Martin Cruz Smith Reading Order
6 series · 295 books · Born 1942
Martin Cruz Smith is a distinguished American author known for his gripping mystery and suspense novels, often set against international or historical backdrops. With a prolific portfolio of 295 books spanning six series, including the Arkady Renko and Nick Carter: Killmaster series, his most acclaimed work is the 1981 classic Gorky Park. Active from 1964 until 2025, Smith's storytelling has captivated readers around the world.
Anthologies Series
Complete1 book (1970–1970)
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  Death by Espionage: Intriguing Stories of Betrayal and Deception 1970Buy 🇺🇸 |
Arkady Renko Series
Ongoing11 books (1981–2025)
Start with Gorky Park, the first of 11 books in the Arkady Renko series.
Nick Carter: Killmaster Series
Complete264 books (1964–1990)
Start with Checkmate in Rio, the first of 264 books in the Nick Carter: Killmaster series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  Checkmate in Rio 1964Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  Fraulein Spy 1964Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  Run, Spy, Run 1964Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  Safari for Spies 1964Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 |  Saigon 1964Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 |  The China Doll 1964Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 | A Bullet for Fidel 1965Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 |  Eyes of the Tiger 1965Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 |  Istanbul 1965Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 |  The 13th Spy 1965Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 11 |  Danger Key 1966Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 12 |  Dragon Flame 1966Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 13 |  Hanoi 1966Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 14 | Mind Poisoners 1966Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 15 |  Operation Starvation 1966Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 16 |  Spy Castle 1966Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 17 |  Terrible Ones 1966Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 18 |  Web of Spies 1966Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 19 | A Korean Tiger 1967Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 20 | Assignment Israel 1967Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 21 | Double Identity 1967Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 22 |  Golden Serpent 1967Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 23 |  Mission to Venice 1967Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 24 |  Red Guard 1967Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 25 | Seven Against Greece 1967Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 26 | The Bright Blue Death 1967Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 27 | The Chinese Paymaster 1967Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 28 | The Devil's Cockpit 1967Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 29 | The Filthy Five 1967Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 30 |  The Weapon Of Night 1967Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 31 | Amsterdam 1968Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 32 |  Fourteen Seconds to Hell 1968Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 33 |  Hood of Death 1968Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 34 |  Macao 1968Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 35 | Operation Moon Rocket 1968Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 36 |  Temple of Fear 1968Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 37 |  The Judas Spy 1968Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 38 | Berlin 1969Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 39 |  Carnival for Killing 1969Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 40 |  Human Time Bomb 1969Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 41 |  Living Death 1969Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 42 |  Operation Che Guevara 1969Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 43 |  Operation Snake 1969Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 44 | Peking: The Tulip affair 1969Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 45 |  Rhodesia 1969Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 46 |  The Amazon 1969Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 47 |  The Casbah Killers 1969Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 48 |  The Cobra Kill 1969Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 49 | The Defector 1969Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 50 |  The Doomsday Formula 1969Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 51 |  The Red Rays 1969Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 52 | The Sea Trap 1969Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 53 |  Black Death 1970Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 54 |  Cambodia 1970Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 55 |  Jewel of Doom 1970Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 56 |  Moscow 1970Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 57 |  The Arab Plague / Slavemaster 1970Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 58 |  The Death Strain 1970Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 59 |  The Executioners 1970Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 60 |  The Mind Killers 1970Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 61 |  The Red Rebellion 1970Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 62 |  Time Clock of Death 1970Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 63 |  Ice Bomb Zero 1971Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 64 |  Mark of Cosa Nostra 1972Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 65 | The Cairo Mafia / Cairo 1972Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 66 |  The Inca Death Squad 1972Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 67 | The Inca Death Squad 1972Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 68 |  Agent Counter-agent 1973Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 69 |  Assault on England 1973Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 70 |  Code Name: Werewolf 1973Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 71 |  Hour of the Wolf 1973Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 72 |  Kremlin File 1973Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 73 |  Our Agent in Rome Is Missing 1973Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 74 |  Spanish Connection 1973Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 75 |  Strike Force Terror 1973Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 76 |  The Death's Head Conspiracy 1973Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 77 | The Devil's Dozen 1973Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 78 | The Devil's Dozen 1973Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 79 |  The Omega Terror 1973Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 80 | The Peking Dossier 1973Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 81 |  Assassin Code Name Vulture 1974Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 82 |  Assassination Brigade 1974Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 83 |  Beirut Incident 1974Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 84 |  Butcher of Belgrade 1974Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 85 | Death of the Falcon 1974Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 86 |  Ice-Trap Terror 1974Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 87 |  Man Who Sold Death 1974Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 88 |  Massacre in Milan 1974Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 89 |  Night of the Avenger 1974Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 90 |  Sign of the Cobra 