Erle Stanley Gardner Reading Order

10 books (1953–2003)

Erle Stanley Gardner's Anthologies series consists of 10 complete mystery and detective story collections published between 1953 and 2003. These compilations bring together hard-boiled detectives, locked room mysteries, spy narratives, and suspense tales from various authors and time periods. Readers should approach the series in publication order, beginning with Hard-Boiled Detectives and progressing through the subsequent collections to experience how Gardner's editorial selections evolved across five decades.

Start with Hard-Boiled Detectives, the first of 10 books in the Anthologies series.

#	Title
1	Hard-Boiled Detectives 1953Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Daring Detectives 1969Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Tantalizing Locked Room Mysteries 1982Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Murder Plus 1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	The Mammoth Book of Short Spy Novels 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	The Oxford Book of American Detective Stories 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Law and Order 1997Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	The Oxford Book of Detective Stories 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	A Century of Great Suspense Stories 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Murder On The Railways 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

30 books (1939–1970)

The Donald Lam & Bertha Cool series consists of thirty mystery novels written by Erle Stanley Gardner between 1939 and 1970. These detective stories should be read in publication order, beginning with The Bigger They Come and concluding with the final entry published in 1970. The complete series follows the investigations of the titular private detectives across their cases, with each book standing as its own mystery while contributing to the larger body of work featuring these characters.

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 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Knife Slipped 1939Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Gold Comes in Bricks 1940Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Turn on the Heat 1940Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Double or Quits 1941Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Spill the Jackpot 1941Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Bats Fly at Dusk 1942Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Owls Don't Blink 1942Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Cats Prowl at Night 1943Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Give 'em the Ax 1944Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Crows Can't Count 1946Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Fools Die on Friday 1947Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	Bedrooms Have Windows 1949Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	Top of the Heap 1952Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	Some Women Won't Wait 1953Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	Beware the Curves 1956Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	Some Slips Don't Show 1957Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18	You Can Die Laughing 1957Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19	The Count of 9 1958Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
20	Pass the Gravy 1959Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
21	Kept Women Can't Quit 1960Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
22	Bachelors Get Lonely 1961Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
23	Shills Can't Cash Chips 1961Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
24	Try Anything Once 1962Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
25	Fish or Cut Bait 1963Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
26	Up for Grabs 1964Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
27	Cut Thin to Win 1965Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
28	Widows Wear Weeds 1966Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
29	Traps Need Fresh Bait 1967Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
30	All Grass Isn't Green 1970Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

9 books (1937–1949)

This complete mystery series by prolific author Erle Stanley Gardner features district attorney Doug Selby across nine books published between 1937 and 1949. The series should be read in publication order, beginning with The D.A. Calls It Murder and concluding with The D.A. Breaks An Egg. Each novel follows Selby as he navigates criminal investigations and courtroom proceedings in Gardner's characteristically fast-paced detective fiction.

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 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The D.A. Holds a Candle 1938Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The D.A. Draws a Circle 1939Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The D.A. Goes to Trial 1940Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	The D. A. Cooks a Goose 1942Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	The D.A. Calls a Turn 1944Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	The D.A. Breaks a Seal 1946Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	The D.A. Takes a Chance 1948Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	The D.A. Breaks An Egg 1949Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

3 books (1941–1960)

Erle Stanley Gardner's Gramp Wiggens series consists of three complete mystery novels published between 1941 and 1960. The books should be read in their publication order, beginning with The Case of the Turning Tide, followed by The Case of the Smoking Chimney and The Case of the Musical Cow. This short series delivers Gardner's characteristic mystery and thriller storytelling across its three installments.

Start with The Case of the Turning Tide and read in order.

#	Title
1	The Case of the Turning Tide 1941Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Case of the Smoking Chimney 1943Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Case Of The Musical Cow 1960Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

5 books (1952–1969)

This five-book nonfiction series by mystery writer Erle Stanley Gardner spans from 1952 to 1969 and is now complete. The books should be read in publication order, beginning with The Court of Last Resort, which documents Gardner's work with a team of crime experts dedicated to exonerating wrongfully convicted individuals. The series continues with explorations of diverse subjects including The Hidden Heart of Baja, Hunting the Desert Whale, The Desert is Yours, and Drifting Down Delta, showcasing Gardner's interests beyond courtroom mysteries.

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 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Hidden Heart of Baja 1962Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Hunting the Desert Whale 1963Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Desert is Yours 1963Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Drifting Down Delta 1969Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

85 books (1933–2022)

Erle Stanley Gardner's Perry Mason series spans 85 detective novels published from 1933 to 2022, following the brilliant criminal defense attorney through cases ranging from murder investigations to elaborate cons. While most entries were written by Gardner himself during the mid-20th century, the series was later expanded with additional books released decades after the author's death. The novels should be read in publication order, beginning with The Case of the Sulky Girl, as later mysteries occasionally reference earlier cases and character developments. This classic mystery series is now complete, offering readers a comprehensive catalogue of courtroom drama and detective work.

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 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Case of the Velvet Claws 1933Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Case of the Curious Bride 1934Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Case of the Howling Dog 1934Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	The Case of the Lucky Legs 1934Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	The Case of the Caretaker's Cat 1935Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	The Case of the Counterfeit Eye 1935Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	The Case of the Sleepwalker's Niece 1936Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	The Case of the Stuttering Bishop 1936Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	The Case of the Dangerous Dowager 1937Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	The Case of the Lame Canary 1937Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	The Case of the Shoplifter's Shoe 1938Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	The Case of the Substitute Face 1938Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	The Case of the Perjured Parrot 1939Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	The Case of the Rolling Bones 1939Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	The Case of the Baited Hook 1940Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	The Case of the Silent Partner 1940Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18	The Case of the Empty Tin 1941Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19	The Case of the Haunted Husband 1941Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
20	The Case of the Careless Kitten 1942Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
21	The Case of the Drowning Duck 1942Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
22	The Case of the Buried Clock 1943Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
23	The Case of the Drowsy Mosquito 1943Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
24	The Case of the Black-Eyed Blonde 1944Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
25	The Case of the Crooked Candle 1944Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
26	The Case of the Golddigger's Purse 1945Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
27	The Case of the Half-Wakened Wife 1945Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
28	The Case of the Borrowed Brunette 1946Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
29	The Case of the Fan-Dancer's Horse 1946Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
30	The Case of the Lazy Lover 1947Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
31	The Case of the Lonely Heiress 1948Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
32	The Case of the Vagabond Virgin 1948Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
33	The Case of the Cautious Coquette 1949Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
34	The Case of the Dubious Bridegroom 1949Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
35	The Case of the Negligent Nymph 1950Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
36	The Case of the One-Eyed Witness 1950Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
37	The Case of the Angry Mourner 1951Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
38	The Case of the Fiery Fingers 1951Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
39	The Case of the Grinning Gorilla 1952Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
40	The Case of the Moth-Eaten Mink 1952Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
41	The Case of the Green-Eyed Sister 1953Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
42	The Case of the Hesitant Hostess 1953Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
43	The Case of the Fugitive Nurse 1954Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
44	The Case of the Restless Redhead 1954Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
45	The Case of the Runaway Corpse 1954Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
46	The Case of the Glamorous Ghost 1955Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
47	The Case of the Nervous Accomplice 1955Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
48	The Case of the Sun Bather's Diary 1955Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
49	The Case of the Terrified Typist 1955Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
50	The Case of the Demure Defendant 1956Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
51	The Case of the Gilded Lily 1956Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
52	The Case of The Screaming Woman 1957Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
53	The Case of the Daring Decoy 1957Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
54	The Case of the Lucky Loser 1957Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
55	The Case of the Calendar Girl 1958Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
56	The Case of the Foot-Loose Doll 1958Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
57	The Case of the Long-Legged Models 1958Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
58	The Case of the Deadly Toy 1959Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
59	The Case of the Mythical Monkeys 1959Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
60	The Case of the Singing Skirt 1959Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
61	The Case of the Duplicate Daughter 1960Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
62	The Case of the Shapely Shadow 1960Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
63	The Case of the Waylaid Wolf 1960Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
64	The Case of the Bigamous Spouse 1961Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
65	The Case of the Spurious Spinster 1961Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
66	The Case of the Blonde Bonanza 1962Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
67	The Case of the Ice-Cold Hands 1962Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
68	The Case of the Mischievous Doll 1962Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
69	The Case of the Reluctant Model 1962Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
70	The Case of the Amorous Aunt 1963Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
71	The Case of the Stepdaughter's Secret 1963Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
72	The Case of the Daring Divorcee 1964Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
73	The Case of the Horrified Heirs 1964Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
74	The Case of the Phantom Fortune 1964Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
75	The Case of the Beautiful Beggar 1965Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
76	The Case of the Troubled Trustee 1965Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
77	The Case of the Worried Waitress 1966Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
78	The Case of the Queenly Contestant 1967Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
79	The Case of the Careless Cupid 1968Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
80	The Case of the Fabulous Fake 1969Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
81	The Case of the Fenced-in Woman 1972Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
82	The Case of the Postponed Murder 1973Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
83	The Case of Too Many Murders(By: Thomas Chastain) 1989Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
84	The Case of the Burning Bequest(By: Thomas Chastain) 1990Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
85	The Case of the Baited Hook 2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

