John Gardner Reading Order

2 books (1982–1999)

John Gardner edited two complete anthology collections published between 1982 and 1999. These books should be read in publication order, beginning with The Best American Short Stories 1982, followed by The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Gardner's selections span mystery, thriller, and non-fiction genres, making these collections valuable for readers exploring short fiction across multiple styles.

Start with The Best American Short Stories 1982 and read in order.

#	Title
1	The Best American Short Stories 1982 1982Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes 1999Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

11 books (1964–1975)

The Boysie Oakes series consists of eleven spy thrillers by John Gardner, published between 1964 and 1975. The complete series should be read in publication order, beginning with The Liquidator and concluding with A Killer for a Song. These mystery and thriller novels follow a protagonist navigating espionage and danger across multiple standalone adventures.

Start with The Liquidator, the first of 11 books in the Boysie Oakes series.

#	Title
1	The Liquidator 1964Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Understrike 1965Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Amber Nine 1966Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Madrigal 1967Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Hideaway 1968Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Founder Member 1969Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Traitor's Exit 1970Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Air Apparent 1973Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	The Airline Pirates 1973Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	The Assassination File 1974Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	A Killer for a Song 1975Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (1969–1976)

John Gardner's Derek Torry series consists of two mystery and thriller novels published between 1969 and 1976. The complete series includes A Complete State of Death and The Corner Men, which should be read in the order they were originally published. This finished series is ideal for readers who prefer to follow stories in their intended sequence.

Start with A Complete State of Death and read in order.

#	Title
1	A Complete State of Death 1969Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Corner Men 1976Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

5 books (2002–2007)

The Detective Sergeant Suzie Mountford series spans five mysteries published between 2002 and 2007, following the investigations of its titular detective. Begin with Bottled Spider and continue through Streets of Town, Angels Dining at the Ritz, Troubled Midnight, and conclude with No Human Enemy. This complete series should be read in publication order to experience the full progression of the character and her cases. The books blend mystery and thriller elements throughout the finished sequence.

Start with Bottled Spider, the first of 5 books in the Detective Sergeant Suzie Mountford series.

#	Title
1	Bottled Spider 2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Streets of Town 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Angels Dining at the Ritz 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Troubled Midnight 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	No Human Enemy 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

5 books (1979–1995)

John Gardner's Herbie Kruger series comprises five espionage thrillers published between 1979 and 1995, concluding with Confessor. The books should be read in publication order, beginning with The Nostradamus Traitor, followed by The Garden of Weapons, The Quiet Dogs, Maestro, and Confessor. This complete series offers a full arc of Cold War intrigue featuring the titular protagonist across multiple interconnected adventures.

Start with The Nostradamus Traitor, the first of 5 books in the Herbie Kruger series.

#	Title
1	The Nostradamus Traitor 1979Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Garden of Weapons 1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Quiet Dogs 1988Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Maestro 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Confessor 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

34 books (1968–2022)

The James Bond series by John Gardner comprises 33 novels published between 1968 and 2022, beginning with Colonel Sun by Kingsley Amis and continuing through Gardner's numerous contributions to the franchise. These books should be read in publication order to follow the chronological development of the spy narratives. The series appears to be complete as of 2022, offering readers a comprehensive collection of Bond adventures spanning multiple decades.

Start with Colonel Sun(By: Kingsley Amis), the first of 33 books in the James Bond series.

#	Title
1	Colonel Sun(By: Kingsley Amis) 1968Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Authorized Biography of 007(By: John George Pearson) 1973Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	License Renewed 1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	For Special Services 1982Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Icebreaker 1983Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Role of Honor 1984Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Nobody Lives Forever 1986Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	No Deals, Mr. Bond 1987Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Scorpius 1988Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Licence to Kill 1989Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Win, Lose or Die 1989Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Brokenclaw 1990Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	The Man from Barbarossa 1991Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	Death Is Forever 1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	Never Send Flowers 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	SeaFire 1994Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	GoldenEye 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18	Cold Fall 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19	Tomorrow Never Dies(By: Raymond Benson) 1997Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
20	Zero Minus Ten(By: Raymond Benson) 1997Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
21	The Facts of Death(By: Raymond Benson) 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
22	High Time to Kill(By: Raymond Benson) 1999Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
23	Midsummer Nights Doom 1999
24	The World is Not Enough(By: Raymond Benson) 1999Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
25	Doubleshot(By: Raymond Benson) 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
26	Never Dream of Dying(By: Raymond Benson) 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
27	Die Another Day(By: Raymond Benson) 2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
28	The Man With the Red Tattoo(By: Raymond Benson) 2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
29	Devil May Care(By: Sebastian Faulks) 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
30	Carte Blanche(By: Jeffery Deaver) 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
31	Solo(By: William Boyd) 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
32	Trigger Mortis(By: Anthony Horowitz) 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
33	Forever and a Day(By: Anthony Horowitz) 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
34	With a Mind to Kill(By: Anthony Horowitz) 2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (1983–1994)

John Gardner's two-book non-fiction series offers insight into the craft of writing and the author's perspective on literary creation. Published between 1983 and 1994, these complete works should be read in publication order, beginning with On Becoming a Novelist. The series combines Gardner's expertise in both mystery and thriller genres with practical guidance for aspiring writers.

Start with On Becoming a Novelist and read in order.

#	Title
1	On Becoming a Novelist 1983Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	On Writers and Writing 1994Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

3 books (1974–2008)

John Gardner's Professor Moriarty trilogy spans three decades, beginning with The Return of Moriarty in 1974 and concluding with Moriarty in 2008. This complete series should be read in publication order to follow the narrative arc. The three novels explore the character of Sherlock Holmes' nemesis through Gardner's mystery and thriller fiction.

Start with The Return of Moriarty and read in order.

#	Title
1	The Return of Moriarty 1974Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Revenge of Moriarty 1975Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Moriarty 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

3 books (1985–1989)

John Gardner's Railton Family trilogy spans from 1985 to 1989 and follows a multi-generational saga of espionage and intrigue. The three books should be read in publication order: The Secret Generations, The Secret Houses, and The Secret Families. This complete series blends mystery and thriller elements across its interconnected narrative of a British family navigating the shadowy world of intelligence work.

Start with The Secret Generations and read in order.

#	Title
1	The Secret Generations 1985Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Secret Houses 1987Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Secret Families 1989Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

11 books (1972–2001)

John Gardner's eleven standalone novels span from 1972 to 2001 and should be read in publication order beginning with The Censor. Though each book stands independently, reading them chronologically provides insight into the author's evolving approach to mystery and thriller storytelling across three decades. The complete series concludes with Day of Absolution and showcases Gardner's range across various narrative styles and themes within the crime and suspense genres.

Start with The Censor, the first of 11 books in the Standalone Novels series.

#	Title
1	The Censor 1972Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Every Night's a Bullfight 1973Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Director 1973Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	To Run a Little Faster 1976Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	The Werewolf Trace 1977Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	The Dancing Dodo 1979Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Golgotha 1980Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	The Last Trump 1980Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Flamingo 1983Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Blood of the Fathers 1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Day of Absolution 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible