Series · 40 books
No 1 Detective Agency Books in Order
The complete No 1 Detective Agency reading order — 40 books from 1682–2025.
- 01 Blue Shoes and Happiness (No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency) by Alexander McCall Smith (2006-02-22) Amazon — buy Blue Shoes and Happiness (No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency) by Alexander McCall Smith (2006-02-22) ThriftBooks — buy Blue Shoes and Happiness (No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency) by Alexander McCall Smith (2006-02-22) eBooks.com — buy Blue Shoes and Happiness (No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency) by Alexander McCall Smith (2006-02-22)
- 02 A Study in Scarlet Amazon — buy A Study in Scarlet Bookshop — buy A Study in Scarlet ThriftBooks — buy A Study in Scarlet eBooks.com — buy A Study in Scarlet
- 03 The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Amazon — buy The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Bookshop — buy The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency ThriftBooks — buy The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency eBooks.com — buy The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
- 04 Tears of the Giraffe (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency Amazon — buy Tears of the Giraffe (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency Bookshop — buy Tears of the Giraffe (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency ThriftBooks — buy Tears of the Giraffe (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency eBooks.com — buy Tears of the Giraffe (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency
- 05 Morality for beautiful girls Amazon — buy Morality for beautiful girls Bookshop — buy Morality for beautiful girls ThriftBooks — buy Morality for beautiful girls eBooks.com — buy Morality for beautiful girls
- 06 The Kalahari Typing School for Men Amazon — buy The Kalahari Typing School for Men Bookshop — buy The Kalahari Typing School for Men ThriftBooks — buy The Kalahari Typing School for Men eBooks.com — buy The Kalahari Typing School for Men
- 07 The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Omnibus Amazon — buy The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Omnibus Bookshop — buy The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Omnibus ThriftBooks — buy The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Omnibus eBooks.com — buy The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Omnibus
- 08 The full cupboard of life Amazon — buy The full cupboard of life Bookshop — buy The full cupboard of life ThriftBooks — buy The full cupboard of life eBooks.com — buy The full cupboard of life
- 09 No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, Box Set Amazon — buy No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, Box Set Bookshop — buy No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, Box Set ThriftBooks — buy No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, Box Set eBooks.com — buy No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, Box Set
- 10 In the Company of Cheerful Ladies (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency (Audio)) Amazon — buy In the Company of Cheerful Ladies (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency (Audio)) Bookshop — buy In the Company of Cheerful Ladies (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency (Audio)) ThriftBooks — buy In the Company of Cheerful Ladies (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency (Audio)) eBooks.com — buy In the Company of Cheerful Ladies (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency (Audio))
- 11 Sokhnut ha-balashiyot mispar 1 Amazon — buy Sokhnut ha-balashiyot mispar 1 Bookshop — buy Sokhnut ha-balashiyot mispar 1 ThriftBooks — buy Sokhnut ha-balashiyot mispar 1 eBooks.com — buy Sokhnut ha-balashiyot mispar 1
- 12 Anansi Boys Amazon — buy Anansi Boys Bookshop — buy Anansi Boys ThriftBooks — buy Anansi Boys eBooks.com — buy Anansi Boys
- 13 No 1 Ladies Detective Agency Boxed Set Amazon — buy No 1 Ladies Detective Agency Boxed Set Bookshop — buy No 1 Ladies Detective Agency Boxed Set ThriftBooks — buy No 1 Ladies Detective Agency Boxed Set eBooks.com — buy No 1 Ladies Detective Agency Boxed Set
- 14 The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency Collection Amazon — buy The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency Collection Bookshop — buy The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency Collection ThriftBooks — buy The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency Collection eBooks.com — buy The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency Collection
- 15 Blue shoes and happiness Amazon — buy Blue shoes and happiness Bookshop — buy Blue shoes and happiness ThriftBooks — buy Blue shoes and happiness eBooks.com — buy Blue shoes and happiness
