Books On Board
series Reading Order

Commandment Books in Order

4 Books
1978 – 1991 Published
Jump to reading order
Affiliate links: We may earn a commission on purchases made at no extra cost to you.
Reading order

How to Read the Commandment Series

If you are looking to dive into Lawrence Sanders' gritty, thematic crime novels, the good news is that the Commandment series is incredibly reader-friendly. Unlike many mystery series, these books are standalone novels. They do not share a recurring detective or continuous storyline. Instead, they are bound together by their New York City setting, their dark exploration of moral dilemmas, and titles named after the Ten Commandments.

Because of their independent nature, you can read the Commandment books in any order. However, most fans prefer reading them in order of publication to see how Sanders' style and depiction of New York City evolved between the late 1970s and early 1990s.

Commandment Books in Publication Order

Reading the books as they were published is the most straightforward path. Here is the recommended publication order:

  1. The Sixth Commandment (1978) – Introduces Samuel Todd, a field investigator for the Bingham Foundation, who is tasked with looking into a Nobel Prize-winning scientist's questionable longevity research at a suspicious senior care facility.
  2. The Tenth Commandment (1980) – Follows Joshua Bigg, a diminutive, sharp-witted investigator for a Manhattan law firm, as he investigates a missing client and a suspicious suicide linked to a corrupt clergyman.
  3. The Eighth Commandment (1986) – Focuses on Mary Lou "Dunk" Bateson, a tall rare coin appraiser who must clear her name when a priceless ancient Greek coin goes missing from a wealthy family's collection.
  4. The Seventh Commandment (1991) – Follows Dora Conti, a methodical insurance investigator from Hartford, who travels to New York to probe a multi-million dollar claim after a wealthy jeweler is murdered.

Chronological and Numerical Caveats

Are you wondering why the Sixth Commandment comes before the Tenth, or if you should read them in numerical order of the Ten Commandments? The answer is simple: do not worry about the numbers. Sanders did not write the books in numerical order, nor does the narrative follow any chronological progression linked to the Commandments' numbers. Reading them in numerical order (Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Tenth) offers no narrative benefit since the characters and plots are completely unrelated.

Where to Go Next: Spin-Offs and Similar Reads

If you finish the Commandment series and want more of Sanders' signature style, you should check out his famous Deadly Sins (Edward X. Delaney) series. Beginning with The Anderson Tapes (1970) and The First Deadly Sin (1973), this series offers a similar blend of gritty New York detective work and moral themes, but follows a recurring protagonist.

Frequently Asked

QDo I need to read the Commandment books in numerical order?

No, you do not. The numbers in the titles (Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Tenth) do not represent a chronological storyline or reading order. The books are completely standalone and can be read in any order.

QAre there any recurring characters in the Commandment series?

No. Each book in the series features a completely different protagonist and investigator, such as Samuel Todd, Joshua Bigg, Mary Lou Bateson, and Dora Conti. They do not cross over or appear in each other's stories.

QWhat is the setting for the Commandment books?

All four novels are primarily set against the gritty, atmospheric backdrop of New York City during the late 1970s through the early 1990s.

QWho is the main investigator in The Seventh Commandment?

The protagonist of The Seventh Commandment is Dora Conti, a methodical, happily married insurance investigator who travels to New York to investigate the murder of a wealthy jewelry magnate.

QWhat is the connection between the books in this series?

The books are connected by their thematic focus on moral dilemmas, crimes involving human flaws (greed, longevity research, theft, and adultery), and titles inspired by the Ten Commandments.

QWhich book should I start with?

We recommend starting with the first published book, The Sixth Commandment (1978), which perfectly sets the tone for Lawrence Sanders' style of urban mystery.