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Reading order

Spenser Books in Order

This page lists the complete Spenser reading order by Mike Lupica, with book numbers, publication years, and a publication-order view for readers who want to start at the beginning.

Updated 2026-06-22 / 54 books / 1973-2026

Spenser Reading Order

01 The Godwulf Manuscript(By: Robert B. Parker) 1973 Buy
02 God Save the Child(By: Robert B. Parker) 1974 Buy
03 Mortal Stakes(By: Robert B. Parker) 1975 Buy
04 Promised Land(By: Robert B. Parker) 1976 Buy
05 The Judas Goat(By: Robert B. Parker) 1978 Buy
06 Looking for Rachel Wallace(By: Robert B. Parker) 1980 Buy
07 Early Autumn(By: Robert B. Parker) 1981 Buy
08 A Savage Place(By: Robert B. Parker) 1981 Buy
09 Ceremony(By: Robert B. Parker) 1982 Buy
10 The Widening Gyre(By: Robert B. Parker) 1983 Buy
11 Valediction(By: Robert B. Parker) 1984 Buy
12 A Catskill Eagle(By: Robert B. Parker) 1985 Buy
13 Taming a Sea-Horse(By: Robert B. Parker) 1986 Buy
14 Pale Kings and Princes(By: Robert B. Parker) 1987 Buy
15 Crimson Joy(By: Robert B. Parker) 1988 Buy
16 Playmates(By: Robert B. Parker) 1989 Buy
17 Stardust(By: Robert B. Parker) 1990 Buy
18 Pastime(By: Robert B. Parker) 1991 Buy
19 Double Deuce(By: Robert B. Parker) 1992 Buy
20 Paper Doll(By: Robert B. Parker) 1993 Buy
21 Walking Shadow(By: Robert B. Parker) 1994 Buy
22 Thin Air(By: Robert B. Parker) 1995 Buy
23 Chance(By: Robert B. Parker) 1996 Buy
24 Small Vices(By: Robert B. Parker) 1997 Buy
25 Sudden Mischief(By: Robert B. Parker) 1998 Buy
26 Hush Money(By: Robert B. Parker) 1999 Buy
27 Hugger Mugger(By: Robert B. Parker) 2000 Buy
28 Potshot(By: Robert B. Parker) 2001 Buy
29 Widow's Walk(By: Robert B. Parker) 2002 Buy
30 Back Story(By: Robert B. Parker) 2003 Buy
31 Bad Business(By: Robert B. Parker) 2004 Buy
32 Cold Service(By: Robert B. Parker) 2005 Buy
33 School Days(By: Robert B. Parker) 2005 Buy
34 Hundred-Dollar Baby / Dream Girl(By: Robert B. Parker) 2006 Buy
35 Now and Then(By: Robert B. Parker) 2007 Buy
36 Rough Weather(By: Robert B. Parker) 2008 Buy
37 The Professional(By: Robert B. Parker) 2009 Buy
38 Painted Ladies(By: Robert B. Parker) 2010 Buy
39 Sixkill(By: Robert B. Parker) 2011 Buy
40 Silent Night(By: Robert B. Parker,Helen Brann) 2011 Buy
41 Lullaby(By: Ace Atkins) 2012 Buy
42 Wonderland / Spenser Confidential(By: Ace Atkins) 2013 Buy
43 Cheap Shot(By: Ace Atkins) 2014 Buy
44 Kickback(By: Ace Atkins) 2015 Buy
45 Slow Burn(By: Ace Atkins) 2016 Buy
46 Little White Lies(By: Ace Atkins) 2017 Buy
47 Old Black Magic(By: Ace Atkins) 2018 Buy
48 Angel Eyes(By: Ace Atkins) 2019 Buy
49 Someone to Watch Over Me(By: Ace Atkins) 2020 Buy
50 Bye Bye Baby(By: Ace Atkins) 2022 Buy
51 Broken Trust 2023 Buy
52 Hot Property 2024 Buy
53 Showdown 2025 Buy
54 Framed 2026 Buy

