Marcia Muller Reading Order

34 books (1983–2020)

This mystery and thriller anthology series spans 34 books published between 1983 and 2020, compiled and edited by Marcia Muller. The series is complete and should be read in publication order, beginning with The Web She Weaves. Each volume collects short stories from various mystery writers, making it ideal for readers seeking diverse voices and perspectives within the genre.

Start with The Web She Weaves, the first of 34 books in the Anthologies series.

#	Title
1	The Web She Weaves 1983Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Child's Ploy 1984Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Witches' Brew 1984Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Chapter and Hearse 1985Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Dark Lessons 1985Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Deadly Arts 1985Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	She Won the West 1985Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Wickedest Show on Earth 1985Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Lady on the Case 1988Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	The Mammoth Book of Private Eye Stories 1988Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Kill or Cure 1989Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Sisters in Crime 2 1990Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	A Woman's Eye 1991Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	Criminal Intent 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	Dark Crimes 2 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	The Year's 25 Finest Crime and Mystery Stories 1993 1994Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	Women of Mystery II 1994Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18	The Year's 25 Finest Crime and Mystery Stories 1996 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19	First Cases, Volume 1 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
20	Guilty as Charged 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
21	The Year's 25 Finest Crime and Mystery Stories 1995 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
22	Women on the Case 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
23	100 Sneaky Little Sleuth Stories 1997Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
24	A Century of Mystery 1997Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
25	Detective Duos 1997Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
26	Mystery's Most Wanted 1997Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
27	The Year's 25 Finest Crime and Mystery Stories 1997 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
28	Women of Mystery III 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
29	The World's Finest Mystery and Crime Stories 1 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
30	The Mysterious Press Anniversary Anthology: Celebrating 25 Years 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
31	The World's Finest Mystery and Crime Stories 3 2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
32	Deadly Housewives 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
33	The Shamus Winners 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
34	Deadly Anniversaries 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

3 books (2001–2005)

Marcia Muller's Cape Perdido series consists of three standalone mystery novels published between 2001 and 2005. Though each book features different characters and can be read independently, the series is best experienced in publication order: Point Deception, Cyanide Wells, and Cape Perdido. The complete trilogy showcases Muller's signature mystery and thriller writing across three self-contained stories set in California's coastal regions.

Start with Point Deception and read in order.

#	Title
1	Point Deception 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Cyanide Wells 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Cape Perdido 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

9 books (2013–2021)

The Carpenter and Quincannon Mystery series comprises nine books published between 2013 and 2021, following the cases of two private detectives operating in 1890s San Francisco. The first four novels and fifth book were written by Marcia Muller, while the final four entries were co-authored with Bill Pronzini. Read in publication order beginning with The Bughouse Affair to experience the pair's investigations across the series' likely complete run.

Start with The Bughouse Affair, the first of 9 books in the Carpenter and Quincannon Mystery series.

#	Title
1	The Bughouse Affair 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Spook Lights Affair 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Body Snatchers Affair 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Plague of Thieves Affair 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	The Dangerous Ladies Affair 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	The Bags of Tricks Affair(By: Bill Pronzini) 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	The Flimflam Affair(By: Bill Pronzini) 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	The Stolen Gold Affair(By: Bill Pronzini) 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	The Paradise Affair(By: Bill Pronzini) 2021Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (1983–1985)

Marcia Muller's Elena Oliverez series consists of two complete mystery novels published in the 1980s. Both books should be read in publication order, beginning with The Tree of Death in 1983, followed by The Legend of the Slain Soldiers in 1985. This compact series offers readers a self-contained mystery experience from the acclaimed author of the Sharon McCone detective series.

Start with The Tree of Death and read in order.

#	Title
1	The Tree of Death 1983Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Legend of the Slain Soldiers 1985Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

3 books (1986–1989)

The Joanna Stark series is a three-book mystery collection published between 1986 and 1989. These novels should be read in publication order, beginning with The Cavalier in White, followed by There Hangs the Knife, and concluding with Dark Star. The complete series offers a closed narrative arc for readers seeking a finished mystery sequence.

Start with The Cavalier in White and read in order.

#	Title
1	The Cavalier in White 1986Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	There Hangs the Knife 1988Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Dark Star 1989Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

3 books (1985–2005)

The John Quincannon series is a three-book mystery collection spanning from 1985 to 2005. Written by Marcia Muller in collaboration with Bill Pronzini on certain entries, this complete series should be read in publication order beginning with Quincannon. The books follow a traditional mystery and thriller format across their twenty-year publication span.

Start with Quincannon(By: Bill Pronzini) and read in order.

#	Title
1	Quincannon(By: Bill Pronzini) 1985Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Beyond the Grave 1986Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Quincannon's Game(By: Bill Pronzini) 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

41 books (1971–2017)

The Nameless Detective series comprises 41 mystery novels published between 1971 and 2017, with the majority written by Bill Pronzini and several entries by Marcia Muller. This complete series should be read in publication order, beginning with The Snatch, to fully appreciate the character development and ongoing cases that span across decades. The novels follow a private investigator operating in San Francisco, featuring interconnected mysteries and a rich cast of recurring characters that evolve throughout the lengthy series.

Start with The Snatch(By: Bill Pronzini), the first of 41 books in the Nameless Detective series.

