Reading Order List — Book Series Reading Order Guide
Richard S. Prather

Richard S. Prather Reading Order

5 series · 48 books · Born 1921-09-09

Literary FictionMystery & Thriller

Richard S. Prather built a prolific career as a mystery writer, creating the wise-cracking detective Shell Scott who became his signature character across dozens of novels beginning in 1950. Working primarily in the hard-boiled mystery genre, Prather developed a distinctive style that blended sharp dialogue with intricate plotting across nearly five decades of publication. Beyond his popular Shell Scott series, which anchored much of his output, Prather also wrote standalone novels and short fiction that expanded his range within the thriller and mystery landscape.

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Anthologies Series

Complete

2 books (1960–2010)

Start with The Comfortable Coffin and read in order.

Start this series with The Comfortable Coffin

Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
#Title
1
The Comfortable Coffin
1960Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2
Masters of Noir, Volume One
2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Shell Scott Series

Complete

41 books (1950–2011)

Start with The Case of the Vanishing Beauty, the first of 41 books in the Shell Scott series.

Start this series with The Case of the Vanishing Beauty

Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
#Title
1
The Case of the Vanishing Beauty
1950Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2
Cover of Bodies in Bedlam
Bodies in Bedlam
1951Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3
Cover of Everybody Had a Gun
Everybody Had a Gun
1951Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4
Cover of Find This Woman
Find This Woman
1951Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5
Cover of Dagger of Flesh
Dagger of Flesh
1952Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6
Cover of Darling, It's Death
Darling, It's Death
1952Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7
Pattern for Murder / The Scrambled Yeggs
1952Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8
Cover of Way of a Wanton
Way of a Wanton
1952Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9
Cover of Always Leave 'em Dying
Always Leave 'em Dying
1953Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10
Cover of Ride a High Horse / Too Many Crooks
Ride a High Horse / Too Many Crooks
1953Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11
Pattern for Panic
1954Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12
Strip for Murder
1956Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13
The Wailing Frail
1956Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14
Cover of Have Gat - Will Travel
Have Gat - Will Travel
1957Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15
Cover of Three's a Shroud
Three's a Shroud
1957Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16
Cover of Slab Happy
17
Cover of Take a Murder, Darling
Take a Murder, Darling
1958Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18
Cover of Double in Trouble(With: Stephen Marlowe)
Double in Trouble(With: Stephen Marlowe)
1959Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19
Cover of Over Her Dear Body
Over Her Dear Body
1959Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
20
Cover of Dance with the Dead
Dance with the Dead
1960Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
21
Cover of Dig That Crazy Grave
Dig That Crazy Grave
1961Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
22
Shell Scott's Seven Slaughters
1961Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
23
Cover of Kill the Clown
Kill the Clown
1962Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
24
Cover of Dead Heat
25
Cover of Joker in the Deck
Joker in the Deck
1964Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
26
Cover of The Cockeyed Corpse
The Cockeyed Corpse
1964Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
27
Cover of The Trojan Hearse
The Trojan Hearse
1964Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
28
Cover of Dead Man's Walk
Dead Man's Walk
1965Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
29
Cover of Kill Him Twice
Kill Him Twice
1965Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
30
Cover of The Meandering Corpse
The Meandering Corpse
1965Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
31
Cover of The Kubla Khan Caper
The Kubla Khan Caper
1966Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
32
33
Kill Me Tomorrow
1969Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
34
Cover of The Cheim Manuscript
The Cheim Manuscript
1969Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
35
The Shell Scott Sampler
1969Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
36
37
Cover of The Sweet Ride
The Sweet Ride
1972Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
38
The Sure Thing
1975Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
39
Cover of The Amber Effect
The Amber Effect
1986Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
40
Cover of Shellshock
41
Cover of The Death Gods
The Death Gods
2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Shell Scott Collections Series

Complete

1 book (1994–1994)

#Title
1
Cover of Hot Rock Rumble & The Double Take
Hot Rock Rumble & The Double Take
1994Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Short Stories/Novellas Series

Complete

1 book (2009–2009)

#Title
1
The Sleeper Caper
2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Standalone Novels Series

Complete

3 books (1952–1956)

Start with Lie Down, Killer and read in order.

Start this series with Lie Down, Killer

Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
#Title
1
Cover of Lie Down, Killer
Lie Down, Killer
1952Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2
The Peddler(As: Douglas Ring)
1952Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3
Dragnet: Case No.561
1956Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books has Richard S. Prather written?
Richard S. Prather has written 48 books across 5 series. Their published works span from 1950 to 2011.
What is the first book in each Richard S. Prather series?
Here are the first books in Richard S. Prather's series: Anthologies: The Comfortable Coffin; Shell Scott: The Case of the Vanishing Beauty.
What order should I read Richard S. Prather's books?
We recommend reading Richard S. Prather's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
Are Richard S. Prather's series complete?
Richard S. Prather has 5 completed series.

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