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Standalone Books in Order
Below you'll find the complete list of Standalone books in publication order. This is generally the recommended reading order for the series.
Reading order verified: April 2026
Quick Answer
What order should I read the Standalone series? Start with "Dark Certainty" (1931) and follow publication order through all 13 books.
The complete Standalone reading order is listed below in publication sequence.
Publication Order
Dark Certainty
1931
The Cross Eyed Bear Murders
1940
The Fallen Sparrow
1942
The Blackbirder
1943
The Delicate Ape
1944
Johnnie
1944
Dread Journey
1945
Ride the Pink Horse
1946
The Scarlet Imperial
1946
In a Lonely Place
1947
The Candy Kid
1950
The Davidian Report
1952
The Expendable Man
1963
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