- 16 The Good Husband of Zebra Drive (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Series) Amazon — buy The Good Husband of Zebra Drive (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Series) Bookshop — buy The Good Husband of Zebra Drive (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Series) ThriftBooks — buy The Good Husband of Zebra Drive (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Series) eBooks.com — buy The Good Husband of Zebra Drive (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Series)
- 17 Living love Amazon — buy Living love Bookshop — buy Living love ThriftBooks — buy Living love eBooks.com — buy Living love
- 18 The miracle at Speedy Motors Amazon — buy The miracle at Speedy Motors Bookshop — buy The miracle at Speedy Motors ThriftBooks — buy The miracle at Speedy Motors eBooks.com — buy The miracle at Speedy Motors
- 19 No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Amazon — buy No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Bookshop — buy No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency ThriftBooks — buy No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency eBooks.com — buy No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
- 20 Peguin Readers 3 Amazon — buy Peguin Readers 3 Bookshop — buy Peguin Readers 3 ThriftBooks — buy Peguin Readers 3 eBooks.com — buy Peguin Readers 3
- 21 The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party Amazon — buy The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party Bookshop — buy The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party ThriftBooks — buy The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party eBooks.com — buy The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party
- 22 Hellhound Detective Agency1 Amazon — buy Hellhound Detective Agency1 Bookshop — buy Hellhound Detective Agency1 ThriftBooks — buy Hellhound Detective Agency1 eBooks.com — buy Hellhound Detective Agency1
- 23 Precious and the Puggies No 1 Ladies Detective Agency Black White Publishing Amazon — buy Precious and the Puggies No 1 Ladies Detective Agency Black White Publishing Bookshop — buy Precious and the Puggies No 1 Ladies Detective Agency Black White Publishing ThriftBooks — buy Precious and the Puggies No 1 Ladies Detective Agency Black White Publishing eBooks.com — buy Precious and the Puggies No 1 Ladies Detective Agency Black White Publishing
- 24 The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection Amazon — buy The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection Bookshop — buy The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection ThriftBooks — buy The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection eBooks.com — buy The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection
- 25 Penguin Readers 3 Amazon — buy Penguin Readers 3 Bookshop — buy Penguin Readers 3 ThriftBooks — buy Penguin Readers 3 eBooks.com — buy Penguin Readers 3
- 26 The Handsome Man's De Luxe Cafe Amazon — buy The Handsome Man's De Luxe Cafe Bookshop — buy The Handsome Man's De Luxe Cafe ThriftBooks — buy The Handsome Man's De Luxe Cafe eBooks.com — buy The Handsome Man's De Luxe Cafe
- 27 The Handsome Man's De Luxe Café Amazon — buy The Handsome Man's De Luxe Café Bookshop — buy The Handsome Man's De Luxe Café ThriftBooks — buy The Handsome Man's De Luxe Café eBooks.com — buy The Handsome Man's De Luxe Café
- 28 The woman who walked in sunshine Amazon — buy The woman who walked in sunshine Bookshop — buy The woman who walked in sunshine ThriftBooks — buy The woman who walked in sunshine eBooks.com — buy The woman who walked in sunshine
- 29 Precious and Grace (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency) Amazon — buy Precious and Grace (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency) Bookshop — buy Precious and Grace (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency) ThriftBooks — buy Precious and Grace (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency) eBooks.com — buy Precious and Grace (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency)
- 30 Precious And Grace Amazon — buy Precious And Grace Bookshop — buy Precious And Grace ThriftBooks — buy Precious And Grace eBooks.com — buy Precious And Grace
- 31 The House of Unexpected Sisters Amazon — buy The House of Unexpected Sisters Bookshop — buy The House of Unexpected Sisters ThriftBooks — buy The House of Unexpected Sisters eBooks.com — buy The House of Unexpected Sisters
- 32 The colors of all the cattle Amazon — buy The colors of all the cattle Bookshop — buy The colors of all the cattle ThriftBooks — buy The colors of all the cattle eBooks.com — buy The colors of all the cattle
- 33 To The Land of Long Lost Friends Amazon — buy To The Land of Long Lost Friends Bookshop — buy To The Land of Long Lost Friends ThriftBooks — buy To The Land of Long Lost Friends eBooks.com — buy To The Land of Long Lost Friends
- 34 How to Raise an Elephant Amazon — buy How to Raise an Elephant Bookshop — buy How to Raise an Elephant ThriftBooks — buy How to Raise an Elephant eBooks.com — buy How to Raise an Elephant
