Len Deighton Reading Order
7 series · 76 books · Born 1929
Len Deighton was a prolific British author recognized for his thrilling spy novels and engaging storytelling style. With a remarkable portfolio of 76 books spanning seven series, including the renowned Harry Palmer and Bernard Samson, as well as standalone novels and nonfiction works, he captivated readers from 1951 until his passing in 2026. Deighton's most notable work remains his contributions to the espionage genre, which have left an indelible mark on literature.
Anthologies Series
Complete3 books (1991–2016)
Start with Great Flying Stories and read in order.
Bernard Samson Series
Complete10 books (1983–1996)
Start with Berlin Game, the first of 10 books in the Bernard Samson series.
Harry Palmer Series
Ongoing8 books (1962–2026)
Start with Horse Under Water, the first of 8 books in the Harry Palmer series.
Non-Fiction Series
Complete11 books (1965–2012)
Start with Action Cook Book, the first of 11 books in the Non-Fiction series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  Action Cook Book 1965Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  Où est le garlic / Basic French Cooking 1965Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  No Royalty A/C Action Cook Book 1975Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  Fighter 1977Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 | Airshipwreck 1978Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 |  Blitzkrieg 1979Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 |  Basic French Cookery Course 1987Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 |  ABC of French Food 1989Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 |  Blood, Tears, and Folly 1993Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 |  Len Deighton’s French Cooking for Men 2010Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 11 | James Bond: My Long and Eventful Search for His Father 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
Short Story Collections Series
Complete1 book (1992–1992)
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  Declarations of War 1992Buy 🇺🇸 |
Standalone Novels Series
Complete10 books (1967–1993)
Start with Only When I Laugh / Only When I Larf, the first of 10 books in the Standalone Novels series.
Wordsworth Military Library Series
Complete33 books (1951–2007)
Start with The Drama Of The Scharnhorst(By: Fritz-Otto Busch), the first of 33 books in the Wordsworth Military Library series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  The Drama Of The Scharnhorst(By: Fritz-Otto Busch) 1951Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  The Struggle for Europe(By: Chester Wilmot) 1952Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  The Crecy War(By: Alfred H. Burne) 1955Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 | This Hallowed Ground(By: Bruce Catton) 1955Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 |  The Agincourt War(By: Alfred H. Burne) 1956Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 |  The Generalship of Alexander the Great(By: J.F.C. Fuller) 1958Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 | The Longest Day(By: Cornelius Ryan) 1959Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 | Julius Caesar(By: J Fuller) 1965Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 | Bosworth Field and the Wars of the Roses(By: A.L. Rowse) 1966Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 |  A Concise History of Warfare(By: Bernard Montgomery) 1972Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 11 |  Queen Victoria's Little Wars(By: Byron Farwell) 1972Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 12 |  The Peninsular War(By: Roger Parkinson) 1973Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 13 |  Winston Churchill(By: Henry Pelling) 1974Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 14 |  Rorke's drift(By: Michael Glover) 1975Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 15 |  The Hussar General: The Life of Blücher, Man of Waterloo(By: Roger Parkinson) 1975Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 16 | The Thin Yellow Line(By: William Moore) 1975Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 17 |  The Battle of Loos(By: Philip Warner) 1976Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 18 |  The English Civil War(By: Peter Young,Richard Holmes) 1976Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 19 |  The Great Anglo-Boer War(By: Byron Farwell) 1976Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 20 |  Rommel: The Trail of the Fox(By: David Irving) 1977Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 21 |  Battle of Britain(With: Max Hastings) 1980Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 22 | The Great War(By: Correlli Barnett) 1980Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 23 |  Flying Colours: The Epic Story Of Douglas Bader(By: Laddie Lucas) 1981Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 24 | The Right of the Line(By: John Terraine) 1985Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 25 |  The Military Experience In The Age Of Reason(By: Christopher Duffy) 1987Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 26 | The 1916 Battle of the Somme Reconsidered(By: Peter H. Liddle) 1988Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 27 |  Business In Great Waters(By: John Terraine) 1989Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 28 |  A Dictionary of Napoleonic Wars(By: David G. Chandler) 1993Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 29 |  Aramada the Planning the Battle and After(By: Robert Milne Tyte) 1998Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 30 |  Crusades(By: Robert Payne) 1998Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 31 | Slim: The Standardbearer: A Biography of Field-Marshal the Viscount Slim(By: Ronald Lewin) 1999Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 32 |  Midway(By: Walter Lord) 2000Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 33 |  Guide to the Battlefields of Europe(By: David Chandler) 2007Buy 🇺🇸 |
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many books has Len Deighton written?
- Len Deighton has written 76 books across 7 series. Their published works span from 1951 to 2026.
- What is the first book in each Len Deighton series?
- Here are the first books in Len Deighton's series: Anthologies: Great Flying Stories; Bernard Samson: Berlin Game; Harry Palmer: Horse Under Water; Non-Fiction: Action Cook Book; Wordsworth Military Library: The Drama Of The Scharnhorst(By: Fritz-Otto Busch).
- What order should I read Len Deighton's books?
- We recommend reading Len Deighton's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
- Is Len Deighton still writing new books?
- Yes, Len Deighton has 1 ongoing series: Harry Palmer.