Reading Order List โ€” Book Series Reading Order Guide
Peter Straub

Peter Straub Reading Order

12 series ยท 131 books ยท Born 2 Mar 1943

Peter Straub is a prolific American author known for his contributions to the horror and thriller genres. With an extensive body of work that includes 131 titles spread across 12 series, his notable creations encompass the Blue Rose Trilogy, Criminal Records, and Talisman, along with numerous standalone novels and short stories. Active from 1972 until 2026, Straub has left an indelible mark on the literary landscape, captivating readers with his suspenseful storytelling and intricate plots.

Anthologies Series

Likely Complete

51 books (1982โ€“2022)

Start with Fear Itself: The Horror Fiction of Stephen King, the first of 51 books in the Anthologies series.

#Title
1
Cover of Fear Itself: The Horror Fiction of Stephen King
Fear Itself: The Horror Fiction of Stephen King
2
Cover of Cutting Edge
Cutting Edge
3
Horror Factor 7
4
Cover of Best New Horror 2
Best New Horror 2
5
Cover of Fourth Annual Collection
Fourth Annual Collection
6
Cover of The Picador Book of the New Gothic
The Picador Book of the New Gothic
7
The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror Fourth Annual Collection
8
Cover of An Exploration of Horror: Foundations of Fear
An Exploration of Horror: Foundations of Fear
9
Cover of Best New Horror 4
Best New Horror 4
10
Cover of Black Thorn, White Rose
Black Thorn, White Rose
11
Cover of Foundations of Fear: Volume I: Shadows of Fear
Foundations of Fear: Volume I: Shadows of Fear
12
Cover of The Giant Book of Terror
The Giant Book of Terror
13
Cover of Dark Terrors
Dark Terrors
14
Cover of The Year's 25 Finest Crime and Mystery Stories 1996
The Year's 25 Finest Crime and Mystery Stories 1996
15
Cover of Dark Terrors 2
Dark Terrors 2
16
Cover of Murder on the Run
Murder on the Run
17
Cover of The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror 10
The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror 10
18
Dark Terrors 5
19
Cover of October Dreams
October Dreams
20
Cover of The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror, #11
The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror, #11
21
Cover of Opening Shots, Vol. II
Opening Shots, Vol. II
22
Cover of Conjunctions #39: The New Wave Fabulists
Conjunctions #39: The New Wave Fabulists
23
The Wavedancer Benefit: A Tribute to Frank Muller
24
Cover of Poe's Children
Poe's Children
25
Cover of The Best of Cemetery Dance II
The Best of Cemetery Dance II
26
Cover of American Fantastic Tales
American Fantastic Tales
27
Darkness: Two Decades of Modern Horror
28
Cover of Hint Fiction
Hint Fiction
29
30
The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, 2010 Edition
31
Happily Ever After
32
Rage Against the Night
33
Circus: Fantasy Under the Big Top
34
Ghosts: Recent Hauntings
35
Cover of The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Four
The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Four
36
Bad Seeds: Evil Progeny
37
38
Cover of Mister October, Volume II
Mister October, Volume II
39
Cover of Turn Down the Lights
Turn Down the Lights
40
41
Cover of Explosions: Stories of Our Landmined World
Explosions: Stories of Our Landmined World
42
Cover of Best New Horror #26
Best New Horror #26
43
The Monstrous
44
Cover of Beyond the Woods: Fairy Tales Retold
Beyond the Woods: Fairy Tales Retold
45
46
The Beauty of Death
47
New York Fantastic: Fantasy Stories from the City that Never Sleeps
48
The Beauty of Death, Vol. 2
49
Cover of The Best American Mystery Stories 2017
The Best American Mystery Stories 2017
50
Cover of The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Nine
The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Nine
51
Voices in the Dark

Best Horror of the Year Series

Ongoing

18 books (2009โ€“2025)

Start with The Best Horror of the Year: Volume One, the first of 18 books in the Best Horror of the Year series.