1974Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 91 | Target: Doomsday Island 1974Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 92 |  The Aztec Avenger 1974Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 93 |  The Liquidator 1974Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 94 |  The N3 Conspiracy 1974Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 95 |  The Stolen Pay Train 1974Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 96 |  Vatican Vendetta 1974Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 97 |  Counterfeit Agent 1975Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 98 | Dr. Death 1975Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 99 |  Six Bloody Summer Days 1975Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 100 |  The Code 1975Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 101 |  The Jerusalem File 1975Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 102 |  The Katmandu Contract 1975Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 103 |  The Z Document 1975Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 104 |  Ultimate Code 1975Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 105 | A High Yield In Death 1976Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 106 | Assignment Intercept 1976Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 107 |  Green Wolf Connection 1976Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 108 |  The Fanatics of Al Asad 1976Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 109 |  The Gallagher Plot 1976Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 110 |  The Nichovev Plot 1976Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 111 | The Sign of the Prayer Shawl 1976Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 112 |  The Snake Flag Conspiracy 1976Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 113 |  The Turncoat 1976Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 114 |  Triple Cross 1976Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 115 | Vulcan Disaster 1976Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 116 | Plot for the Fourth Reich 1977Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 117 |  Deadly Doubles 1978Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 118 |  Death Message 1978Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 119 |  Race of Death 1978Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 120 |  The Doomsday Spore 1978Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 121 |  The Ebony Cross 1978Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 122 |  The List 1978Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 123 |  The Pamplona Affair 1978Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 124 |  Trouble in Paradise 1978Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 125 |  Under the Wall 1978Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 126 |  Hawaii 1979Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 127 |  Reich Four 1979Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 128 |  Revenge of the Generals 1979Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 129 |  The Asian Mantrap 1979Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 130 |  The Jamaican Exchange 1979Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 131 |  The Nowhere Weapon 1979Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 132 | The Pemex Chart 1979Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 133 |  The Redolmo Affair 1979Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 134 |  The Satan Trap 1979Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 135 |  Thunderstrike In Syria 1979Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 136 | Tropical Deathpact 1979Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 137 |  Day of the Dingo 1980Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 138 |  Death Mission: Havana 1980Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 139 |  Eighth Card Stud 1980Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 140 |  Strike of the Hawk 1980Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 141 |  Tarantula Strike 1980Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 142 | Ten Times Dynamite 1980Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 143 |  The Suicide Seat 1980Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 144 | War From The Clouds 1980Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 145 |  Cauldron of Hell 1981Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 146 |  Pleasure Island 1981Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 147 |  The Coyote Connection 1981Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 148 |  The Dubrovnik Massacre 1981Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 149 | The Golden Bull 1981Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 150 | The Ouster Conspiracy 1981Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 151 |  The Parisian Affair 1981Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 152 | The Q Man 1981Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 153 |  The Society of Nine 1981Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 154 | The Solar Menace 1981Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 155 |  The Strontium Code 1981Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 156 |  Appointment in Haiphong 1982Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 157 |  Chessmaster 1982Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 158 |  Deathlight 1982Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 159 |  Doctor DNA 1982Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 160 |  Earth Shaker 1982Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 161 |  Norwegian Typhoon 1982Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 162 |  Operation McMurdo Sound 1982Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 163 |  Retreat for Death 1982Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 164 | The Christmas Kill 1982Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 165 |  The Damocles Threat 1982Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 166 |  The Death Star Affair 1982Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 167 |  The Dominican Affair 1982Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 168 |  The Greek Summit 1982Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 169 |  The Hunter 1982Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 170 |  The Israeli Connection 1982Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 171 |  The Last Samurai 1982Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 172 |  The Mendoza Manuscript 1982Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 173 | The Puppet Master 1982Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 174 |  The Treason Game 1982Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 175 |  Turkish Bloodbath 1982Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 176 |  Typhoon Ray 1982Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 177 |  Earthfire North 1983Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 178 |  Hide and Go Die 1983Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 179 |  Operation Vendetta 1983Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 180 |  The Budapest Run 1983Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 181 |  The Death Dealer 1983Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 182 |  The Decoy Hit 1983Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 183 |  The Istanbul Decision 1983Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 184 |  The Kali Death Cult 1983Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 185 |  The Outback Ghosts 1983Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 186 |  The Yukon Target 1983Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 187 |  Assignment: Rio 1984Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 188 |  Caribbean Coup 1984Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 189 |  Day of