A Book in Order

Series · 40 books

James Ellroy Books in Order

The complete James Ellroy reading order — 40 books from 1981–2011.

  1. 01 Brown's Requiem 1981 Amazon — buy Brown's Requiem Bookshop — buy Brown's Requiem ThriftBooks — buy Brown's Requiem eBooks.com — buy Brown's Requiem
  2. 02 Clandestine 1982 Amazon — buy Clandestine Bookshop — buy Clandestine ThriftBooks — buy Clandestine eBooks.com — buy Clandestine
  3. 03 Blood on the Moon 1984 Amazon — buy Blood on the Moon Bookshop — buy Blood on the Moon ThriftBooks — buy Blood on the Moon eBooks.com — buy Blood on the Moon
  4. 04 Silent Terror 1986 Amazon — buy Silent Terror Bookshop — buy Silent Terror ThriftBooks — buy Silent Terror eBooks.com — buy Silent Terror
  5. 05 Because the Night 1986 Amazon — buy Because the Night Bookshop — buy Because the Night ThriftBooks — buy Because the Night eBooks.com — buy Because the Night
  6. 06 Suicide Hill 1986 Amazon — buy Suicide Hill Bookshop — buy Suicide Hill ThriftBooks — buy Suicide Hill eBooks.com — buy Suicide Hill
  7. 07 The Black Dahlia 1987 Amazon — buy The Black Dahlia Bookshop — buy The Black Dahlia ThriftBooks — buy The Black Dahlia eBooks.com — buy The Black Dahlia
  8. 08 The Big Nowhere 1988 Amazon — buy The Big Nowhere Bookshop — buy The Big Nowhere ThriftBooks — buy The Big Nowhere eBooks.com — buy The Big Nowhere
  9. 09 Le grand nulle part 1989 Amazon — buy Le grand nulle part Bookshop — buy Le grand nulle part ThriftBooks — buy Le grand nulle part eBooks.com — buy Le grand nulle part
  10. 10 L.A. Confidential 1990 Amazon — buy L.A. Confidential Bookshop — buy L.A. Confidential ThriftBooks — buy L.A. Confidential eBooks.com — buy L.A. Confidential
  11. 11 White Jazz 1991 Amazon — buy White Jazz Bookshop — buy White Jazz ThriftBooks — buy White Jazz eBooks.com — buy White Jazz
  12. 12 Murder and mayhem 1991 Amazon — buy Murder and mayhem Bookshop — buy Murder and mayhem ThriftBooks — buy Murder and mayhem eBooks.com — buy Murder and mayhem
  13. 13 Dick Contino's Blues and Other Stories 1993 Amazon — buy Dick Contino's Blues and Other Stories Bookshop — buy Dick Contino's Blues and Other Stories ThriftBooks — buy Dick Contino's Blues and Other Stories eBooks.com — buy Dick Contino's Blues and Other Stories
  14. 14 Hollywood Nocturnes 1994 Amazon — buy Hollywood Nocturnes Bookshop — buy Hollywood Nocturnes ThriftBooks — buy Hollywood Nocturnes eBooks.com — buy Hollywood Nocturnes
  15. 15 American Tabloid 1995 Amazon — buy American Tabloid Bookshop — buy American Tabloid ThriftBooks — buy American Tabloid eBooks.com — buy American Tabloid
  16. 16 My Dark Places 1996 Amazon — buy My Dark Places Bookshop — buy My Dark Places ThriftBooks — buy My Dark Places eBooks.com — buy My Dark Places
  17. 17 James Ellroy 1997 Amazon — buy James Ellroy Bookshop — buy James Ellroy ThriftBooks — buy James Ellroy eBooks.com — buy James Ellroy
  18. 18 L. A. Noir 1998 Amazon — buy L. A. Noir Bookshop — buy L. A. Noir ThriftBooks — buy L. A. Noir eBooks.com — buy L. A. Noir
  19. 19 Crime Wave 1998 Amazon — buy Crime Wave Bookshop — buy Crime Wave ThriftBooks — buy Crime Wave eBooks.com — buy Crime Wave
  20. 20 The Hilliker Curse 1998 Amazon — buy The Hilliker Curse Bookshop — buy The Hilliker Curse ThriftBooks — buy The Hilliker Curse eBooks.com — buy The Hilliker Curse
  21. 21 The Dudley Smith Trio 1998 Amazon — buy The Dudley Smith Trio Bookshop — buy The Dudley Smith Trio ThriftBooks — buy The Dudley Smith Trio eBooks.com — buy The Dudley Smith Trio
  22. 22 Untitled James Ellroy 1998 Amazon — buy Untitled James Ellroy Bookshop — buy Untitled James Ellroy ThriftBooks — buy Untitled James Ellroy eBooks.com — buy Untitled James Ellroy
  23. 23 Destination 1999 Amazon — buy Destination Bookshop — buy Destination ThriftBooks — buy Destination eBooks.com — buy Destination
