John Dickson Carr Reading Order
12 series · 217 books · Born 1906-11-30
John Dickson Carr was an American mystery novelist who became a master of the locked-room puzzle, spending much of the 1930s and 1940s in England where he drew inspiration for his intricately plotted tales. His two signature detectives, the erudite Dr. Fell and the irascible Sir Henry Merrivale, rank among detective fiction's most memorable characters and helped establish Carr as one of the genre's finest architects of impossible crimes. Across dozens of novels and short stories, Carr crafted ingeniously constructed mysteries that prioritized fair-play plotting and surprising solutions over psychological realism.
Adrian Conan Doyle Collections Series
Complete4 books (1954–1964)
Start with The Exploits of Sherlock Holmes(With: Adrian Conan Doyle), the first of 4 books in the Adrian Conan Doyle Collections series.
Start this series with The Exploits of Sherlock Holmes(With: Adrian Conan Doyle)
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Anthologies Series
Ongoing18 books (1952–2025)
Start with 20 Great Tales of Murder, the first of 17 books in the Anthologies series.
Start this series with 20 Great Tales of Murder
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British Library Crime Classics Series
Ongoing103 books (1862–2024)
Start with The Notting Hill Mystery(By: Charles Warren Adams), the first of 102 books in the British Library Crime Classics series.
Start this series with The Notting Hill Mystery(By: Charles Warren Adams)
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Collections Series
Complete1 book (1985–1985)
Department D-3 Series
Complete1 book (1940–1940)
Dr. Gideon Fell Series
Complete24 books (1932–1967)
Start with Hag's Nook, the first of 24 books in the Dr. Gideon Fell series.
Start this series with Hag's Nook
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Henri Bencolin Series
Complete5 books (1930–1937)
Start with It Walks by Night, the first of 5 books in the Henri Bencolin series.
Start this series with It Walks by Night
Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
Murderous Christmas Stories Series
Likely Complete7 books (2016–2022)
Start with Murder under the Christmas Tree, the first of 7 books in the Murderous Christmas Stories series.
Start this series with Murder under the Christmas Tree
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Non-Fiction Series
Complete1 book (1949–1949)
Short Story Collections Series
Likely Complete9 books (1954–2022)
Start with The Exploits of Sherlock Holmes(With: Adrian Conan Doyle), the first of 9 books in the Short Story Collections series.
Start this series with The Exploits of Sherlock Holmes(With: Adrian Conan Doyle)
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Sir Henry Merrivale Series
Complete23 books (1934–1991)
Start with The Plague Court Murders, the first of 23 books in the Sir Henry Merrivale series.
Start this series with The Plague Court Murders
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Standalone Novels Series
Complete21 books (1932–1972)
Start with Poison in Jest, the first of 21 books in the Standalone Novels series.
Start this series with Poison in Jest
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Frequently Asked Questions
- How many books has John Dickson Carr written?
- John Dickson Carr has written 217 books across 12 series. Their published works span from 1862 to 2025.
- What is the first book in each John Dickson Carr series?
- Here are the first books in John Dickson Carr's series: Adrian Conan Doyle Collections: The Exploits of Sherlock Holmes(With: Adrian Conan Doyle); Anthologies: 20 Great Tales of Murder; British Library Crime Classics: The Notting Hill Mystery(By: Charles Warren Adams); Dr. Gideon Fell: Hag's Nook; Henri Bencolin: It Walks by Night.
- What order should I read John Dickson Carr's books?
- We recommend reading John Dickson Carr's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
- Is John Dickson Carr still writing new books?
- Yes, John Dickson Carr has 2 ongoing series: Anthologies, British Library Crime Classics.