Big Books of 2026

Spenser Series

52 primary works • 54 total works
Spenser, an ex-boxer, ex-state cop turned private eye, in Boston, Massachusetts:

Book 1

The Godwulf Manuscript
by
3.92 · 21478 Ratings · 1350 Reviews · published 1973 · 71 editions
New York Times bestselling author of the Spenser s…

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    Book 2

    God Save The Child
    by
    3.98     · 11623 Ratings · 643 Reviews · published 1974 · 9 editions
    Appie Knoll is the kind of suburb where kids grow …

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    Book 3

    Mortal Stakes
    by
    4.06     · 10118 Ratings · 502 Reviews · published 1975 · 1 edition
    With each new novel, Robert Parker's talent seems …

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    Book 4

    Promised Land
    by
    4.00     · 11187 Ratings · 551 Reviews · published 1976 · 50 editions
    The Boston PI gets tangled in Cape Cod’s criminal …

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    Book 5

    The Judas Goat
    by
    4.10     · 11168 Ratings · 481 Reviews · published 1978 · 50 editions
    Spenser has gone to London—and not to see the Quee…

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    Book 6

    Looking For Rachel Wallace
    by
    4.12     · 10323 Ratings · 449 Reviews · published 1980 · 42 editions
    Rachel Wallace is a woman who writes and speaks he…

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    Book 7

    Early Autumn
    by
    4.17     · 10175 Ratings · 586 Reviews · published 1981 · 48 editions
    “[Robert B.] Parker's brilliance is in his simple …

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    Book 8

    A Savage Place
    by
    4.01     · 8616 Ratings · 340 Reviews · published 1981 · 47 editions
    TV reporter Candy Sloan has eyes the color of corn…

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    Book 9

    Ceremony
    by
    4.02     · 8182 Ratings · 358 Reviews · published 1982 · 46 editions
    Pretty teenager April Kyle is in grown-up-trouble,…

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    Book 10

    The Widening Gyre
    by
    4.04     · 7480 Ratings · 326 Reviews · published 1983 · 32 editions
    The adoring wife of Senate candidate Meade Alexand…

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    Book 11

    Valediction
    by
    4.07     · 9039 Ratings · 311 Reviews · published 1984 · 3 editions
    The most dangerous man to cross is one who isn't a…

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    Book 12

    A Catskill Eagle
    by
    4.05     · 9174 Ratings · 417 Reviews · published 1985 · 49 editions
    “His best mystery novel”— Time

    Susan's letter came …

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    Book 13

    Taming a Sea-Horse
    by
    3.98     · 6688 Ratings · 251 Reviews · published 1986 · 33 editions
    A high-class New York madam hires Spenser to find …

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    Book 14

    Pale Kings And Princes
    by
    4.05     · 7706 Ratings · 281 Reviews · published 1987 · 36 editions
    Wheaton is a typical New England small-college tow…

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    Book 15

    Crimson Joy
    by
    4.00     · 7108 Ratings · 286 Reviews · published 1988 · 31 editions
    A serial killer is on the loose in Beantown and th…

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    Book 16

    Playmates
    by
    3.98     · 5951 Ratings · 264 Reviews · published 1989 · 40 editions
    Spenser goes back to school--to investigate corrup…

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    Book 17

    Stardust
    by
    3.97     · 6252 Ratings · 248 Reviews · published 1990 · 11 editions
    Spenser's never had a client like Jill Joyce, the …

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    Book 18

    Pastime
    by
    4.04     · 6549 Ratings · 265 Reviews · published 1991 · 45 editions
    Pastime is a startling game of memory, desire, and…

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    Book 19

    Double Deuce
    by
    3.98     · 6904 Ratings · 262 Reviews · published 1992 · 39 editions
    When two people are shot outside of a housing proj…

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    Book 20

    Paper Doll
    by
    4.02     · 7513 Ratings · 308 Reviews · published 1993 · 43 editions
    Boston PI Spenser investigates the perfect murder …

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    Book 21

    Walking Shadow
    by
    4.00     · 6978 Ratings · 310 Reviews · published 1994 · 36 editions
    A murder draws Boston PI Spenser into the dramatic…

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    Book 22

    Thin Air
    by
    3.96     · 6524 Ratings · 257 Reviews · published 1995 · 36 editions
    Her name is Lisa St. Claire. Her husband's a cop. …

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    Book 23

    Chance
    by
    4.11     · 10541 Ratings · 266 Reviews · published 1996 · 31 editions
    Mafia princess Shirley Meeker wants her husband ba…

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    Book 24

    Small Vices
    by
    4.10     · 6914 Ratings · 337 Reviews · published 1997 · 32 editions
    Ellis Alves is no angel. But his lawyer says he wa…

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    Book 25

    Sudden Mischief
    by
    3.99     · 6080 Ratings · 260 Reviews · published 1998 · 30 editions
    Susan Silverman's ex doesn't call himself "Silverm…

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    Book 26

    Hush Money
    by
    3.98     · 6849 Ratings · 291 Reviews · published 1999 · 33 editions
    Popular Boston private investigator Spenser and hi…

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    Book 27

    Hugger Mugger
    by
    3.90     · 6590 Ratings · 317 Reviews · published 2000 · 28 editions
    Parker presents Spenser with a deceptively dangero…

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    Book 28

    Potshot
    by
    3.96     · 6970 Ratings · 360 Reviews · published 2001 · 7 editions
    Potshot, by Parker, Robert B.

