A Book in Order

Series · 40 books

Robert Parker Spenser Books in Order

The complete Robert Parker Spenser reading order — 40 books from 1590–2008.

  1. 01 Faerie queene 1590 Amazon — buy Faerie queene Bookshop — buy Faerie queene ThriftBooks — buy Faerie queene eBooks.com — buy Faerie queene
  2. 02 The Godwulf manuscript 1973 Amazon — buy The Godwulf manuscript Bookshop — buy The Godwulf manuscript ThriftBooks — buy The Godwulf manuscript eBooks.com — buy The Godwulf manuscript
  3. 03 God save the child 1974 Amazon — buy God save the child Bookshop — buy God save the child ThriftBooks — buy God save the child eBooks.com — buy God save the child
  4. 04 Mortal stakes 1975 Amazon — buy Mortal stakes Bookshop — buy Mortal stakes ThriftBooks — buy Mortal stakes eBooks.com — buy Mortal stakes
  5. 05 Promised land 1976 Amazon — buy Promised land Bookshop — buy Promised land ThriftBooks — buy Promised land eBooks.com — buy Promised land
  6. 06 Looking for Rachel Wallace 1980 Amazon — buy Looking for Rachel Wallace Bookshop — buy Looking for Rachel Wallace ThriftBooks — buy Looking for Rachel Wallace eBooks.com — buy Looking for Rachel Wallace
  7. 07 Early autumn 1981 Amazon — buy Early autumn Bookshop — buy Early autumn ThriftBooks — buy Early autumn eBooks.com — buy Early autumn
  8. 08 A savage place 1981 Amazon — buy A savage place Bookshop — buy A savage place ThriftBooks — buy A savage place eBooks.com — buy A savage place
  9. 09 Ceremony 1982 Amazon — buy Ceremony Bookshop — buy Ceremony ThriftBooks — buy Ceremony eBooks.com — buy Ceremony
  10. 10 The Widening Gyre 1983 Amazon — buy The Widening Gyre Bookshop — buy The Widening Gyre ThriftBooks — buy The Widening Gyre eBooks.com — buy The Widening Gyre
  11. 11 Valediction 1984 Amazon — buy Valediction Bookshop — buy Valediction ThriftBooks — buy Valediction eBooks.com — buy Valediction
  12. 12 A Catskill eagle 1985 Amazon — buy A Catskill eagle Bookshop — buy A Catskill eagle ThriftBooks — buy A Catskill eagle eBooks.com — buy A Catskill eagle
  13. 13 Taming a sea-horse 1986 Amazon — buy Taming a sea-horse Bookshop — buy Taming a sea-horse ThriftBooks — buy Taming a sea-horse eBooks.com — buy Taming a sea-horse
  14. 14 Pale Kings and Princes 1987 Amazon — buy Pale Kings and Princes Bookshop — buy Pale Kings and Princes ThriftBooks — buy Pale Kings and Princes eBooks.com — buy Pale Kings and Princes
  15. 15 Early Spenser 1989 Amazon — buy Early Spenser Bookshop — buy Early Spenser ThriftBooks — buy Early Spenser eBooks.com — buy Early Spenser
  16. 16 Playmates 1989 Amazon — buy Playmates Bookshop — buy Playmates ThriftBooks — buy Playmates eBooks.com — buy Playmates
  17. 17 Stardust (Spenser) 1991 Amazon — buy Stardust (Spenser) Bookshop — buy Stardust (Spenser) ThriftBooks — buy Stardust (Spenser) eBooks.com — buy Stardust (Spenser)
  18. 18 Pastime (Spenser) 1992 Amazon — buy Pastime (Spenser) Bookshop — buy Pastime (Spenser) ThriftBooks — buy Pastime (Spenser) eBooks.com — buy Pastime (Spenser)
  19. 19 Double Deuce (Spenser) 1993 Amazon — buy Double Deuce (Spenser) Bookshop — buy Double Deuce (Spenser) ThriftBooks — buy Double Deuce (Spenser) eBooks.com — buy Double Deuce (Spenser)
  20. 20 Paper Doll (Spenser) 1994 Amazon — buy Paper Doll (Spenser) Bookshop — buy Paper Doll (Spenser) ThriftBooks — buy Paper Doll (Spenser) eBooks.com — buy Paper Doll (Spenser)
  21. 21 The early Spenser 1994 Amazon — buy The early Spenser Bookshop — buy The early Spenser ThriftBooks — buy The early Spenser eBooks.com — buy The early Spenser
  22. 22 Spenser's Boston 1994 Amazon — buy Spenser's Boston Bookshop — buy Spenser's Boston ThriftBooks — buy Spenser's Boston eBooks.com — buy Spenser's Boston
  23. 23 Walking Shadow (Spenser) 1995 Amazon — buy Walking Shadow (Spenser) Bookshop — buy Walking Shadow (Spenser) ThriftBooks — buy Walking Shadow (Spenser) eBooks.com — buy Walking Shadow (Spenser)
  24. 24 Thin Air (Spenser) 1996 Amazon — buy Thin Air (Spenser) Bookshop — buy Thin Air (Spenser) ThriftBooks — buy Thin Air (Spenser) eBooks.com — buy Thin Air (Spenser)
  25. 25 The Judas goat ; Looking for Rachel Wallace ; Early autumn 1996 Amazon — buy The Judas goat ; Looking for Rachel Wallace ; Early autumn Bookshop — buy The Judas goat ; Looking for Rachel Wallace ; Early autumn ThriftBooks — buy The Judas goat ; Looking for Rachel Wallace ; Early autumn eBooks.com — buy The Judas goat ; Looking for Rachel Wallace ; Early autumn
  26. 26 Chance (Spenser) 1997 Amazon — buy Chance (Spenser) Bookshop — buy Chance (Spenser) ThriftBooks — buy Chance (Spenser) eBooks.com — buy Chance (Spenser)
  27. 27 Small Vices (Spenser) 1998 Amazon — buy Small Vices (Spenser) Bookshop — buy Small Vices (Spenser) ThriftBooks — buy Small Vices (Spenser) eBooks.com — buy Small Vices (Spenser)
  28. 28 Sudden Mischief (Spenser) 1999 Amazon — buy Sudden Mischief (Spenser) Bookshop — buy Sudden Mischief (Spenser) ThriftBooks — buy Sudden Mischief (Spenser) eBooks.com — buy Sudden Mischief (Spenser)
  29. 29 Hush money 1999 Amazon — buy Hush money Bookshop — buy Hush money ThriftBooks — buy Hush money eBooks.com — buy Hush money
  30. 30 Hugger Mugger 2000 Amazon — buy Hugger Mugger Bookshop — buy Hugger Mugger ThriftBooks — buy Hugger Mugger eBooks.com — buy Hugger Mugger
  31. 31 Potshot 2001 Amazon — buy Potshot Bookshop — buy Potshot ThriftBooks — buy Potshot eBooks.com — buy Potshot
  32. 32 Potshot (Spenser) 2002 Amazon — buy Potshot (Spenser) Bookshop — buy Potshot (Spenser) ThriftBooks — buy Potshot (Spenser) eBooks.com — buy Potshot (Spenser)
  33. 33 Widow's walk 2002 Amazon — buy Widow's walk Bookshop — buy Widow's walk ThriftBooks — buy Widow's walk eBooks.com — buy Widow's walk
  34. 34 Back Story (Spenser) 2004 Amazon — buy Back Story (Spenser) Bookshop — buy Back Story (Spenser) ThriftBooks — buy Back Story (Spenser) eBooks.com — buy Back Story (Spenser)
  35. 35 Bad Business (Spenser Mysteries) 2004 Amazon — buy Bad Business (Spenser Mysteries) Bookshop — buy Bad Business (Spenser Mysteries) ThriftBooks — buy Bad Business (Spenser Mysteries) eBooks.com — buy Bad Business (Spenser Mysteries)
  36. 36 Cold service / Robert B. Parker 2005 Amazon — buy Cold service / Robert B. Parker Bookshop — buy Cold service / Robert B. Parker ThriftBooks — buy Cold service / Robert B. Parker eBooks.com — buy Cold service / Robert B. Parker
  37. 37 School Days (Spenser) 2006 Amazon — buy School Days (Spenser) Bookshop — buy School Days (Spenser) ThriftBooks — buy School Days (Spenser) eBooks.com — buy School Days (Spenser)
  38. 38 Cold Service (Spenser) 2006 Amazon — buy Cold Service (Spenser) Bookshop — buy Cold Service (Spenser) ThriftBooks — buy Cold Service (Spenser) eBooks.com — buy Cold Service (Spenser)
  39. 39 Hundred-Dollar Baby (Spenser) 2007 Amazon — buy Hundred-Dollar Baby (Spenser) Bookshop — buy Hundred-Dollar Baby (Spenser) ThriftBooks — buy Hundred-Dollar Baby (Spenser) eBooks.com — buy Hundred-Dollar Baby (Spenser)
  40. 40 Rough Weather 2008 Amazon — buy Rough Weather Bookshop — buy Rough Weather ThriftBooks — buy Rough Weather eBooks.com — buy Rough Weather