  24. 24 Petite mécanique de James Ellroy 1999 Amazon — buy Petite mécanique de James Ellroy Bookshop — buy Petite mécanique de James Ellroy ThriftBooks — buy Petite mécanique de James Ellroy eBooks.com — buy Petite mécanique de James Ellroy
  25. 25 Tijuana mon amour 2000 Amazon — buy Tijuana mon amour Bookshop — buy Tijuana mon amour ThriftBooks — buy Tijuana mon amour eBooks.com — buy Tijuana mon amour
  26. 26 Standup guys : James Ellroy, George V. Higgins, Elmore Leonard 2000 Amazon — buy Standup guys : James Ellroy, George V. Higgins, Elmore Leonard ThriftBooks — buy Standup guys : James Ellroy, George V. Higgins, Elmore Leonard eBooks.com — buy Standup guys : James Ellroy, George V. Higgins, Elmore Leonard
  27. 27 The Cold Six Thousand 2001 Amazon — buy The Cold Six Thousand Bookshop — buy The Cold Six Thousand ThriftBooks — buy The Cold Six Thousand eBooks.com — buy The Cold Six Thousand
  28. 28 The Best American Mystery Stories 2002 2002 Amazon — buy The Best American Mystery Stories 2002 Bookshop — buy The Best American Mystery Stories 2002 ThriftBooks — buy The Best American Mystery Stories 2002 eBooks.com — buy The Best American Mystery Stories 2002
  29. 29 Untitled Ellroy Aus/Nz 2002 Amazon — buy Untitled Ellroy Aus/Nz Bookshop — buy Untitled Ellroy Aus/Nz ThriftBooks — buy Untitled Ellroy Aus/Nz eBooks.com — buy Untitled Ellroy Aus/Nz
  30. 30 Coffret Ellroy, 2 volumes 2002 Amazon — buy Coffret Ellroy, 2 volumes Bookshop — buy Coffret Ellroy, 2 volumes ThriftBooks — buy Coffret Ellroy, 2 volumes eBooks.com — buy Coffret Ellroy, 2 volumes
  31. 31 Scene of the Crime 2004 Amazon — buy Scene of the Crime Bookshop — buy Scene of the Crime ThriftBooks — buy Scene of the Crime eBooks.com — buy Scene of the Crime
  32. 32 The Best American Crime Writing 2005 2005 Amazon — buy The Best American Crime Writing 2005 Bookshop — buy The Best American Crime Writing 2005 ThriftBooks — buy The Best American Crime Writing 2005 eBooks.com — buy The Best American Crime Writing 2005
  33. 33 Like Hot Knives to the Brain 2005 Amazon — buy Like Hot Knives to the Brain Bookshop — buy Like Hot Knives to the Brain ThriftBooks — buy Like Hot Knives to the Brain eBooks.com — buy Like Hot Knives to the Brain
  34. 34 James Ellroy, la corruption du roman noir 2006 Amazon — buy James Ellroy, la corruption du roman noir Bookshop — buy James Ellroy, la corruption du roman noir ThriftBooks — buy James Ellroy, la corruption du roman noir eBooks.com — buy James Ellroy, la corruption du roman noir
  35. 35 Le dahlia noir 2006 Amazon — buy Le dahlia noir Bookshop — buy Le dahlia noir ThriftBooks — buy Le dahlia noir eBooks.com — buy Le dahlia noir
  36. 36 Blood's a rover 2009 Amazon — buy Blood's a rover Bookshop — buy Blood's a rover ThriftBooks — buy Blood's a rover eBooks.com — buy Blood's a rover
  37. 37 The Best American Noir of the Century 2010 Amazon — buy The Best American Noir of the Century Bookshop — buy The Best American Noir of the Century ThriftBooks — buy The Best American Noir of the Century eBooks.com — buy The Best American Noir of the Century
  38. 38 James Ellroy and the novel of obsession 2010 Amazon — buy James Ellroy and the novel of obsession Bookshop — buy James Ellroy and the novel of obsession ThriftBooks — buy James Ellroy and the novel of obsession eBooks.com — buy James Ellroy and the novel of obsession
  39. 39 Loco por Donna 2010 Amazon — buy Loco por Donna Bookshop — buy Loco por Donna ThriftBooks — buy Loco por Donna eBooks.com — buy Loco por Donna
  40. 40 Underworld USA (French Edition) 2011 Amazon — buy Underworld USA (French Edition) Bookshop — buy Underworld USA (French Edition) ThriftBooks — buy Underworld USA (French Edition) eBooks.com — buy Underworld USA (French Edition)

