Richard Christian Matheson Reading Order
5 series · 73 books · Born 1953-10-14
Richard Christian Matheson is an American horror writer specializing in psychologically unsettling short fiction and magical realism across more than a century of published stories. His work appears consistently in major horror anthologies and acclaimed collections including the Amazon bestseller Dystopia, exploring themes of suspense and surreal dread through both standalone tales and novellas like The Ritual of Illusion. A prolific contributor to the horror genre since the late 1970s, Matheson has also worked as a screenwriter and editor, bringing his distinctive blend of psychological tension and fantastical elements to multiple formats.
Anthologies Series
Likely Complete46 books (1977–2023)
Start with Whispers, the first of 46 books in the Anthologies series.
Start this series with Whispers
Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | |
| 2 | |
| 3 | |
| 4 | |
| 5 | |
| 6 | |
| 7 | |
| 8 | |
| 9 | |
| 10 | |
| 11 | |
| 12 | |
| 13 | |
| 14 | |
| 15 | |
| 16 | |
| 17 | |
| 18 | |
| 19 | |
| 20 | |
| 21 | |
| 22 | |
| 23 | |
| 24 | |
| 25 | |
| 26 | |
| 27 | |
| 28 | |
| 29 | |
| 30 | |
| 31 | |
| 32 | |
| 33 | |
| 34 | |
| 35 | |
| 36 | |
| 37 | |
| 38 | |
| 39 | |
| 40 | |
| 41 | |
| 42 | |
| 43 | |
| 44 | |
| 45 | |
| 46 |
Best Horror of the Year Series
Ongoing19 books (2009–2026)
Start with The Best Horror of the Year: Volume One, the first of 18 books in the Best Horror of the Year series.
Start this series with The Best Horror of the Year: Volume One
Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | |
| 2 | |
| 3 | |
| 4 | |
| 5 | |
| 6 | |
| 7 | |
| 8 | |
| 9 | |
| 10 | |
| 11 | |
| 12 | |
| 13 | |
| 14 | |
| 15 | |
| 16 | |
| 17 | |
| 18 | |
| 19 |
Short Stories/Novellas Series
Complete3 books (1988–2013)
Start with Holiday and read in order.
Start this series with Holiday
Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
Short Story Collections Series
Complete4 books (1987–2017)
Start with Scars and Other Distinguishing Marks, the first of 4 books in the Short Story Collections series.
Start this series with Scars and Other Distinguishing Marks
Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
Standalone Novels Series
Complete1 book (1993–1993)
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many books has Richard Christian Matheson written?
- Richard Christian Matheson has written 73 books across 5 series. Their published works span from 1977 to 2026.
- 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.