Books On Board
series Reading Order

Alan Grofield Books in Order

4 Books
1967 – 1971 Published
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Reading order
01
The Damsel
The Damsel
1967
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02
The Dame
The Dame
1969
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03
The Blackbird
The Blackbird
1969
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04
Lemons Never Lie
Lemons Never Lie
1971
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Recommended Reading Order: Solo vs. Combined

Alan Grofield, the charismatic actor and professional thief created by Donald E. Westlake (writing as Richard Stark), can be enjoyed in two ways. You can stick strictly to his solo series, or follow his entire career through his key appearances in the main Parker novels.

The Solo Series Order

If you want to read only the books where Grofield is the central protagonist, read them in order of publication, which is also their chronological order:

  1. The Damsel (1967) – Grofield recovers from a wound in Mexico City and gets dragged into political intrigue with a woman on the run.
  2. The Dame (1969) – Grofield reluctantly plays detective at a mobster's villa in Puerto Rico.
  3. The Blackbird (1969) – A spy-thriller style caper where Grofield is coerced into a global conspiracy.
  4. Lemons Never Lie (1971) – A grittier, classic heist-gone-wrong story that returns to Stark's classic noir roots.

The Combined Parker & Grofield Reading Order

For the complete experience, integrate Grofield's solo adventures with the key Parker books where he plays a major supporting role:

  1. The Score (1964) – Parker novel. Grofield's debut appearance as one of Parker's recruited heist crew members.
  2. The Handle (1966) – Parker novel. Grofield teams up with Parker to rob a casino on an island.
  3. The Damsel (1967) – Solo novel #1.
  4. The Dame (1969) – Solo novel #2.
  5. The Blackbird (1969) – Solo novel #3 (shares its opening chapter with the Parker novel Slayground).
  6. Slayground (1971) – Parker novel. Shows Parker's side of the getaway escape from the same botched heist.
  7. Lemons Never Lie (1971) – Solo novel #4.
  8. Butcher's Moon (1974) – Parker novel. The final, action-packed team-up featuring both Parker and Grofield.

The Crossover Connection: The Blackbird and Slayground

The shared beginning of The Blackbird and Slayground is one of Donald E. Westlake's most famous narrative tricks. Both books start with the exact same armored car heist and getaway crash. After the crash, the narrative splits: The Blackbird follows Grofield, who is captured and hospitalized before embarking on a globetrotting mission. Slayground follows Parker's solo struggle to evade the law inside a closed amusement park.

Character Duality and Tone

Unlike the stoic and ruthless Parker, Grofield is a talkative, charming antihero who only steals to fund his true passion: running a summer stock theatre company in Indiana. The tone of the Grofield novels is generally lighter, mixing heist elements with romance and espionage. The exception is Lemons Never Lie, which is much grittier and closely matches the hardboiled tone of the Parker novels.

Frequently Asked

QWho is Alan Grofield?

Alan Grofield is a professional thief and passionate theatre actor created by Donald E. Westlake under the pen name Richard Stark. He steals to fund his summer stock theatre company in Indiana and is a close associate of the criminal protagonist Parker.

QCan I read the Alan Grofield books without reading the Parker novels?

Yes. The four Alan Grofield books stand on their own as crime-espionage capers. However, reading them alongside his appearances in the Parker series (like The Score and The Handle) gives you his full character arc.

QWhat is the connection between The Blackbird and Slayground?

They share the same opening chapter depicting a botched heist. The Blackbird follows Alan Grofield's adventure after the crash, while Slayground follows Parker's perspective.

QWhich Alan Grofield book is the best place to start?

You should start with The Damsel (1967), which is the first book in his solo series, or The Score (1964) if you want to see his introduction to the Parker universe.

QHow does the tone of Grofield's books compare to Parker's?

Grofield's books are generally lighter, more conversational, and feature globetrotting espionage elements. The final book, Lemons Never Lie, is the main exception, delivering a grittier and more traditional hard-boiled noir style.