Reading order · 9 books · 2004 to 2018 · Set in London
Laundry Files Books in Order
The Laundry Files mix office comedy, spy thriller and cosmic horror. The Laundry is a secret British government agency that defends the country from tentacled horrors using mathematics and computing, while drowning in paperwork.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Series facts
- Books
- 9
- Published
- 2004 to 2018
- First book
- The Atrocity Archives
- Latest
- The Labyrinth Index (2018)
- Setting
- Set in London
The reading order
Every Laundry Files book in publication order. Choose a title for its cast and summary.
9 books · Set in London
- 1The Atrocity Archives2004With Bob HowardBob Howard, who works in IT support at the Laundry, a secret British agency that fights otherworldly horrors with mathematics, gets his first taste of fieldwork.Buy on Amazon
- 2The Jennifer Morgue2006With Bob HowardBob is sent to the Caribbean to stop a billionaire’s scheme, in a mission that follows the rules of a James Bond film.Buy on Amazon
- 3The Fuller Memorandum2010With Bob HowardBob’s boss Angleton has disappeared, and a dangerous cult is on the move.Buy on Amazon
- 4The Apocalypse Codex2012With Bob HowardBob investigates an American preacher who is gaining influence in the British government.Buy on Amazon
- 5The Rhesus Chart2014With Bob HowardBob discovers a nest of vampires among the bankers of the City of London.Buy on Amazon
- 6The Annihilation Score2015With Mo O'BrienMo, Bob’s wife, is put in charge of a new unit dealing with a sudden outbreak of superheroes.Buy on Amazon
- 7The Nightmare Stacks2016With Alex SchwartzAlex Schwartz, a junior agent, is sent to Leeds, just as an invasion from another world begins.Buy on Amazon
- 8The Delirium Brief2017With Bob HowardThe Laundry’s secrets are exposed to the public, and the agency faces the government itself.Buy on Amazon
- 9The Labyrinth Index2018With Mhari MurphyMhari Murphy is sent on a mission to America, where the President has gone missing.Buy on Amazon
Do you need to read them in order?
Read in order, starting with The Atrocity Archives.
Who appears in which book
The series’ main characters, book by book. Lead means the book is told around them; minor covers cameos.
| Book | Bob Howard | Mo O'Brien | Mhari Murphy | Alex Schwartz | Angleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 The Atrocity Archives | LLead | MMajor | ·Minor | MMajor | |
| 2 The Jennifer Morgue | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ||
| 3 The Fuller Memorandum | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ||
| 4 The Apocalypse Codex | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ||
| 5 The Rhesus Chart | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | MMajor |
| 6 The Annihilation Score | MMajor | LLead | |||
| 7 The Nightmare Stacks | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | LLead | |
| 8 The Delirium Brief | LLead | MMajor | |||
| 9 The Labyrinth Index | MMajor | MMajor | LLead |
Characters in the Laundry Files books
5 characters from Charles Stross’s chart, with the number of Laundry Files books each appears in.
| Character | Books | First in this series |
|---|---|---|
| Bob HowardLaundry IT officer turned agent | 9 | The Atrocity Archives 2004 |
| Mo O'BrienCombat epistemologist, Bob's wife | 9 | The Atrocity Archives 2004 |
| Mhari MurphyBob's ex, later a vampire | 4 | The Atrocity Archives 2004 |
| Alex SchwartzJunior Laundry agent | 2 | The Rhesus Chart 2014 |
| AngletonBob's ancient, terrifying boss | 5 | The Atrocity Archives 2004 |