Reading tracker

Track your progress through James Ellroy

Tick books off as you read them — your progress is saved on this device. Print it for a paper checklist, or save it as a PDF.

Read# TitleYear Date finished
1 Brown's Requiem 1981
2 Clandestine 1982
3 Blood on the Moon 1984
4 Silent Terror 1986
5 Because the Night 1986
6 Suicide Hill 1986
7 The Black Dahlia 1987
8 The Big Nowhere 1988
9 Le grand nulle part 1989
10 L.A. Confidential 1990
11 White Jazz 1991
12 Murder and mayhem 1991
13 Dick Contino's Blues and Other Stories 1993
14 Hollywood Nocturnes 1994
15 American Tabloid 1995
16 My Dark Places 1996
17 James Ellroy 1997
18 L. A. Noir 1998
19 Crime Wave 1998
20 The Hilliker Curse 1998
21 The Dudley Smith Trio 1998
22 Untitled James Ellroy 1998
23 Destination 1999
24 Petite mécanique de James Ellroy 1999
25 Tijuana mon amour 2000
26 Standup guys : James Ellroy, George V. Higgins, Elmore Leonard 2000
27 The Cold Six Thousand 2001
28 The Best American Mystery Stories 2002 2002
29 Untitled Ellroy Aus/Nz 2002
30 Coffret Ellroy, 2 volumes 2002
31 Scene of the Crime 2004
32 The Best American Crime Writing 2005 2005
33 Like Hot Knives to the Brain 2005
34 James Ellroy, la corruption du roman noir 2006
35 Le dahlia noir 2006
36 Blood's a rover 2009
37 The Best American Noir of the Century 2010
38 James Ellroy and the novel of obsession 2010
39 Loco por Donna 2010
40 Underworld USA (French Edition) 2011

James Ellroy reading order — abookinorder.com

Where to start

Begin with Brown's Requiem (1981). The list above follows publication order, which is how most readers approach James Ellroy — later books assume you know what happened in earlier ones.

Frequently asked

How many James Ellroy books are there?

40 to date, spanning 1981–2011.

What is the newest James Ellroy book?

Underworld USA (French Edition), published in 2011.