 1964Buy πΊπΈ |
| 73 | The Case of the Horrified Heirs 1964Buy πΊπΈ |
| 74 | The Case of the Phantom Fortune 1964Buy πΊπΈ |
| 75 | The Case of the Beautiful Beggar 1965Buy πΊπΈ |
| 76 | The Case of the Troubled Trustee 1965Buy πΊπΈ |
| 77 | The Case of the Worried Waitress 1966Buy πΊπΈ |
| 78 | The Case of the Queenly Contestant 1967Buy πΊπΈ |
| 79 | The Case of the Careless Cupid 1968Buy πΊπΈ |
| 80 | The Case of the Fabulous Fake 1969Buy πΊπΈ |
| 81 | The Case of the Fenced-in Woman 1972Buy πΊπΈ |
| 82 | The Case of the Postponed Murder 1973Buy πΊπΈ |
| 83 | The Case of Too Many Murders(By: Thomas Chastain) 1989Buy πΊπΈ |
| 84 | The Case of the Burning Bequest(By: Thomas Chastain) 1990Buy πΊπΈ |
| 85 | The Case of the Baited Hook 2022Buy πΊπΈ |
Perry Mason Collections Series
Complete5 books (1955β1989)
Start with The Case of the Murderer's Bride and Other Stories, the first of 5 books in the Perry Mason Collections series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | The Case of the Murderer's Bride and Other Stories 1955Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | The Case of the Crimson Kiss 1970Buy πΊπΈ |
| 3 | The Case Of The Crying Swallow 1971Buy πΊπΈ |
| 4 | The Case of the Irate Witness and Other Stories 1973Buy πΊπΈ |
| 5 | Four Cases of Murder 1989Buy πΊπΈ |
Short Story Collections Series
Complete11 books (1947β2006)
Start with Two Clues: The Clue of the Runaway Blonde / Clue's Don't Count & The Clue of the Hungry Horse, the first of 11 books in the Short Story Collections series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Two Clues: The Clue of the Runaway Blonde / Clue's Don't Count & The Clue of the Hungry Horse 1947Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | The Amazing Adventures of Lester Leith 1980Buy πΊπΈ |
| 3 | The Human Zero 1981Buy πΊπΈ |
| 4 | Whispering Sands 1981Buy πΊπΈ |
| 5 | Pay Dirt and Other Whispering Sands Stories of Gold Fever and the Western Desert 1983Buy πΊπΈ |
| 6 | The Adventures Of Paul Pry, Volume 2 1990Buy πΊπΈ |
| 7 | The Blonde in Lower Six Plus 3 Short Novels 1990Buy πΊπΈ |
| 8 | Honest Money and Other Short Novels 1991Buy πΊπΈ |
| 9 | The Adventures Of Paul Pry 1991Buy πΊπΈ |
| 10 | The Danger Zone and Other Stories 2004Buy πΊπΈ |
| 11 | The Casebook of Sidney Zoom 2006Buy πΊπΈ |
Standalone Novels Series
Complete4 books (1942β2010)
Start with The Clue of the Forgotten Murder / The Clew of the Forgotten Murder, the first of 4 books in the Standalone Novels series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | The Clue of the Forgotten Murder / The Clew of the Forgotten Murder 1942Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | This Is Murder 1948Buy πΊπΈ |
| 3 | Dead Men's Letters 1990Buy πΊπΈ |
| 4 | The Exploits of the Patent Leather Kid 2010Buy πΊπΈ |
Terry Clane Series
Complete2 books (1937β1946)
Start with Murder Up My Sleeve and read in order.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Murder Up My Sleeve 1937Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | The Case of the Backward Mule 1946Buy πΊπΈ |
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many books has Erle Stanley Gardner written?
- Erle Stanley Gardner has written 164 books across 10 series. Their published works span from 1933 to 2022.
- What is the first book in each Erle Stanley Gardner series?
- Here are the first books in Erle Stanley Gardner's series: Anthologies: Hard-Boiled Detectives; Donald Lam & Bertha Cool: The Bigger They Come; Doug Selby: The D.A. Calls It Murder; Gramp Wiggens: The Case of the Turning Tide; Non-Fiction: The Court of Last Resort: The True Story of a Team of Crime Experts Who Fought to Save the Wrongfully Convicted.
- What order should I read Erle Stanley Gardner's books?
- We recommend reading Erle Stanley Gardner's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
- Are Erle Stanley Gardner's series complete?
- Erle Stanley Gardner has 9 completed series.

