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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 "Pay Off" (1987) and follow publication order through all 31 books.
The complete Standalone reading order is listed below in publication sequence.
Publication Order
Pay Off
1987
The Fireman
1989
Hungry Ghost
1991
The Vets
1993
The Birthday Girl
1996
The Solitary Man
1997
The Tunnel Rats
1998
The Bombmaker
1999
The Stretch
2000
Tango One
2002
The Eyewitness
2004
Private Dancer
2005
Dreamer's Cat
2010
Once Bitten
2010
The Basement
2010
Bangkok Bob and the Missing Mormon
2011
The Bestseller
2011
Take Two
2013
First Response
2016
Penalties
2016
The Shout
2018
The Bag Carrier
2019
The Runner
2020
Desperate Measures
2021
The Hunting
2021
Killing Time
2021
Triggers
2023
Short Fuses
2012
The Eight Curious Cases of Inspector Zhang
2014
Nightingale - A Short Story Collection
2017
Nightingale 2 - A Short Story Collection
2018
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