#Title
1
Cover of The Best Horror of the Year: Volume One
The Best Horror of the Year: Volume One
2
Cover of The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Two
The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Two
3
The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Three
4
Cover of The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Four
The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Four
5
The Best Horror of the Year Volume Five
6
Cover of The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Six
The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Six
7
Cover of The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Seven
The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Seven
8
Cover of The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Eight
The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Eight
9
Cover of The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Nine
The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Nine
10
The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Ten
11
The Best of the Best Horror of the Year: 10 Years of Essential Short Horror Fiction
12
The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Eleven
13
The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Twelve
14
The Best Horror of the Year Volume Thirteen
15
The Best Horror of the Year, Volume Fourteen
16
Cover of The Best Horror of the Year, Volume Fifteen
The Best Horror of the Year, Volume Fifteen
17
Cover of The Best Horror of the Year, Volume Sixteen
The Best Horror of the Year, Volume Sixteen
18
Cover of The Best Horror of the Year, Volume Seventeen
The Best Horror of the Year, Volume Seventeen

Blue Rose Trilogy Series

Complete

4 books (1988โ€“2010)

Start with Koko, the first of 4 books in the Blue Rose Trilogy series.

#Title
1
2
3
4
Cover of The Juniper Tree and Other Blue Rose Stories
The Juniper Tree and Other Blue Rose Stories

Criminal Records Series

Complete

1 book (2000โ€“2000)

#Title
1
Cover of Pork Pie Hat
Pork Pie Hat

Foundations of Fear Anthology Series

Complete

4 books (1992โ€“1994)

Start with An Exploration of Horror: Foundations of Fear(With: George R.R. Martin,Robert A. Heinlein,David G. Hartwell,Richard Matheson,Daphne du Maurier,Clive Barker,Carlos Fuentes,Arthur Machen,Gerald Durrell), the first of 4 books in the Foundations of Fear Anthology series.

#Title
1
Cover of An Exploration of Horror: Foundations of Fear(With: George R.R. Martin,Robert A. Heinlein,David G. Hartwell,Richard Matheson,Daphne du Maurier,Clive Barker,Carlos Fuentes,Arthur Machen,Gerald Durrell)
An Exploration of Horror: Foundations of Fear(With: George R.R. Martin,Robert A. Heinlein,David G. Hartwell,Richard Matheson,Daphne du Maurier,Clive Barker,Carlos Fuentes,Arthur Machen,Gerald Durrell)
2
Cover of Foundations of Fear: Volume I: Shadows of Fear(With: Robert A. Heinlein,David G. Hartwell,H.P. Lovecraft,Daphne du Maurier,Arthur Machen,Jean Ray,Harriet Prescott Spofford)
Foundations of Fear: Volume I: Shadows of Fear(With: Robert A. Heinlein,David G. Hartwell,H.P. Lovecraft,Daphne du Maurier,Arthur Machen,Jean Ray,Harriet Prescott Spofford)
3
Cover of Foundations of Fear: Volume II: Worlds of Fear(By: George R.R. Martin,David G. Hartwell,Thomas Hardy,Gertrude Atherton,Thomas M. Disch,Elizabeth Engstrom,Carlos Fuentes)
Foundations of Fear: Volume II: Worlds of Fear(By: George R.R. Martin,David G. Hartwell,Thomas Hardy,Gertrude Atherton,Thomas M. Disch,Elizabeth Engstrom,Carlos Fuentes)
4
Cover of Foundations of Fear: Volume III: Visions of Fear(By: David G. Hartwell,E.T.A. Hoffmann,Richard Matheson,Philip K. Dick,Clive Barker,Octavia E. Butler,Gerald Durrell)
Foundations of Fear: Volume III: Visions of Fear(By: David G. Hartwell,E.T.A. Hoffmann,Richard Matheson,Philip K. Dick,Clive Barker,Octavia E. Butler,Gerald Durrell)

Graphic Novels Series

Complete

2 books (2009โ€“2010)

Start with The Talisman: Road of Trials(With: Stephen King,Tony Shasteen) and read in order.

#Title
1
Cover of The Talisman: Road of Trials(With: Stephen King,Tony Shasteen)
The Talisman: Road of Trials(With: Stephen King,Tony Shasteen)
2
Cover of The Green Woman(With: Michael Easton)
The Green Woman(With: Michael Easton)

Non-Fiction Series

Complete

1 book (2007โ€“2007)

#Title
1

Short Stories/Novellas Series

Complete

9 books (1990โ€“2017)

Start with Mrs. God, the first of 9 books in the Short Stories/Novellas series.

#Title
1
2
The Ghost Village
3
4
Mr. Clubb and Mr. Cuff
5
Cover of A Special Place
A Special Place
6
Cover of The Ballad of Ballard and Sandrine
The Ballad of Ballard and Sandrine
7
Cover of The Buffalo Hunter
The Buffalo Hunter
8
9
Cover of The Process (is a Process All Its Own)
The Process (is a Process All Its Own)

Short Story Collections Series

Complete

9 books (1972โ€“2016)

Start with Ishmael, the first of 9 books in the Short Story Collections series.

#Title
1
2
3
Cover of Leeson Park and Belsize Square
Leeson Park and Belsize Square
4
Cover of Houses Without Doors
Houses Without Doors
5
Cover of The Horror Writers Association Presents Peter Straub's Ghosts
The Horror Writers Association Presents Peter Straub's Ghosts
6
Cover of Magic Terror
Magic Terror
7
Cover of The Little Blue Book of Rose Stories
The Little Blue Book of Rose Stories
8
9
Cover of Interior Darkness
Interior Darkness

Standalone Novels Series

Complete

14 books (1973โ€“2010)

Start with Marriages, the first of 14 books in the Standalone Novels series.

#Title
1
2
Julia / Full Circle
3
Cover of If You Could See Me Now
If You Could See Me Now
4
5
6
Cover of Floating Dragon
Floating Dragon
7
Cover of The General's Wife
The General's Wife
8
9
Cover of The Hellfire Club
The Hellfire Club
10
11
Cover of In The Night Room
In The Night Room
12
Cover of Lost Boy Lost Girl
Lost Boy Lost Girl
13
Cover of A Dark Matter
A Dark Matter
14

Talisman Series

Ongoing

3 books (1984โ€“2026)

Start with The Talisman and read in order.

#Title
1
Cover of The Talisman
The Talisman
2
3
Cover of Other Worlds Than These
Other Worlds Than These

The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror Series

Ongoing

15 books (2010โ€“2024)

Start with The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, 2010 Edition, the first of 15 books in the The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror series.

#Title
1
The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, 2010 Edition
2
The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, 2011 Edition
3
The Year's Best Dark Fantasy and Horror, 2012 Edition
4
The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, 2013 Edition
5
Cover of The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, 2014 Edition
The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, 2014 Edition
6
Cover of The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, 2015 Edition
The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, 2015 Edition
7
The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, 2016 Edition
8
The Yearโ€™s Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, 2017 Edition
9
The Yearโ€™s Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, 2018 Edition
10
The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, 2019 Edition
11
The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, Volume 1
12
The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, Volume 2
13
The Year's Best Dark Fantasy and Horror, Volume 3
14
The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, Volume 4
15
The Yearโ€™s Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, Volume 5

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books has Peter Straub written?
Peter Straub has written 131 books across 12 series. Their published works span from 1972 to 2026.
What is the first book in each Peter Straub series?
Here are the first books in Peter Straub's series: Anthologies: Fear Itself: The Horror Fiction of Stephen King; Best Horror of the Year: The Best Horror of the Year: Volume One; Blue Rose Trilogy: Koko; Foundations of Fear Anthology: An Exploration of Horror: Foundations of Fear(With: George R.R. Martin,Robert A. Heinlein,David G. Hartwell,Richard Matheson,Daphne du Maurier,Clive Barker,Carlos Fuentes,Arthur Machen,Gerald Durrell); Graphic Novels: The Talisman: Road of Trials(With: Stephen King,Tony Shasteen).
What order should I read Peter Straub's books?
We recommend reading Peter Straub's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
Is Peter Straub still writing new books?
Yes, Peter Straub has 3 ongoing series: Best Horror of the Year, Talisman, The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror.

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