Susan Howatch Reading Order
5 series · 21 books · Born 1940-07-14
Susan Howatch is a British author whose prolific career spans sweeping family sagas and intricate novels exploring faith, ambition, and moral complexity within the Church of England. Her most acclaimed works include the Starbridge series, which delves into the lives of clergy and their struggles during the twentieth century, and the Van Zale sequence, epic narratives tracing wealth and power across generations. Across twenty-one novels published between 1965 and 2003, Howatch established herself as a master of character-driven literary fiction that combines meticulous historical detail with psychological depth.
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Anthologies Series
Complete1 book (2001–2001)
St. Benet's Series
Complete3 books (1997–2003)
Susan Howatch's St. Benet's trilogy is a complete three-book series published between 1997 and 2003 that should be read in publication order. The books are The Wonder Worker / A Question of Integrity, The High Flyer, and The Heartbreaker. This literary fiction series explores interconnected narratives centered around the fictional St. Benet's Church in Cambridge.
Start with The Wonder Worker / A Question of Integrity and read in order.
Start this series with The Wonder Worker / A Question of Integrity
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Standalone Novels Series
Complete9 books (1965–1984)
Susan Howatch's standalone novels series comprises nine literary fiction works published between 1965 and 1984, beginning with The Dark Shore and concluding with The Wheel of Fortune. Though each novel stands alone as a complete story, they should be read in publication order to experience the author's evolving style and thematic exploration across two decades. The series is complete and closed.
Start with The Dark Shore, the first of 9 books in the Standalone Novels series.
Start this series with The Dark Shore
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Starbridge Series
Complete6 books (1987–1995)
The Starbridge series is a six-book literary fiction sequence by Susan Howatch, published between 1987 and 1995. The complete series should be read in publication order, beginning with Glittering Images and concluding with Absolute Truths. Each novel explores interconnected stories set around the fictional English cathedral city of Starbridge, examining themes of faith, ambition, and personal transformation across multiple generations and perspectives.
Start with Glittering Images, the first of 6 books in the Starbridge series.
Start this series with Glittering Images
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Van Zale Series
Complete2 books (1977–1980)
Susan Howatch's Van Zale series consists of two literary fiction novels published in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The complete series should be read in publication order, beginning with The Rich Are Different followed by Sins of the Fathers. This two-book sequence offers a self-contained narrative arc within Howatch's exploration of wealth, family legacy, and moral complexity.
Start with The Rich Are Different and read in order.
Start this series with The Rich Are Different
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Frequently Asked Questions
- How many books has Susan Howatch written?
- Susan Howatch has written 21 books across 5 series. Their published works span from 1965 to 2003.
- What is the first book in each Susan Howatch series?
- Here are the first books in Susan Howatch's series: St. Benet's: The Wonder Worker / A Question of Integrity; Starbridge: Glittering Images; Van Zale: The Rich Are Different.
- What order should I read Susan Howatch's books?
- We recommend reading Susan Howatch's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
- Are Susan Howatch's series complete?
- Susan Howatch has 5 completed series.