Richard Christian Matheson Reading Order
5 series · 71 books · Born 14 Oct 1953
Richard Christian Matheson is an esteemed American author known for his contributions to the horror genre and psychological suspense. With a prolific output of 72 books spanning five series, including standalone novels, short stories, and influential anthologies, he has captivated readers since 1977. Among his notable works are the acclaimed collections Scars and Other Distinguishing Marks and the bestseller Dystopia, showcasing his distinct blend of horror and magic realism.
Anthologies Series
Likely Complete46 books (1977–2023)
Start with Whispers, the first of 46 books in the Anthologies series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  Whispers 1977Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  Shadows 2 1979Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  Dark Forces: New Stories of Suspense and Supernatural Horror 1980Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  Death 1982Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 | Hot Blood Tales of Erotic Horror 1989Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 |  Razored Saddles 1989Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 |  Splatter-Punks: The Definitive Anthology 1990Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 |  Fourth Annual Collection 1991Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 |  The Bradbury Chronicles 1991Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 | The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror Fourth Annual Collection 1991Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 11 |  The Little Book of Horrors: Tiny Tales of Terror 1992Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 12 |  The Mammoth Book of Vampires 1992Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 13 | Best New Horror 6 1995Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 14 |  Dark Terrors 1995Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 15 |  Dark of the Night 1997Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 16 |  Millenium 1997Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 17 |  Robert Bloch's Psychos 1997Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 18 |  The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror 8 1997Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 19 |  Dark Terrors 4 1998Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 20 | Dark Terrors 5 2000Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 21 |  Dark Masques 2001Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 22 |  Dark Terrors 6 2002Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 23 |  Shrouded by Darkness: Tales of Terror 2006Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 24 |  Best New Horror 18 2007Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 25 | Dark Delicacies II: Fear 2007Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 26 | Hellbound Hearts 2009Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 27 |  Visitants 2010Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 28 | Werewolves and Shape Shifters: Encounters with the Beasts Within 2010Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 29 |  A Book of Horrors 2011Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 30 | The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Three 2011Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 31 | Mammoth Books presents That Haunted Feeling 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 32 |  The Devil's Coattails 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 33 |  The Mammoth Book of Body Horror 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 34 |  Flotsam Fantastique: The Souvenir Book of World Fantasy Convention 2013 2013Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 35 |  Four For Fantasy 2013Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 36 |  Hell Comes To Hollywood, Volume II 2014Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 37 |  Cemetery Riots 2016Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 38 | Darker Terrors 7 2016Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 39 | Corruption at the Crossroad 2017Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 40 |  Best New Horror 28 2018Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 41 |  The Mammoth Book of Halloween Stories 2018Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 42 | A Time For Violence 2019Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 43 |  Freedom of Screech 2019Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 44 |  Best New Horror #31 2021Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 45 |  Body Shocks 2021Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 46 | Little Deaths 2023Buy 🇺🇸 |
Best Horror of the Year Series
Ongoing18 books (2009–2025)
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 |  The Best Horror of the Year: Volume One 2009Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Two 2010Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 | The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Three 2011Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Four 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 | The Best Horror of the Year Volume Five 2013Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 |  The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Six 2014Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 |  The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Seven 2015Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 |  The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Eight 2016Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 |  The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Nine 2017Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 | The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Ten 2018Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 11 | The Best of the Best Horror of the Year: 10 Years of Essential Short Horror Fiction 2018Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 12 | The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Eleven 2019Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 13 | The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Twelve 2020Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 14 | The Best Horror of the Year Volume Thirteen 2021Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 15 | The Best Horror of the Year, Volume Fourteen 2022Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 16 |  The Best Horror of the Year, Volume Fifteen 2024Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 17 |  The Best Horror of the Year, Volume Sixteen 2024Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 18 |  The Best Horror of the Year, Volume Seventeen 2025Buy 🇺🇸 |
Short Stories/Novellas Series
Complete3 books (1988–2013)
Start with Holiday and read in order.
Short Story Collections Series
Complete3 books (1987–2017)
Start with Scars and Other Distinguishing Marks, the first of 4 books in the Short Story Collections series.
Standalone Novels Series
Complete1 book (1993–1993)
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  Created By 1993Buy 🇺🇸 |
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many books has Richard Christian Matheson written?
- Richard Christian Matheson has written 71 books across 5 series. Their published works span from 1977 to 2025.
- What is the first book in each Richard Christian Matheson series?
- Here are the first books in Richard Christian Matheson's series: Anthologies: Whispers; Best Horror of the Year: The Best Horror of the Year: Volume One; Short Stories/Novellas: Holiday; Short Story Collections: Scars and Other Distinguishing Marks.
- What order should I read Richard Christian Matheson's books?
- We recommend reading Richard Christian Matheson's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
- Is Richard Christian Matheson still writing new books?
- Yes, Richard Christian Matheson has 1 ongoing series: Best Horror of the Year.