#	Title
1	The Snatch(By: Bill Pronzini) 1971Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Vanished(By: Bill Pronzini) 1973Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Undercurrent(By: Bill Pronzini) 1973Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Blowback(By: Bill Pronzini) 1977Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Twospot(By: Bill Pronzini) 1978Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Labyrinth(By: Bill Pronzini) 1980Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Hoodwink(By: Bill Pronzini) 1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Dragonfire(By: Bill Pronzini) 1982Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Scattershot(By: Bill Pronzini) 1982Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Bindlestiff(By: Bill Pronzini) 1983Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Double 1984Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Nightshades(By: Bill Pronzini) 1984Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	Quicksilver(By: Bill Pronzini) 1984Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	Bones(By: Bill Pronzini) 1985Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	Deadfall(By: Bill Pronzini) 1986Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	Shackles(By: Bill Pronzini) 1989Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	Jackpot(By: Bill Pronzini) 1990Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18	Breakdown(By: Bill Pronzini) 1991Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19	Quarry(By: Bill Pronzini) 1991Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
20	Epitaphs(By: Bill Pronzini) 1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
21	Demons(By: Bill Pronzini) 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
22	Hardcase(By: Bill Pronzini) 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
23	Sentinels(By: Bill Pronzini) 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
24	Illusions(By: Bill Pronzini) 1997Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
25	Boobytrap(By: Bill Pronzini) 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
26	Crazybone(By: Bill Pronzini) 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
27	Bleeders(By: Bill Pronzini) 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
28	Spook(By: Bill Pronzini) 2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
29	Nightcrawlers(By: Bill Pronzini) 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
30	Mourners(By: Bill Pronzini) 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
31	Savages(By: Bill Pronzini) 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
32	Fever(By: Bill Pronzini) 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
33	Schemers(By: Bill Pronzini) 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
34	Betrayers(By: Bill Pronzini) 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
35	Camouflage(By: Bill Pronzini) 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
36	Hellbox(By: Bill Pronzini) 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
37	Nemesis(By: Bill Pronzini) 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
38	Strangers(By: Bill Pronzini) 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
39	Vixen(By: Bill Pronzini) 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
40	Zigzag(By: Bill Pronzini) 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
41	Endgame(By: Bill Pronzini) 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

39 books (1977–2024)

The Sharon McCone mystery series spans 39 books written by Marcia Muller from 1977 to 2024 and remains ongoing. This long-running detective series should be read in publication order, beginning with Edwin of the Iron Shoes. The series features a private investigator navigating complex cases across multiple decades of mysteries and thrills.

Start with Edwin of the Iron Shoes, the first of 39 books in the Sharon McCone series.

#	Title
1	Edwin of the Iron Shoes 1977Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Ask the Cards a Question 1982Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Cheshire Cat's Eye 1983Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Double(With: Bill Pronzini) 1984Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Games to Keep the Dark Away 1984Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Leave a Message for Willie 1984Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	There's Nothing to Be Afraid Of 1985Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Eye of the Storm 1988Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	The Shape of Dread 1989Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	There's Something in a Sunday 1990Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Trophies and Dead Things 1990Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Where Echoes Live 1991Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	Pennies On a Dead Woman's Eyes 1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	Wolf in the Shadows 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	Till the Butchers Cut Him Down 1994Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	A Wild and Lonely Place 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	The Broken Promise Land 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18	Both Ends of the Night 1997Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19	While Other People Sleep 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
20	A Walk Through the Fire 1999Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
21	Listen to the Silence 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
22	Dead Midnight 2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
23	The Dangerous Hour 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
24	Vanishing Point 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
25	The Ever-Running Man 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
26	Burn Out 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
27	Locked In 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
28	Coming Back 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
29	City of Whispers 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
30	Looking for Yesterday 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
31	Skeleton in the Closet 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
32	Merrill-Go-Round 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
33	The Night Searchers 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
34	Someone Always Knows 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
35	Tell Me Who I Am 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
36	The Color of Fear 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
37	The Breakers 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
38	Ice and Stone 2021Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
39	Circle in the Water 2024Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (1995–1999)

This two-book collection series brings together short stories and novellas featuring detective Sharon McCone and related characters in the mystery genre. The McCone Files arrived first in 1995, followed by McCone and Friends in 1999, completing the series. These volumes should be read in publication order to experience the stories as originally presented.

Start with The McCone Files and read in order.

#	Title
1	The McCone Files 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	McCone and Friends 1999Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (1989–1991)

Marcia Muller's two-book collection of mystery novellas spans from 1989 to 1991 and is now complete. These standalone shorter works should be read in publication order, beginning with Deadly Fantasies followed by Final Resting Place. Fans of mystery and thriller fiction will find these tales showcase Muller's signature storytelling style in condensed form.

Start with Deadly Fantasies and read in order.

6 books (1991–2025)

Marcia Muller's Short Story Collections series comprises five books of mystery and thriller stories published between 1991 and 2012. The series is complete and should be read in publication order, beginning with Deceptions and concluding with Somewhere in the City. One volume, Duo, was co-written with Bill Pronzini and features collaborative short fiction from both authors.

Start with Deceptions, the first of 5 books in the Short Story Collections series.

#	Title
1	Deceptions 1991Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Duo 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Time of the Wolves 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Somewhere in the City 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Duo(With: Bill Pronzini) 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	The Lost Coast and Other Sharon McCone Stories 2025Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

4 books (1986–2014)

Marcia Muller's standalone mystery novels span from 1986 to 2014 across four complete works that should be read in publication order. The first three books were co-written with Bill Pronzini, while Kindling Point stands as a solo effort. Though each novel functions independently, readers interested in exploring Muller's solo and collaborative work during this period will want to begin with The Lighthouse and proceed through the series chronologically.

Start with The Lighthouse(With: Bill Pronzini), the first of 4 books in the Standalone Novels series.

#	Title
1	The Lighthouse(With: Bill Pronzini) 1986Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Crucifixion River(With: Bill Pronzini) 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Lighthouse of Terror(With: Bill Pronzini) 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Kindling Point 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible