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Stewart Hoag & Lulu Books in Order

15 Books
1988 – 2024 Published
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Reading order

The Recommended Reading Order for Stewart Hoag & Lulu

For the best experience, we recommend reading the Stewart Hoag & Lulu series in publication order. Because the books follow the ongoing lives, relationships, and career ups and downs of Stewart and his faithful basset hound, starting from the beginning allows you to appreciate their evolution and the long-term character arcs.

However, there is a major chronological twist: the 16th novel, The Man Who Swore He’d Never Go Home Again (2025), is a prequel set early in Hoagy’s career. While you could technically start there, it is much more rewarding to read it after you have already grown fond of the duo through their main adventures.

Stewart Hoag & Lulu Books in Publication Order

  • The Man Who Died Laughing (1988) - The classic debut where Hoagy is hired to ghostwrite for a washed-up comedian, only to end up solving his murder.
  • The Man Who Lived by Night (1989) - The duo travels to England to write a memoir for a legendary rock star.
  • The Man Who Would Be F. Scott Fitzgerald (1990) - Hoagy ghostwrites for a young literary prodigy and wins the Edgar Award.
  • The Woman Who Fell from Grace (1991) - A high-profile project involving the estate of a Southern gothic novelist turns deadly.
  • The Boy Who Never Grew Up (1992) - Hoagy dives into the glamorous and cutthroat world of Hollywood executives.
  • The Man Who Cancelled Himself (1995) - A mystery surrounding a disgraced TV star’s disappearance.
  • The Girl Who Ran Off with Daddy (1996) - Hoagy is caught in the middle of a messy family drama in suburban Connecticut.
  • The Man Who Loved Women to Death (1997) - The final book of the original run before the series’ major 20-year hiatus.
  • The Girl with Kaleidoscope Eyes (2017) - The triumphant revival of the series, finding Hoagy and Lulu back in action.
  • The Man Who Couldn't Miss (2018) - Hoagy investigates a murder at an elite Connecticut prep school.
  • The Man in the White Linen Suit (2019) - A sleek mystery set against the backdrop of the publishing industry.
  • The Girl Who Did Say No (2020) - Note: A standalone short story/bibliomystery. Hoagy edits the diaries of a 1960s Hollywood star.
  • The Man Who Wasn't All There (2021) - A complex puzzle involving a missing person and old secrets.
  • The Lady in the Silver Cloud (2022) - A wealthy widow’s murder draws Hoagy and Lulu into a high-society scandal.
  • The Girl Who Took What She Wanted (2023) - Hoagy is hired to ghostwrite a memoir for a young reality TV star.
  • The Woman Who Lowered the Boom (2024) - Hoagy helps his editor track down the sender of threatening letters.
  • The Man Who Swore He’d Never Go Home Again (2025) - A prequel novel exploring Hoagy's early life and a murder in his hometown.

Publication Order vs. Chronological Order

With 16 full-length novels and one standalone short story, the series is largely chronological with a few exceptions. If you want to follow the timeline of Hoagy's life strictly, you should adjust the order as follows:

  • The Prequel: The Man Who Swore He’d Never Go Home Again (2025) takes place before the events of The Man Who Died Laughing (1988), featuring a younger Hoagy and a young Lulu.
  • The Short Story: The Girl Who Did Say No (2020) is a quick-read bibliomystery that fits neatly between The Man in the White Linen Suit (2019) and The Man Who Wasn’t All There (2021).

For most readers, sticking to the publication order remains the best path, as it preserves the author's writing style progression and the nostalgic charm of the late 1980s and 1990s cozy mystery era before transitioning into the modern revival era.

What to Know Before You Start

David Handler’s series is famous for its satirical, breezy, yet clever take on the worlds of celebrity, publishing, and showbiz. The chemistry between the dapper, slightly jaded Stewart 'Hoagy' Hoag and his basset hound Lulu—who is obsessed with cat food and anchovies—forms the emotional heart of every mystery.

The series is divided into two distinct eras: the original 1988–1997 run, which captures the pre-internet glamour of celebrity culture, and the 2017–present revival, which modernizes the setting while retaining the witty, classic cozy vibe. You can jump into almost any book as a standalone whodunit, but the recurring characters (like Hoagy's ex-wife Merilee) make sequential reading highly recommended.

Frequently Asked

QCan the Stewart Hoag & Lulu books be read as standalones?

Yes, each book features a self-contained murder mystery that is fully resolved by the end. However, reading them in order is recommended to follow the evolving relationship between Hoagy, his ex-wife Merilee, and Lulu.

QWhere is the best place to start the Stewart Hoag & Lulu series?

The best starting point is the very first book, The Man Who Died Laughing (1988). It perfectly introduces the characters, the tone, and Hoagy's unique profession as a celebrity ghostwriter.

QHow does the 2025 prequel fit into the reading order?

The Man Who Swore He’d Never Go Home Again (2025) is a prequel. Chronologically, it takes place first, but it is best enjoyed after reading a few of the earlier books to appreciate the backstory of Hoagy’s hometown and his early days with Lulu.

QIs Lulu the basset hound a point-of-view character?

No, the books are narrated from the first-person perspective of Stewart Hoag. However, Lulu is a constant companion who plays a major role in sniffing out clues and providing comic relief.

QWhat is the short story in the series and do I need to read it?

The short story is The Girl Who Did Say No (2020), published as a standalone bibliomystery. It is not essential to the main plot, but it is a delightful quick read for dedicated fans of the series.