John Grisham Reading Order

7 books (1998–2025)

John Grisham has edited six anthology collections from 1998 through 2024, with the series remaining ongoing. These books should be read in publication order, beginning with Legal Briefs. The anthologies span mystery, thriller, and non-fiction genres, featuring contributions from various acclaimed authors across the collections.

Start with Legal Briefs, the first of 6 books in the Anthologies series.

#	Title
1	Legal Briefs 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Wavedancer Benefit: A Tribute to Frank Muller 2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Their World is Law 2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Delta Blues 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Don't Quit Your Day Job: Acclaimed Authors and the Day Jobs They Quit 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Fourteen Days: An Unauthorized Gathering 2024Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	The Mysterious Bookshop Presents the Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2025 2025Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

3 books (2017–2024)

The Camino Island series by John Grisham consists of three mystery and thriller novels published between 2017 and 2024, with the series still ongoing. These books should be read in publication order, beginning with Camino Island, followed by Camino Winds, and Camino Ghosts. Each installment builds on the interconnected stories set in this unique location, making sequential reading essential for maximum enjoyment.

Start with Camino Island and read in order.

#	Title
1	Camino Island 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Camino Winds 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Camino Ghosts 2024Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

1 book (2026–2026)

4 books (1989–2022)

John Grisham's Jake Brigance series comprises four legal thrillers published between 1989 and 2022, beginning with the classic A Time to Kill and continuing through Sycamore Row, A Time for Mercy, and Homecoming. The series appears to be complete and should be read in publication order to follow the character's development across decades. These books center on the defense attorney Jake Brigance as he navigates complex moral and legal cases in the fictional town of Clanton, Mississippi.

Start with A Time to Kill, the first of 4 books in the Jake Brigance series.

#	Title
1	A Time to Kill 1989Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Sycamore Row 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	A Time for Mercy 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Homecoming 2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (1991–2023)

John Grisham's Mitch McDeere series spans over three decades with two novels following the same protagonist. The Firm was published in 1991, while The Exchange arrived in 2023, making this a widely spaced duology. Read these books in publication order to experience the character's story as intended across the decades-long gap between installments.

Start with The Firm and read in order.

#	Title
1	The Firm 1991Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Exchange 2023Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

3 books (2006–2027)

John Grisham's non-fiction series comprises three books published between 2006 and 2027, with the series still ongoing. The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town launched the series in 2006, followed by Framed, co-written with Jim McCloskey, and Shaken. These books should be read in publication order to follow Grisham's exploration of true crime and criminal justice issues.

Start with The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town and read in order.

#	Title
1	The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Framed(With: Jim McCloskey) 2024Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Shaken 2027Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (2015–2016)

John Grisham's Rogue Lawyer series consists of two complete novels published between 2015 and 2016. The two books should be read in publication order: Rogue Lawyer followed by Partners. Both entries are mystery and thriller novels that form a closed series.

Start with Rogue Lawyer and read in order.

#	Title
1	Rogue Lawyer 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Partners 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

6 books (2011–2015)

John Grisham's Short Stories/Novellas series comprises five complete works published between 2011 and 2015, consisting of Casino, Fetching Raymond, Fish Files, Quiet Haven, and The Tumor. These mystery and thriller entries should be read in publication order, beginning with Casino. The series concluded in 2015 and offers standalone stories within the collection format.

Start with Casino, the first of 5 books in the Short Stories/Novellas series.

#	Title
1	Blood Drive 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Casino 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Fetching Raymond 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Fish Files 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Quiet Haven 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	The Tumor 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (2008–2022)

John Grisham's Short Story Collections series comprises two books of mystery and thriller tales published across a fourteen-year span, beginning with Ford County in 2008 and concluding with Sparring Partners in 2022. These standalone story collections should be read in publication order to experience how Grisham's short fiction evolved over time. The series appears to be complete, offering readers a different pace from his well-known novels while maintaining the suspenseful storytelling his fans expect.

Start with Ford County and read in order.

#	Title
1	Ford County 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Sparring Partners 2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

31 books (1992–2026)

John Grisham's standalone novels comprise 31 books published between 1992 and 2026, with the series still ongoing. Each novel stands alone with its own characters and plot, though many feature legal themes and courtroom drama characteristic of Grisham's writing style. The books should be read in publication order, beginning with The Pelican Brief and continuing through recent releases. This collection spans mystery, thriller, and occasional non-fiction works across three decades of the author's prolific career.

Start with The Pelican Brief, the first of 31 books in the Standalone Novels series.

#	Title
1	The Pelican Brief 1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Client 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Chamber 1994Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Rainmaker 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	The Runaway Jury 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	The Partner 1997Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	The Street Lawyer 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	The Testament 1999Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	The Brethren 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	A Painted House 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Skipping Christmas 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	The Summons 2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	Bleachers 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	The King of Torts 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	The Last Juror 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	The Broker 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	Playing for Pizza 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18	The Appeal 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19	The Associate 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
20	The Confession 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
21	The Litigators 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
22	Calico Joe 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
23	The Racketeer 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
24	Gray Mountain 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
25	The Rooster Bar 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
26	The Reckoning 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
27	The Guardians 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
28	Sooley 2021Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
29	The Boys from Biloxi 2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
30	The Widow 2025Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
31	The French Illusion 2026Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

3 books (2016–2021)

John Grisham's three-book Whistler series follows a legal thriller narrative arc centered on corruption and justice. The series began with The Whistler in 2016 and concluded with The Judge's List in 2021, with Witness to a Trial appearing between them. Read these books in publication order to experience the interconnected storylines and character development that unfold across the trilogy.

Start with The Whistler and read in order.

#	Title
1	The Whistler 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Witness to a Trial 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Judge's List 2021Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

7 books (2010–2019)

The Theodore Boone series comprises seven complete mystery novels by John Grisham, published between 2010 and 2019. These books should be read in publication order, beginning with The Abduction and concluding with The Accomplice. The series follows a young protagonist navigating legal mysteries and investigations across its sequential installments.

Start with The Abduction, the first of 7 books in the Theodore Boone series.

#	Title
1	The Abduction 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer / Young Lawyer 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Accused 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Activist 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	The Fugitive 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	The Scandal 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	The Accomplice 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible