Alexander Gordon Smith Books in Order

Where to Start Reading Alexander Gordon Smith

Alexander Gordon Smith has built a highly successful career across two distinct genres, meaning your ideal starting point depends entirely on what you like to read. If you are a fan of dark, action-packed young adult horror and dystopian sci-fi, you should start with his breakout novel, Lockdown, the first book in the famous Escape from Furnace series. This is the series that established his reputation for claustrophobic tension and relentless pacing.

On the other hand, if you prefer gritty, fast-paced police procedurals and crime thrillers, you should look under his pen name, Alex Smith, and begin with Paper Girls. This book introduces DCI Robert Kett and kicks off a massive, highly addictive crime series set in Norfolk, England. Below, we break down the reading orders for both pathways, along with his other supernatural trilogies and standalone projects.

Escape from Furnace Reading Order

The Escape from Furnace series follows teenager Alex Sawyer, who is framed for a murder he did not commit and sentenced to the nightmarish, subterranean Furnace Penitentiary. The main series consists of five core novels that must be read in order due to an ongoing, tightly wound narrative.

However, there are two extra pieces of content that readers often wonder about: the prequel novella, The Night Children, and the brief Epilogue. Here is how they fit into the publication and chronological orders.

Publication Order

• Lockdown (2009)
• Solitary (2009)
• Death Sentence (2009)
• Fugitives (2010)
• Execution (2011)
• Epilogue (2011) — Originally published on the author's website, this short piece was later included in printed collections of Execution to bring a final sense of closure to Alex Sawyer's journey.
• The Night Children (2011) — A prequel novella focusing on the backstory of the terrifying Warden Cross and the dark origins of the creatures in the prison.

Chronological Order

1. The Night Children (2011)
2. Lockdown (2009)
3. Solitary (2009)
4. Death Sentence (2009)
5. Fugitives (2010)
6. Execution (2011)
7. Epilogue (2011)

Recommendation: We strongly advise reading in publication order. While The Night Children takes place first chronologically, reading it first ruins much of the mystery surrounding the warden and the inner workings of Furnace. It is far more satisfying to read the main five books first, enjoy the Epilogue, and then dive into the prequel as a bonus backstory.

The DCI Robert Kett Series (Writing as Alex Smith)

Writing under the shortened pen name Alex Smith, the author pivoted to crime fiction with the DCI Robert Kett series. The books follow a veteran detective who moves to Norfolk with his young daughters to find his missing wife, only to get pulled into solving local kidnappings, murders, and conspiracies. The series features a brilliant balance of gripping police work, dark humor, and Kett's family life.

Because the mystery of Kett's missing wife spans across multiple books, it is highly recommended to read this series in order. The main novels are published as follows:

1. Paper Girls (2019)
2. Bad Dog (2019)
3. Three Little Pigs (2020)
4. Whip Crack (2020)
5. Run Rabbit Run (2020)
6. Stone Cold Dead (2021)
7. Every Mother's Son (2021)
8. Sweet Briar Rose (2021)
9. Jaw Breaker (2022)
10. Knock Knock (2022)
11. King Rat (2022)
12. Knuckle Bones (2023)
13. Lucky Number Seven (2023)
14. Unholy Saints (2023)
15. Truly Madly Deadly (2024)
16. Every Last Devil (2024)
17. Red Line (2024)

Note that the series remains highly active, with subsequent releases continuing Kett's adventures beyond the titles listed here, such as Cold Iron Kills (2025) and Tin Soldiers (2026).

The Devil's Engine Trilogy

This trilogy is a supernatural young adult thriller series involving a dark pact, demonic forces, and teenagers who are granted extraordinary powers in exchange for their souls. It is a fast-paced ride that should be read in strict order:

1. Hellraisers (2015)
2. Hellfighters (2016)
3. Hellwalkers (2017)

The Fury Duology

The Fury is a apocalyptic horror story where kids find themselves target to a sudden, violent rage from every adult around them. Initially conceived as two separate stories, they were published as:

1. The Fury (2012)
2. The Storm (2013)

Reader Tip: Modern editions of The Fury often compile both parts into a single volume, making it easy to read the entire story in one go.

The Inventors Series

Co-written with his eleven-year-old brother, Jamie Webb, this series is aimed at younger middle-grade readers. It mixes lighthearted adventure with fun, crazy inventions:

1. The Inventors (2007)
2. The Inventors and the City of Stolen Souls (2008)

Other Projects and Standalones

If you want a quick taste of the author's style without committing to a long series, you can pick up his standalone thrillers. He has written standalones under both names, plus some non-fiction guides on writing:

Standalone Novels

• This Book Will Kill You (2019) — A meta-horror novel about a girl who receives a manuscript that causes anyone who reads it to die.
• Six Days, Six Hours, Six Minutes (2020) — A standalone thriller published under his Alex Smith pen name.
• Harry Hardman vs. Halloween (2023) — A fun, spooky Halloween adventure.
• The Harder They Fall (2020) — Part of the Softley Softley Thrillers, offering a standalone crime story.

Non-Fiction & Creative Writing Guides

For aspiring writers, Smith has published two practical guidebooks on the craft of storytelling:

• Inspired Creative Writing (2004)
• Writing Best-Selling Children's Books (2007)