Reading order · 39 books · 1973 to 2011 · Set in Boston
Spenser Books in Order
Spenser is a Boston private eye, a former boxer and a gourmet cook who quotes poetry, guided by his own code of honour. His lethal friend Hawk and his partner Susan Silverman, a psychologist, are always there. Witty, tough, very readable crime novels.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Series facts
- Books
- 39
- Published
- 1973 to 2011
- First book
- The Godwulf Manuscript
- Latest
- Sixkill (2011)
- Setting
- Set in Boston
The reading order
Every Spenser book in publication order. Choose a title for its cast and summary.
39 books · Set in Boston
- 1The Godwulf Manuscript1973With SpenserA rare medieval manuscript is stolen from a Boston university, and Spenser is hired to get it back, just as a student is murdered.Buy on Amazon
- 2God Save the Child1974With SpenserA teenage boy goes missing from a wealthy suburb, and Spenser meets Susan Silverman, the school’s guidance counsellor.Buy on Amazon
- 3Mortal Stakes1975With SpenserSpenser investigates whether a star Red Sox pitcher is fixing games.Buy on Amazon
- 4Promised Land1976With SpenserSpenser is hired to find a runaway wife, and meets Hawk, a dangerous enforcer.Buy on Amazon
- 5The Judas Goat1978With SpenserA man whose family was killed by terrorists hires Spenser to hunt them down, and the trail leads to London.Buy on Amazon
- 6Looking for Rachel Wallace1980With SpenserSpenser is hired as bodyguard to a feminist author receiving threats, and then she is kidnapped.Buy on Amazon
- 7Early Autumn1981With SpenserSpenser is hired to bring fifteen-year-old Paul Giacomin home from his father, a pawn in his parents’ divorce, and decides to teach the neglected boy how to be his own man.Buy on Amazon
- 8A Savage Place1981With SpenserSpenser goes to Los Angeles to protect a television reporter investigating organised crime in the film industry.Buy on Amazon
- 9Ceremony1982With SpenserA teenage girl from the suburbs disappears into Boston’s red-light district.Buy on Amazon
- 10The Widening Gyre1983With SpenserA political candidate’s wife is being blackmailed.Buy on Amazon
- 11Valediction1984With SpenserSusan leaves for San Francisco, and Spenser searches for a missing dancer who has joined a religious group.Buy on Amazon
- 12A Catskill Eagle1985With SpenserSpenser and Hawk travel to California to rescue Susan from a powerful and dangerous man.Buy on Amazon
- 13Taming a Sea-Horse1986With SpenserSpenser searches for April Kyle, the young woman he once tried to save, who has vanished.Buy on Amazon
- 14Pale Kings and Princes1987With SpenserA reporter is murdered in a Massachusetts town at the centre of the cocaine trade.Buy on Amazon
- 15Crimson Joy1988With SpenserA serial killer is murdering women in Boston, and he may be one of Susan’s patients.Buy on Amazon
- 16Playmates1989With SpenserSpenser investigates point-shaving in a college basketball team.Buy on Amazon
- 17Stardust1990With SpenserA television star is being stalked on the set of her show.Buy on Amazon
- 18Pastime1991With SpenserPaul Giacomin asks Spenser to find his mother, who has disappeared.Buy on Amazon
- 19Double Deuce1992With SpenserHawk asks Spenser to help clear a gang out of a housing project after a young mother and her baby are killed.Buy on Amazon
- 20Paper Doll1993With SpenserA respected society wife is beaten to death, and her husband hires Spenser to find the killer.Buy on Amazon
- 21Walking Shadow1994With SpenserAn actor is shot dead on stage during a play in a small Massachusetts town.Buy on Amazon
- 22Thin Air1995With SpenserFrank Belson’s young wife disappears, and Spenser sets out to find her.Buy on Amazon
- 23Chance1996With SpenserA mobster’s son-in-law has disappeared, and Spenser is hired to find him.Buy on Amazon
- 24Small Vices1997With SpenserA young Black man has been convicted of murdering a college student, and Spenser is hired to find out whether he did it.Buy on Amazon
- 25Sudden Mischief1998With SpenserSusan’s former husband is accused of harassment, and asks Spenser for help.Buy on Amazon
- 26Hush Money1999With SpenserHawk’s old mentor asks for help when his son is denied tenure at a university.Buy on Amazon
- 27Hugger Mugger2000With SpenserSomeone is attacking the racehorses of a wealthy family in Georgia.Buy on Amazon
- 28Potshot2001With SpenserSpenser is hired to rid a small Arizona town of a gang, and recruits a team of old acquaintances.Buy on Amazon
- 29Widow’s Walk2002With SpenserA wealthy young widow is accused of shooting her husband.Buy on Amazon
- 30Back Story2003With SpenserA woman asks Spenser to solve her mother’s murder, in a bank robbery in 1974.Buy on Amazon
- 31Bad Business2004With SpenserA suspicious wife’s case leads Spenser into a corrupt energy company.Buy on Amazon
- 32Cold Service2005With SpenserHawk is shot and left for dead by a gang of Ukrainian gangsters, and Spenser helps him take revenge.Buy on Amazon
- 33School Days2005With SpenserTwo boys open fire at a private school, and the grandmother of one of them hires Spenser to prove he is innocent.Buy on Amazon
