Tony Hillerman Reading Order
6 series · 53 books · Born 27 May 1925
Tony Hillerman was a prolific American writer celebrated for his compelling mystery novels featuring the Navajo Tribal Police. With a career spanning from 1970 to 2025, he authored 53 books across six series, including his acclaimed Leaphorn & Chee series, as well as standalone novels, short story collections, children's literature, and nonfiction. His work is notable not just for its engaging storytelling but also for its rich portrayal of Native American culture.
Anthologies Series
Complete9 books (1991–2005)
Start with The Perfect Murder, the first of 9 books in the Anthologies series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  The Perfect Murder 1991Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  2nd Culprit 1993Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  The Oxford Book of American Detective Stories 1996Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  The Serpent's Tongue: Prose, Poetry, and Art of the New Mexican Pueblos 1997Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 |  First Cases, Volume 3 1999Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 |  The Best American Mystery Stories of the Century 2000Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 |  A Century of Great Suspense Stories 2001Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 |  The Longman Anthology of Detective Fiction 2004Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 |  A New Omnibus of Crime 2005Buy 🇺🇸 |
Children's Series
Complete2 books (1972–2001)
Start with The Boy Who Made Dragonfly and read in order.
Leaphorn & Chee Series
Ongoing28 books (1970–2025)
Start with The Blessing Way, the first of 28 books in the Leaphorn & Chee series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  The Blessing Way 1970Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  Dance Hall of the Dead 1973Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  Listening Woman 1978Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  People of Darkness 1980Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 |  The Dark Wind 1982Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 |  The Ghostway 1984Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 |  Skinwalkers 1986Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 |  A Thief of Time 1988Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 |  Talking God 1989Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 |  Coyote Waits 1990Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 11 |  Sacred Clowns 1992Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 12 |  The Fallen Man 1996Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 13 |  The First Eagle 1998Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 14 |  Hunting Badger 1999Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 15 |  The Wailing Wind 2002Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 16 |  The Sinister Pig 2003Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 17 | Skeleton Man 2004Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 18 |  The Shape Shifter 2006Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 19 |  Spider Woman's Daughter(By: Anne Hillerman) 2013Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 20 |  Rock with Wings(By: Anne Hillerman) 2015Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 21 |  Song of the Lion(By: Anne Hillerman) 2017Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 22 |  Cave of Bones(By: Anne Hillerman) 2018Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 23 | The Tale Teller(By: Anne Hillerman) 2019Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 24 |  Stargazer(By: Anne Hillerman) 2021Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 25 |  The Sacred Bridge(By: Anne Hillerman) 2022Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 26 |  The Way of the Bear(By: Anne Hillerman) 2023Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 27 | Lost Birds(By: Anne Hillerman) 2024Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 28 | Shadow of the Solstice(By: Anne Hillerman) 2025Buy 🇺🇸 |
Non-Fiction Series
Complete9 books (1973–2004)
Start with The Great Taos Bank Robbery and Other Indian Country Affairs, the first of 9 books in the Non-Fiction series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | The Great Taos Bank Robbery and Other Indian Country Affairs 1973Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 | New Mexico, Rio Grande, and Other Essays 1975Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  The Spell of New Mexico 1976Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  Indian Country 1987Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 |  Tony Hillerman's Indian Country Map and Guide 1987Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 | Hillerman Country(With: Barney Hillerman) 1991Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 |  Talking Mysteries: A Conversation With Tony Hillerman(With: Ernie Bulow) 1991Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 |  Seldom Disappointed 2001Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 |  Kilroy Was There 2004Buy 🇺🇸 |
Short Story Collections Series
Likely Complete3 books (1991–2023)
Start with The Best of the West and read in order.
Standalone Novels Series
Complete2 books (1971–1995)
Start with The Fly on the Wall and read in order.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many books has Tony Hillerman written?
- Tony Hillerman has written 53 books across 6 series. Their published works span from 1970 to 2025.
- What is the first book in each Tony Hillerman series?
- Here are the first books in Tony Hillerman's series: Anthologies: The Perfect Murder; Children's: The Boy Who Made Dragonfly; Leaphorn & Chee: The Blessing Way; Non-Fiction: The Great Taos Bank Robbery and Other Indian Country Affairs; Short Story Collections: The Best of the West.
- What order should I read Tony Hillerman's books?
- We recommend reading Tony Hillerman's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
- Is Tony Hillerman still writing new books?
- Yes, Tony Hillerman has 1 ongoing series: Leaphorn & Chee.