Spenser Books by Publication Order

1973 The Godwulf Manuscript(By: Robert B. Parker) #1
1974 God Save the Child(By: Robert B. Parker) #2
1975 Mortal Stakes(By: Robert B. Parker) #3
1976 Promised Land(By: Robert B. Parker) #4
1978 The Judas Goat(By: Robert B. Parker) #5
1980 Looking for Rachel Wallace(By: Robert B. Parker) #6
1981 Early Autumn(By: Robert B. Parker) #7
1981 A Savage Place(By: Robert B. Parker) #8
1982 Ceremony(By: Robert B. Parker) #9
1983 The Widening Gyre(By: Robert B. Parker) #10
1984 Valediction(By: Robert B. Parker) #11
1985 A Catskill Eagle(By: Robert B. Parker) #12
1986 Taming a Sea-Horse(By: Robert B. Parker) #13
1987 Pale Kings and Princes(By: Robert B. Parker) #14
1988 Crimson Joy(By: Robert B. Parker) #15
1989 Playmates(By: Robert B. Parker) #16
1990 Stardust(By: Robert B. Parker) #17
1991 Pastime(By: Robert B. Parker) #18
1992 Double Deuce(By: Robert B. Parker) #19
1993 Paper Doll(By: Robert B. Parker) #20
1994 Walking Shadow(By: Robert B. Parker) #21
1995 Thin Air(By: Robert B. Parker) #22
1996 Chance(By: Robert B. Parker) #23
1997 Small Vices(By: Robert B. Parker) #24
1998 Sudden Mischief(By: Robert B. Parker) #25
1999 Hush Money(By: Robert B. Parker) #26
2000 Hugger Mugger(By: Robert B. Parker) #27
2001 Potshot(By: Robert B. Parker) #28
2002 Widow's Walk(By: Robert B. Parker) #29
2003 Back Story(By: Robert B. Parker) #30
2004 Bad Business(By: Robert B. Parker) #31
2005 Cold Service(By: Robert B. Parker) #32
2005 School Days(By: Robert B. Parker) #33
2006 Hundred-Dollar Baby / Dream Girl(By: Robert B. Parker) #34
2007 Now and Then(By: Robert B. Parker) #35
2008 Rough Weather(By: Robert B. Parker) #36
2009 The Professional(By: Robert B. Parker) #37
2010 Painted Ladies(By: Robert B. Parker) #38
2011 Sixkill(By: Robert B. Parker) #39
2011 Silent Night(By: Robert B. Parker,Helen Brann) #40
2012 Lullaby(By: Ace Atkins) #41
2013 Wonderland / Spenser Confidential(By: Ace Atkins) #42
2014 Cheap Shot(By: Ace Atkins) #43
2015 Kickback(By: Ace Atkins) #44
2016 Slow Burn(By: Ace Atkins) #45
2017 Little White Lies(By: Ace Atkins) #46
2018 Old Black Magic(By: Ace Atkins) #47
2019 Angel Eyes(By: Ace Atkins) #48
2020 Someone to Watch Over Me(By: Ace Atkins) #49
2022 Bye Bye Baby(By: Ace Atkins) #50
2023 Broken Trust #51
2024 Hot Property #52
2025 Showdown #53
2026 Framed #54

Questions readers ask

What is the correct Spenser reading order?

The Spenser reading order on this page follows the numbered series order where available, with publication years shown beside each book.

How many Spenser books are there?

This catalog currently lists 54 Spenser books published across 1973-2026.

Who writes the Spenser books?

Spenser is listed as a book series by Mike Lupica.

Should I read Spenser in publication order?

For most readers, publication order is the safest way to read Spenser. If a separate series order is available, this page shows that order first and publication years beside each title.

More by Mike Lupica

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Source note: Sequencebooks organizes author, book, and series records from its catalog data. Publication years and series order are shown when available.