the Mahdi 1984Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 190 |  Death Hand Play 1984Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 191 |  Death Island 1984Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 192 |  Night of the Warheads 1984Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 193 |  Operation Sharkbite 1984Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 194 |  San Juan Inferno 1984Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 195 |  The Algarve Affair 1984Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 196 |  The Kremlin Kill 1984Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 197 |  The Mayan Connection 1984Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 198 |  Zero-Hour Strike Force 1984Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 199 |  Blood of the Scimitar 1985Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 200 |  Circle of Scorpions 1985Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 201 |  Last Flight to Moscow 1985Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 202 |  Pursuit of the Eagle 1985Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 203 |  The Assassin Convention 1985Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 204 |  The Blue Ice Affair 1985Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 205 |  The Execution Exchange 1985Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 206 |  The Macao Massacre 1985Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 207 |  The Normandy Code 1985Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 208 |  The Tarlov Cipher 1985Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 209 |  The Vengeance Game 1985Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 210 |  White Death 1985Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 211 |  Blood Ultimatum 1986Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 212 |  Death Orbit 1986Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 213 |  Mercenary Mountain 1986Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 214 |  Operation Petrograd 1986Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 215 |  Slaughter Day 1986Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 216 |  Target Red Star 1986Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 217 |  Terror Times Two 1986Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 218 |  The Berlin Target 1986Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 219 |  The Cyclops Conspiracy 1986Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 220 |  The Killing Ground 1986Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 221 | The Master Assassin 1986Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 222 |  The Samurai Kill 1986Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 223 |  Tunnel for Traitors 1986Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 224 |  Blood Raid 1987Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 225 | Blood of the Falcon 1987Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 226 |  Crossfire Red 1987Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 227 |  Death Squad 1987Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 228 |  East of Hell 1987Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 229 |  Holy War 1987Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 230 | Killing Games 1987Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 231 | Night of the Condor 1987Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 232 |  Pressure Point 1987Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 233 |  Terms of Vengeance 1987Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 234 |  The Poseidon Target 1987Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 235 |  The Terror Code 1987Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 236 |  Afghan Intercept 1988Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 237 |  Black Sea Bloodbath 1988Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 238 |  Bloodtrail to Mecca 1988Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 239 |  Bolivian Heat 1988Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 240 |  Code Name Cobra 1988Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 241 | Countdown to Armageddon 1988Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 242 |  Deathstrike 1988Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 243 |  Dragonfire 1988Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 244 |  Lethal Prey 1988Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 245 |  Spykiller 1988Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 246 |  The Andropov File 1988Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 247 |  The Rangoon Man 1988Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 248 |  Arms of Vengeance 1989Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 249 |  Day of the Assassin 1989Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 250 |  Deep Sea Death 1989Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 251 |  Hell-Bound Express 1989Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 252 |  Holiday in Hell 1989Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 253 |  Hong Kong Hit 1989Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 254 |  Invitation to Death 1989Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 255 |  Isle of Blood 1989Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 256 |  Law of the Lion 1989Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 257 |  Middle East Massacre 1989Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 258 | Sanction to Slaughter 1989Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 259 |  The Deadly Diva 1989Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 260 | The Korean Kill 1989Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 261 | Arctic Abduction 1990Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 262 |  Dragon Slay 1990Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 263 |  Ruby Red Death 1990Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 264 |  Singapore Sling 1990Buy 🇺🇸 |
Roman Grey Series
Complete2 books (1971–1972)
Start with Gypsy in Amber and read in order.
Standalone Novels Series
Complete11 books (1970–2016)
Start with The Indians Won, the first of 11 books in the Standalone Novels series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  The Indians Won 1970Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  The Analog Bullet 1972Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  The Human Factor(As:Simon Quinn) 1975Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 | The Midas Coffin(As: Simon Quinn) 1975Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 |  The Adventures ofthe Wilderness Family 1976Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 |  Nightwing 1977Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 | Ride for Revenge 1980Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 |  Stallion Gate 1986Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 | Rose 1996Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 |  Tokyo Station / December 6 2002Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 11 |  The Girl from Venice 2016Buy 🇺🇸 |
The Inquisitor Series
Complete6 books (1974–1975)
Start with His Eminence, Death, the first of 6 books in the The Inquisitor series.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many books has Martin Cruz Smith written?
- Martin Cruz Smith has written 295 books across 6 series. Their published works span from 1964 to 2025.
- What is the first book in each Martin Cruz Smith series?
- Here are the first books in Martin Cruz Smith's series: Arkady Renko: Gorky Park; Nick Carter: Killmaster: Checkmate in Rio; Roman Grey: Gypsy in Amber; The Inquisitor: His Eminence, Death.
- What order should I read Martin Cruz Smith's books?
- We recommend reading Martin Cruz Smith's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
- Is Martin Cruz Smith still writing new books?
- Yes, Martin Cruz Smith has 1 ongoing series: Arkady Renko.