Kate Atkinson Reading Order

4 books (2009–2011)

Kate Atkinson edited four anthology collections between 2009 and 2011, now complete as a series. These volumes should be read in publication order beginning with Freedom. The series spans diverse short fiction and crime stories, culminating with The Mammoth Book of Best British Crime 8.

Start with Freedom, the first of 4 books in the Anthologies series.

#	Title
1	Freedom 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Midsummer Nights 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Ox-Tales: Earth 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Mammoth Book of Best British Crime 8 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

6 books (2004–2024)

Kate Atkinson's Jackson Brodie series consists of six crime novels published between 2004 and 2024, with the most recent installment arriving in 2024. The series remains ongoing and should be read in publication order, beginning with Case Histories and continuing through One Good Turn, When Will There Be Good News?, Started Early Took My Dog, Big Sky, and Death at the Sign of the Rook. Each novel follows the investigations of private detective Jackson Brodie as he navigates complex cases in contemporary Britain.

Start with Case Histories, the first of 6 books in the Jackson Brodie series.

#	Title
1	Case Histories 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	One Good Turn 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	When Will There Be Good News? 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Started Early, Took My Dog 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Big Sky 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Death at the Sign of the Rook 2024Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

7 books (2020–2020)

The Out Of Line series is a complete collection of seven books published in 2020, featuring contributions from multiple authors including Mary Gaitskill, Roxane Gay, Emma Donoghue, Caroline Kepnes, Lisa Ko, and Cheryl Strayed. These books should be read in publication order, beginning with Bear Witness by Mary Gaitskill and concluding with This Telling by Cheryl Strayed. The series brings together diverse literary voices in a collaborative project that was finished within its inaugural year.

Start with Bear Witness(By: Mary Gaitskill), the first of 7 books in the Out Of Line series.

3 books (2002–2023)

Kate Atkinson has published three short story collections across two decades, beginning with Not the End of the World in 2002 and concluding with Normal Rules Don't Apply in 2023. These collections should be read in publication order to experience Atkinson's evolution as a writer of short fiction. The series appears to be complete, offering readers a comprehensive selection of her work in the form across the span of her career.

Start with Not the End of the World and read in order.

#	Title
1	Not the End of the World 2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Festive Spirits 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Normal Rules Don't Apply 2023Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

6 books (1995–2026)

Kate Atkinson's five standalone novels span from 1995 to 2022, with each book offering independent stories that can be read in any order, though publication order is recommended for experiencing her evolving style. The series includes Behind the Scenes at the Museum, Human Croquet, Emotionally Weird, Transcription, Shrines of Gaiety, and Our Noble Selves. While technically standalones, reading them in the order they were published allows readers to appreciate Atkinson's development as a writer across nearly three decades.

Start with Behind the Scenes at the Museum, the first of 5 books in the Standalone Novels series.

#	Title
1	Behind the Scenes at the Museum 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Human Croquet 1997Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Emotionally Weird 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Transcription 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Shrines of Gaiety 2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Our Noble Selves 2026Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

1 book (2000–2000)

#	Title
1	Abandonment 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (2013–2015)

Kate Atkinson's Todd Family series consists of two complete novels published between 2013 and 2015. These interconnected books should be read in publication order, beginning with Life After Life followed by A God in Ruins. The series explores interconnected lives and family stories across generations, with each volume building on the narrative established by its predecessor.

Start with Life After Life and read in order.

#	Title
1	Life After Life 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	A God in Ruins 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible