Mike Hammer Books in Order

How to Read the Mike Hammer Series

Created by Mickey Spillane in 1947, Mike Hammer is the archetypal hard-boiled private investigator: a tough-talking, battle-scarred WWII veteran who dispenses justice with a .45 Colt and a relentless moral code. The series is divided into two distinct eras: the classic novels written solely by Mickey Spillane between 1947 and 1996, and the posthumous collaborations completed by his friend and literary executor, Max Allan Collins, using Spillane's extensive drafts, notes, and television outlines.

Because Collins has filled in many gaps in Hammer's career—including writing early-career prequels and stories set between the classic 1950s entries—readers have two primary ways to approach the series: Publication Order or Chronological Story Order.

Recommended Starting Point

For new readers, the absolute best starting point is I, the Jury (1947). It is the book that started it all, introducing Mike Hammer, his loyal secretary (and love interest) Velda, and homicide captain Pat Chambers. Starting here allows you to experience the raw, unfiltered post-WWII energy that made Spillane a publishing sensation. While the prequel novel Killing Town takes place chronologically earlier, it was published in 2018 and benefits greatly from familiarity with the classic elements established in I, the Jury.

Option 1: Publication Order

Reading the series in publication order lets you watch Mickey Spillane's writing style evolve in real-time, alongside the changing landscape of mid-20th-century New York. It also preserves the historical progression of the post-2006 collaborations finished by Max Allan Collins.

1. I, the Jury (1947)
2. My Gun Is Quick (1950)
3. Vengeance Is Mine! (1950)
4. One Lonely Night (1951)
5. The Big Kill (1951)
6. Kiss Me, Deadly (1952)
7. The Girl Hunters (1962)
8. The Snake (1964)
9. The Twisted Thing (1966)
10. The Body Lovers (1967)
11. Survival... Zero! (1970)
12. The Killing Man (1989)
13. Black Alley (1996)
14. The Goliath Bone (2008) - Completed by Max Allan Collins
15. Kiss Her Goodbye (2009) - Completed by Max Allan Collins
16. The Big Bang (2010) - Completed by Max Allan Collins
17. Lady, Go Die! (2012) - Completed by Max Allan Collins
18. Skin (2012) - Short story/novella completed by Max Allan Collins
19. Complex 90 (2013) - Completed by Max Allan Collins
20. King of the Weeds (2014) - Completed by Max Allan Collins
21. Kill Me, Darling (2015) - Completed by Max Allan Collins
22. Murder Never Knocks (2016) - Completed by Max Allan Collins
23. A Long Time Dead (2016) - Short story collection completed by Max Allan Collins
24. The Will to Kill (2017) - Completed by Max Allan Collins
25. Killing Town (2018) - Completed by Max Allan Collins
26. Murder, My Love (2019) - Completed by Max Allan Collins
27. Masquerade for Murder (2020) - Completed by Max Allan Collins
28. Kill Me If You Can (2022) - Completed by Max Allan Collins
29. Dig Two Graves (2023) - Completed by Max Allan Collins

Option 2: Chronological Story Order

For readers who want to follow Mike Hammer’s life from his very first case to his final retirement, the chronological order reorders the later collaborations by Max Allan Collins to fit into their proper place in the timeline. This timeline is heavily shaped by chronological details tracked by literary enthusiasts and detailed by Collins himself.

The Prequel and Classic Era (Late 1940s to 1950s)

• Killing Town (2018) - Hammer's first case in a corrupt town, set shortly before I, the Jury.
• I, the Jury (1947) - The definitive classic debut.
• Lady, Go Die! (2012) - Set in the immediate aftermath of I, the Jury during a beachside retreat.
• The Twisted Thing (written 1949, published 1966) - A dark case involving kidnappings and mind control.
• My Gun Is Quick (1950) - A chance encounter with a red-headed working girl pulls Mike into a ring of corruption.
• Vengeance Is Mine! (1950) - Pits Mike Hammer against a high-class blackmail ring.
• One Lonely Night (1951) - Mike takes on communist agents during the height of the Red Scare.
• The Big Kill (1951) - Mike protects an orphaned child after a desperate father is murdered.
• Kiss Me, Deadly (1952) - A late-night encounter with a hitchhiker pulls Hammer into a deadly conspiracy.
• Kill Me, Darling (2015) - Sets the stage for Velda's disappearance.
• Kill Me If You Can (2022) - Chronologically set between Kiss Me, Deadly and The Girl Hunters.

The Return and Mid-Career Era (1960s to 1970s)

• The Girl Hunters (1962) - Hammer returns from a seven-year alcoholic bender when he discovers Velda might still be alive behind the Iron Curtain.
• The Snake (1964) - Mike tries to protect a young woman from her stepfather, only to find himself in a web of murder.
• Dig Two Graves (2023) - Set in 1964, immediately following the events of The Snake.
• The Will to Kill (2017) - Set in the mid-1960s, continuing Mike's search for closure.
• The Big Bang (2010) - Pits Mike Hammer against a sinister extortion scheme.
• Complex 90 (2013) - Mike travels to Russia, resolving lingering Cold War plotlines.
• Murder Never Knocks (2016) - A fast-paced mystery that tests Mike's investigative instincts.
• The Body Lovers (1967) - Mike investigates a sinister cult-like circle operating in the fashion world.
• Survival... Zero! (1970) - A high-stakes race against a deadly bio-weapon threat.
• Kiss Her Goodbye (2011) - A melancholic story dealing with grief and lost time.

The Late Era and Final Case (1980s to Modern Day)

• Murder, My Love (2019) - Set in the 1980s, adapted from a television outline written by Spillane.
• Masquerade for Murder (2020) - Set in the 1980s, featuring a client-driven narrative based on TV synopses.
• The Killing Man (1989) - Mike discovers a body in his office, sparking a deadly vendetta.
• Black Alley (1996) - Mickey Spillane's final solo novel, following Hammer's recovery from a near-fatal shooting.
• King of the Weeds (2014) - Pits an aging Hammer against a serial killer targeting retired cops.
• The Goliath Bone (2008) - The final chronological adventure, where Mike Hammer faces modern post-9/11 threats and contemplates his legacy.

Short Stories, Graphic Novels, and Audio Adaptations

Beyond the primary novels, Mike Hammer has expanded into other media, offering fans alternative ways to experience the character:

Short Stories and Novellas

• Skin (2012): An e-book novella completed by Max Allan Collins, depicting Mike finding human remains upstate.
• A Long Time Dead (2016/2020): A casebook collection assembling short stories that show Mike Hammer handling quick, episodic cases throughout his long career.

Graphic Novels

• Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer: The Night I Died (2018): Published by Titan Comics, this graphic novel mini-series was developed by Max Allan Collins from an unproduced 1950s screenplay written by Mickey Spillane.

Audio Dramas

• The New Adventures of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer (2008–2011): A series of full-cast audio dramas starring Stacy Keach, who reprised his iconic role as Mike Hammer from the 1980s television series. Standout audio productions include The Little Death and Encore for Murder.

What to Know Before You Start

Mickey Spillane’s novels were famously controversial in their day due to their visceral depiction of violence, raw sexuality, and uncompromising anti-communist themes. Hammer represents the classic 'hard-boiled' archetype: cynical, physically imposing, and deeply loyal to his own moral code. If you decide to read chronologically, keep in mind that the tone shifts naturally between Spillane's mid-century prose and Collins' modern, smoother pacing. However, Collins took great care to keep Spillane's voice authentic, making the transition between original novels and collaborations remarkably seamless.