- 35 The Joy and Light Bus Company Amazon — buy The Joy and Light Bus Company Bookshop — buy The Joy and Light Bus Company ThriftBooks — buy The Joy and Light Bus Company eBooks.com — buy The Joy and Light Bus Company
- 36 NEW-How to Raise an Elephant (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency) Amazon — buy NEW-How to Raise an Elephant (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency) Bookshop — buy NEW-How to Raise an Elephant (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency) ThriftBooks — buy NEW-How to Raise an Elephant (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency) eBooks.com — buy NEW-How to Raise an Elephant (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency)
- 37 Song of Comfortable Chairs Amazon — buy Song of Comfortable Chairs Bookshop — buy Song of Comfortable Chairs ThriftBooks — buy Song of Comfortable Chairs eBooks.com — buy Song of Comfortable Chairs
- 38 Great Hippopotamus Hotel Amazon — buy Great Hippopotamus Hotel Bookshop — buy Great Hippopotamus Hotel ThriftBooks — buy Great Hippopotamus Hotel eBooks.com — buy Great Hippopotamus Hotel
- 39 From a Far and Lovely Country Amazon — buy From a Far and Lovely Country Bookshop — buy From a Far and Lovely Country ThriftBooks — buy From a Far and Lovely Country eBooks.com — buy From a Far and Lovely Country
- 40 Untitled No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #26 Amazon — buy Untitled No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #26 Bookshop — buy Untitled No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #26 ThriftBooks — buy Untitled No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #26 eBooks.com — buy Untitled No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #26
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| Read | # | Title | Year | Date finished |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blue Shoes and Happiness (No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency) by Alexander McCall Smith (2006-02-22) | 1682 | ||
| 2 | A Study in Scarlet | 1887 | ||
| 3 | The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency | 1997 | ||
| 4 | Tears of the Giraffe (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency | 2000 | ||
| 5 | Morality for beautiful girls | 2001 | ||
| 6 | The Kalahari Typing School for Men | 2002 | ||
| 7 | The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Omnibus | 2002 | ||
| 8 | The full cupboard of life | 2003 | ||
| 9 | No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, Box Set | 2003 | ||
| 10 | In the Company of Cheerful Ladies (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency (Audio)) | 2004 | ||
| 11 | Sokhnut ha-balashiyot mispar 1 | 2004 | ||
| 12 | Anansi Boys | 2005 | ||
| 13 | No 1 Ladies Detective Agency Boxed Set | 2005 | ||
| 14 | The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency Collection | 2005 | ||
| 15 | Blue shoes and happiness | 2006 | ||
| 16 | The Good Husband of Zebra Drive (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Series) | 2007 | ||
| 17 | Living love | 2007 | ||
| 18 | The miracle at Speedy Motors | 2008 | ||
| 19 | No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency | 2008 | ||
| 20 | Peguin Readers 3 | 2008 | ||
| 21 | The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party | 2011 | ||
| 22 | Hellhound Detective Agency1 | 2011 | ||
| 23 | Precious and the Puggies No 1 Ladies Detective Agency Black White Publishing | 2011 | ||
| 24 | The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection | 2012 | ||
| 25 | Penguin Readers 3 | 2012 | ||
| 26 | The Handsome Man's De Luxe Cafe | 2014 | ||
| 27 | The Handsome Man's De Luxe Café | 2014 | ||
| 28 | The woman who walked in sunshine | 2015 | ||
| 29 | Precious and Grace (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency) | 2016 | ||
| 30 | Precious And Grace | 2016 | ||
| 31 | The House of Unexpected Sisters | 2017 | ||
| 32 | The colors of all the cattle | 2018 | ||
| 33 | To The Land of Long Lost Friends | 2019 | ||
| 34 | How to Raise an Elephant | 2020 | ||
| 35 | The Joy and Light Bus Company | 2021 | ||
| 36 | NEW-How to Raise an Elephant (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency) | 2021 | ||
| 37 | Song of Comfortable Chairs | 2022 | ||
| 38 | Great Hippopotamus Hotel | 2024 | ||
| 39 | From a Far and Lovely Country | 2024 | ||
| 40 | Untitled No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #26 | 2025 |
No 1 Detective Agency reading order — abookinorder.com
Where to start
Begin with Blue Shoes and Happiness (No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency) by Alexander McCall Smith (2006-02-22) (1682). The list above follows publication order, which is how most readers approach No 1 Detective Agency — later books assume you know what happened in earlier ones.
Frequently asked
How many No 1 Detective Agency books are there?
40 to date, spanning 1682–2025.
What is the newest No 1 Detective Agency book?
Untitled No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #26, published in 2025.