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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 "A Start in Life" (1981) and follow publication order through all 27 books.
The complete Standalone reading order is listed below in publication sequence.
Publication Order
A Start in Life
1981
Providence
1982
Look at Me
1983
Hotel du Lac
1984
Family And Friends
1985
A Misalliance
1986
A Friend From England
1987
Latecomers
1988
Lewis Percy
1989
The Debut
1990
A Closed Eye
1991
Fraud
1992
Brief Lives
1992
A Family Romance
1993
Dolly
1994
A Private View
1995
Incidents in the Rue Laugier
1995
Altered States
1996
Visitors
1997
Falling Slowly
1998
Undue Influence
1999
The Bay of Angels
2001
Making Things Better / The Next Big Thing
2002
The Rules of Engagement
2003
Leaving Home
2005
Strangers
2009
At the Hairdresser's
2011
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