Dan “Spider” Shepherd Books in Order

The Recommended Reading Order: Start Here

If you are new to the pulse-pounding world of Dan “Spider” Shepherd, the absolute best way to experience the series is in publication order. While author Stephen Leather has written prequels that explore Shepherd’s earlier military career, starting with the first published novel, Hard Landing (2004), offers the most natural and rewarding introduction to the character, his family, and his career trajectory.

By following the publication order, you will watch Dan transition from a former SAS trooper into a deep-cover detective for the police, and eventually into a key operative for MI5. More importantly, this order allows you to experience the emotional continuity of his personal life—particularly his struggles as a grieving single father raising his son, Liam, and his evolving relationship with his boss, Charlotte Button.

The Main Dan “Spider” Shepherd Novels in Publication Order

The core series consists of full-length novels that follow Spider's career in real-time. Each book tackles contemporary geopolitical threats, urban crime, and intelligence operations. Here is the complete list of the main novels:

1. Hard Landing (2004) - Shepherd goes deep cover inside a maximum-security prison to dismantle a drug lord’s operation while dealing with the tragic loss of his wife.
2. Soft Target (2005) - Investigating a rogue, corrupt police unit that is robbing drug dealers.
3. Cold Kill (2006) - Thwarting a major terrorist plot targeting London's transport system.
4. Hot Blood (2007) - A rescue mission in Iraq to save a former SAS colleague taken hostage.
5. Dead Men (2008) - Hunting down a killer targeting former SAS soldiers.
6. Live Fire (2009) - Infiltrating a bank-robbing crew consisting of extreme skydivers.
7. Rough Justice (2010) - Posing as a corrupt cop to investigate an officer accused of murder.
8. Fair Game (2011) - Shepherd goes undercover on a container ship hijacked by Somali pirates.
9. False Friends (2012) - Infiltrating a group of domestic terrorists plotting an attack in London.
10. True Colours (2013) - Protecting a corrupt politician while uncovering high-level conspiracy.
11. White Lies (2014) - Investigating a serial killer targeting intelligence agents.
12. Black Ops (2015) - Shepherd poses as a contract killer to prevent an international assassination.
13. Dark Forces (2016) - Stopping a rogue military group smuggling weapons grade materials.
14. Light Touch (2017) - Working undercover in the international arms smuggling trade.
15. Tall Order (2018) - Thwarting a plot to bomb a landmark London skyscraper.
16. Short Range (2019) - Infiltrating a far-right extremist group.
17. Slow Burn (2020) - Investigating a drug smuggling operation linked to human trafficking.
18. Fast Track (2021) - A high-stakes race to stop a cyberterrorist attack.
19. Dirty War (2022) - Shepherd deals with a threat involving a dirty bomb on UK soil.
20. Clean Kill (2023) - Undercover mission involving corrupt mercenaries.
21. First Strike (2024) - Stopping an active shooter threat and complex terror cell.
22. Last Chance (2025) - Pitting Spider against a highly organized international syndicate.
23. Direct Action (2026) - The latest high-stakes mission dealing with immediate threat containment.

The Spider Shepherd SAS Prequels

For readers who want to explore Dan Shepherd's early career before he became an undercover agent, Stephen Leather wrote a dedicated subseries focusing on his years in the Special Air Service (SAS) during the 1990s and early 2000s. While these were published much later, they are chronologically set first:

• The Sandpit (2016) - Set in the badlands of Afghanistan, training rebels to fight the Taliban.
• Moving Targets (2018) - Pursuing a dangerous terrorist across international borders.
• Russian Roulette (2021) - A tense mission involving Russian operatives.
• Drop Zone (2022) - High-altitude military operations.
• Baltic Black Ops (2023) - Tense military standoffs in the Baltic region.

Reading Advice: We recommend reading these SAS prequels after you have read at least the first three to five main novels. Understanding the older, more experienced Dan Shepherd makes reading about his younger, rasher SAS days much more satisfying.

Short Stories and Novellas

In addition to the main novels and SAS books, Stephen Leather has published numerous short stories and novellas. These are excellent for quick, bite-sized thriller fixes. While they were published at various times, they can be read in chronological order to fill in the gaps of Dan's military and police life:

1. Hard Targets (2013)
2. Natural Selection (2013)
3. Narrow Escape (2014)
4. Warning Order (2013)
5. Hostile Territory (2013)
6. Personal Protection (2014)
7. The Rope (2015)
8. Planning Pack (2015)
9. Friendly Fire (2012)
10. Dead Drop (2013)
11. Kill Zone (2013)
12. Rough Diamonds (2013)
13. More Short Fuses (2014)
14. Remote Control (2015)

What to Know Before You Start

Stephen Leather’s background as a journalist for major newspapers like The Times and the Daily Mirror heavily influences the series. The novels feel incredibly realistic because Leather conducts extensive research, including visiting maximum-security facilities like Belmarsh Prison and interviewing active intelligence and military operatives.

Unlike many invincible action heroes, Dan “Spider” Shepherd is deeply human. The ongoing narrative of his family life—especially raising his son Liam as a single parent after the loss of his wife in the first book—adds a level of emotional depth and stakes not often found in standard military thrillers. You aren't just reading about high-stakes missions; you are watching a family grow and cope with the dangers of Dan's profession.