5 books (1955–1989)

The Perry Mason Collections series comprises five complete books of mystery stories published between 1955 and 1989, featuring the iconic detective and lawyer created by Erle Stanley Gardner. These collections should be read in publication order, beginning with The Case of the Murderer's Bride and Other Stories and concluding with Four Cases of Murder. The series blends Gardner's trademark mystery and thriller writing with selections that showcase Perry Mason's investigative and legal prowess across various cases.

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 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Case of the Crimson Kiss 1970Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Case Of The Crying Swallow 1971Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Case of the Irate Witness and Other Stories 1973Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Four Cases of Murder 1989Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

11 books (1947–2006)

Erle Stanley Gardner's Short Story Collections spans eleven volumes of mystery and thriller tales published between 1947 and 2006. These collections feature various recurring characters including Lester Leith, Paul Pry, Sidney Zoom, and the Human Zero, showcasing Gardner's versatility across different detective and adventure narratives. The series is complete and should be read in publication order, beginning with Two Clues. These standalone stories and short novels offer an excellent introduction to Gardner's prolific output beyond his most famous Perry Mason cases.

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 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Amazing Adventures of Lester Leith 1980Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Human Zero 1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Whispering Sands 1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Pay Dirt and Other Whispering Sands Stories of Gold Fever and the Western Desert 1983Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	The Adventures Of Paul Pry, Volume 2 1990Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	The Blonde in Lower Six Plus 3 Short Novels 1990Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Honest Money and Other Short Novels 1991Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	The Adventures Of Paul Pry 1991Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	The Danger Zone and Other Stories 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	The Casebook of Sidney Zoom 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

4 books (1942–2010)

Erle Stanley Gardner's four standalone mystery novels were published between 1942 and 2010, spanning nearly seven decades. These books—The Clue of the Forgotten Murder, This Is Murder, Dead Men's Letters, and The Exploits of the Patent Leather Kid—are best read in publication order. The series is complete and each entry can be enjoyed independently of the others.

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 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	This Is Murder 1948Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Dead Men's Letters 1990Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Exploits of the Patent Leather Kid 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (1937–1946)

Erle Stanley Gardner's Terry Clane series consists of two complete mystery novels published between 1937 and 1946. The series should be read in publication order, beginning with Murder Up My Sleeve followed by The Case of the Backward Mule. This brief two-book collection represents Gardner's work in the mystery and thriller genre during the pre-war and immediate post-war era.

Start with Murder Up My Sleeve and read in order.