- 34Hundred-Dollar Baby2006With SpenserApril Kyle, a young woman Spenser once tried to save, returns to ask for his help.Buy on Amazon
- 35Now & Then2007With SpenserA husband hires Spenser to follow his wife, and the case leads to an anti-government group.Buy on Amazon
- 36Rough Weather2008With SpenserSpenser is at a wedding on an island when the bride is kidnapped.Buy on Amazon
- 37The Professional2009With SpenserA man is seducing wealthy married women and then blackmailing them.Buy on Amazon
- 38Painted Ladies2010With SpenserAn art expert is killed during a ransom exchange for a stolen painting that Spenser was hired to protect.Buy on Amazon
- 39Sixkill2011With SpenserA Hollywood actor is accused of killing a young woman, and Spenser befriends his bodyguard, a young Cree man named Zebulon Sixkill.Buy on Amazon
Do you need to read them in order?
Read in order, starting with The Godwulf Manuscript. Early Autumn and A Catskill Eagle are among the most loved.
Who appears in which book
The series’ main characters, book by book. Lead means the book is told around them; minor covers cameos.
| Book | Spenser | Martin Quirk | Frank Belson | Susan Silverman | Hawk | Vinnie Morris | Paul Giacomin | Rachel Wallace |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 The Godwulf Manuscript | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | |||||
| 2 God Save the Child | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ||||
| 3 Mortal Stakes | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ||||
| 4 Promised Land | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | |||
| 5 The Judas Goat | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | |||
| 6 Looking for Rachel Wallace | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor | ||
| 7 Early Autumn | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor | ||
| 8 A Savage Place | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | |||
| 9 Ceremony | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ||
| 10 The Widening Gyre | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ||
| 11 Valediction | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ||
| 12 A Catskill Eagle | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ||
| 13 Taming a Sea-Horse | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ||
| 14 Pale Kings and Princes | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ||
| 15 Crimson Joy | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ||
| 16 Playmates | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ||
| 17 Stardust | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ||
| 18 Pastime | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | MMajor | |
| 19 Double Deuce | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ||
| 20 Paper Doll | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ||
| 21 Walking Shadow | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | |
| 22 Thin Air | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ||
| 23 Chance | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ||
| 24 Small Vices | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ||
| 25 Sudden Mischief | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ||
| 26 Hush Money | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | MMajor | |
| 27 Hugger Mugger | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ||
| 28 Potshot | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ||
| 29 Widow’s Walk | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ||
| 30 Back Story | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ||
| 31 Bad Business | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ||
| 32 Cold Service | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ||
| 33 School Days | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ||
| 34 Hundred-Dollar Baby | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ||
| 35 Now & Then | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ||
| 36 Rough Weather | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ||
| 37 The Professional | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ||
| 38 Painted Ladies | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ||
| 39 Sixkill | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor |
Characters in the Spenser books
9 characters from Robert B. Parker’s chart, with the number of Spenser books each appears in.
| Character | Books | First in this series |
|---|---|---|
| SpenserBoston private investigator | 39 | The Godwulf Manuscript 1973 |
| Martin QuirkBoston homicide lieutenant | 39 | The Godwulf Manuscript 1973 |
| Frank BelsonBoston police sergeant | 39 | The Godwulf Manuscript 1973 |
| Susan SilvermanPsychologist and Spenser’s love | 38 | God Save the Child 1974 |
| HawkEnforcer and Spenser’s closest friend | 36 | Promised Land 1976 |
| Vinnie MorrisMob enforcer turned ally | 31 | Ceremony 1982 |
| Paul GiacominTeenager Spenser takes under his wing | 3 | Early Autumn 1981 |
| Rachel WallaceFeminist author Spenser protects | 2 | Looking for Rachel Wallace 1980 |
| Jesse StoneFormer LAPD detective, police chief of Paradise, Massachusetts | 1 | Back Story 2003 |