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    Book 29

    Widow's Walk
    by
    3.89     · 6742 Ratings · 336 Reviews · published 2002 · 4 editions
    One of Boston’s elite has been murdered. The accus…

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    Book 30

    Back Story
    by
    3.92     · 6822 Ratings · 389 Reviews · published 2003 · 42 editions
    In Robert B. Parker's most popular series, an unso…

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    Book 31

    Bad Business
    by
    3.90     · 6691 Ratings · 367 Reviews · published 2004 · 4 editions
    One of the great series in the history of the Amer…

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    Book 32

    Cold Service
    by
    3.95     · 7883 Ratings · 367 Reviews · published 2005 · 40 editions
    When Spenser's closest ally, Hawk, is brutally inj…

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    Book 33

    School Days
    by
    3.93     · 8191 Ratings · 472 Reviews · published 2005 · 45 editions
    The celebrated series continues as a troubled teen…

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    Book 34

    Hundred-Dollar Baby
    by
    3.88     · 7821 Ratings · 408 Reviews · published 2006 · 53 editions
    A client from a decades-old case reaches out to Bo…

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    Book 35

    Now & Then
    by
    3.97     · 8822 Ratings · 516 Reviews · published 2007 · 39 editions
    When a simple case turns into a treacherous and po…

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    Book 36

    Rough Weather
    by
    4.03     · 9698 Ratings · 575 Reviews · published 2008 · 37 editions
    Rough Weather (Spenser Mystery)

    A high society wedd…

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    Book 36.5

    Chasing the Bear
    by
    3.98     · 3156 Ratings · 299 Reviews · published 2009 · 18 editions
    For almost forty years, Robert B. Parker's inimita…

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    Book 37

    The Professional
    by
    3.94     · 8038 Ratings · 653 Reviews · published 2009 · 47 editions
    A knock on Spenser's office door can mean only one…

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    Book 38

    Painted Ladies
    by
    4.01     · 10982 Ratings · 686 Reviews · published 2010 · 26 editions
    The brilliant new Spenser novel from the beloved N…

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    Book 39

    Sixkill
    by
    4.05     · 11435 Ratings · 854 Reviews · published 2011 · 41 editions
    On location in Boston, bad-boy actor Jumbo Nelson …

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    Book 40

    Robert B. Parker's Lullaby
    by
    4.06     · 11198 Ratings · 779 Reviews · published 2012 · 1 edition
    When fourteen-year-old Mattie Sullivan asks Spense…

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    Book 41

    Robert B. Parker's Wonderland
    by
    4.03     · 8169 Ratings · 578 Reviews · published 2013 · 29 editions
    Henry Cimoli and Spenser have been friends for yea…

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    Book 41.5

    Silent Night
    by
    3.92     · 4778 Ratings · 442 Reviews · published 2013 · 24 editions
    It’s December in Boston, and Spenser is busy plann…

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    Book 42

    Robert B. Parker's Cheap Shot
    by
    4.01     · 6049 Ratings · 560 Reviews · published 2014 · 20 editions
    The iconic, tough-but-tender Boston PI Spenser ret…

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    Book 43

    Robert B. Parker's Kickback
    by
    3.95     · 5787 Ratings · 517 Reviews · published 2015 · 16 editions
    That knight-errant of Boston's Back Bay, P.I. Spen…

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    Book 44

    Robert B. Parker's Slow Burn
    by
    3.96     · 5526 Ratings · 438 Reviews · published 2016 · 13 editions
    Boston PI Spenser faces a hot case and a personal …

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    Book 45

    Robert B. Parker's Little White Lies
    by
    3.96     · 5628 Ratings · 487 Reviews · published 2017 · 11 editions
    Boston PI Spenser and his right hand guy, Hawk, fo…

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    Book 46

    Robert B. Parker's Old Black Magic
    by
    3.95     · 5163 Ratings · 454 Reviews · published 2018 · 14 editions
    Iconic, tough-but-tender Boston PI Spenser delves …

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    Book 47

    Robert B. Parker's Angel Eyes
    by
    4.01     · 4442 Ratings · 384 Reviews · published 2019 · 10 editions
    In the latest thriller featuring the legendary Bos…

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    Book 48

    Robert B. Parker's Someone to Watch Over Me
    by
    4.12     · 4983 Ratings · 455 Reviews · published 2021 · 1 edition
    Another great thriller in the 'New York Times' bes…

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    Book 49

    Robert B. Parker's Bye Bye Baby
    by
    4.07     · 4802 Ratings · 374 Reviews · published 2022 · 12 editions
    Boston PI Spenser takes on a new type of case in t…

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    Book 50

    Robert B. Parker's Broken Trust
    by
    4.21     · 4415 Ratings · 385 Reviews · published 2023 · 8 editions
    Spenser investigates the past secrets of an elusiv…

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    Book 51

    Robert B. Parker's Hot Property
    by
    4.26     · 3821 Ratings · 300 Reviews · published 2024 · 8 editions
    Spenser investigates a case that hits far too clos…

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    Book 52

    Robert B. Parker's Showdown
    by
    4.19     · 1599 Ratings · 122 Reviews · 5 editions
    Spenser may have uncovered an explosive secret tha…

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