Reading tracker

Track your progress through Robert Parker Spenser

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 Faerie queene 1590
2 The Godwulf manuscript 1973
3 God save the child 1974
4 Mortal stakes 1975
5 Promised land 1976
6 Looking for Rachel Wallace 1980
7 Early autumn 1981
8 A savage place 1981
9 Ceremony 1982
10 The Widening Gyre 1983
11 Valediction 1984
12 A Catskill eagle 1985
13 Taming a sea-horse 1986
14 Pale Kings and Princes 1987
15 Early Spenser 1989
16 Playmates 1989
17 Stardust (Spenser) 1991
18 Pastime (Spenser) 1992
19 Double Deuce (Spenser) 1993
20 Paper Doll (Spenser) 1994
21 The early Spenser 1994
22 Spenser's Boston 1994
23 Walking Shadow (Spenser) 1995
24 Thin Air (Spenser) 1996
25 The Judas goat ; Looking for Rachel Wallace ; Early autumn 1996
26 Chance (Spenser) 1997
27 Small Vices (Spenser) 1998
28 Sudden Mischief (Spenser) 1999
29 Hush money 1999
30 Hugger Mugger 2000
31 Potshot 2001
32 Potshot (Spenser) 2002
33 Widow's walk 2002
34 Back Story (Spenser) 2004
35 Bad Business (Spenser Mysteries) 2004
36 Cold service / Robert B. Parker 2005
37 School Days (Spenser) 2006
38 Cold Service (Spenser) 2006
39 Hundred-Dollar Baby (Spenser) 2007
40 Rough Weather 2008

Robert Parker Spenser reading order — abookinorder.com

Where to start

Begin with Faerie queene (1590). The list above follows publication order, which is how most readers approach Robert Parker Spenser — later books assume you know what happened in earlier ones.

Frequently asked

How many Robert Parker Spenser books are there?

40 to date, spanning 1590–2008.

What is the newest Robert Parker Spenser book?

Rough Weather, published in 2008.