Anthony Horowitz Books in Order

Where Should You Start Reading Anthony Horowitz?

Anthony Horowitz is one of the most versatile and prolific voices in modern British thriller writing. Because his bibliography spans children’s comedy, young adult adventure, supernatural horror, and complex adult meta-mysteries, the best place to start depends entirely on what kind of reader you are:

• For action and spy thriller fans (YA & Adult): Start with Stormbreaker, the first book in the iconic Alex Rider series.
• For classic whodunit lovers who enjoy a modern twist: Start with Magpie Murders, the opening novel of the Susan Ryeland series, which features a brilliant novel-within-a-novel structure.
• For fans of quirky, self-aware crime fiction: Start with The Word Is Murder, the first installment of the Daniel Hawthorne series, where Horowitz writes himself into the narrative as a Watson-like sidekick.
• For devotees of classic literary icons: Start with The House of Silk (for Sherlock Holmes fans) or Forever and a Day (for James Bond enthusiasts).

The Alex Rider Series: High-Octane Spy Thrillers

The Alex Rider series is Horowitz's signature achievement. It follows a teenage orphan recruited under duress by MI6. While the overarching narrative flows chronologically, there is one major prequel exception that readers need to be aware of.

Alex Rider Main Series in Recommended Reading Order

We strongly recommend reading the Alex Rider series in publication order. While the prequel novel Russian Roulette takes place chronologically before the events of Stormbreaker, reading it first ruins the mystery surrounding the assassin Yassen Gregorovich and spoils character development from the main series. Read it after Book 9 for the best experience.

1. Stormbreaker (2000)
2. Point Blank (2001)
3. Skeleton Key (2002)
4. Eagle Strike (2003)
5. Scorpia (2004)
6. Ark Angel (2005)
7. Snakehead (2007)
8. Crocodile Tears (2009)
9. Scorpia Rising (2011) – The original planned conclusion to the series.
10. Russian Roulette (2013) – A prequel focusing on Yassen Gregorovich. Best read here to appreciate his backstory.
11. Never Say Die (2017) – Alex's return to active duty.
12. Secret Weapon (2019) – A short story collection containing files and midquels. These stories can be read at any point after Scorpia, but are best enjoyed after Scorpia Rising.
13. Nightshade (2020)
14. Nightshade Revenge (2024)

Alex Rider Graphic Novels & Extra Material

If you want to experience the missions in a visual format, there is a graphic novel series running parallel to the books. Additionally, companion files like The Gadget (2005) and Alex Rider, Mission Files (2008) offer fun technical diagrams and dossiers for superfans.

The Hawthorne and Horowitz Series: Meta-Mystery

In this ingenious series, Anthony Horowitz plays a fictionalized version of himself. He is approached by Daniel Hawthorne, an eccentric and abrasive private investigator, to write books about Hawthorne's real-life investigations. Because the personal dynamic between the fictionalized 'Tony' and Hawthorne evolves significantly with each book, these must be read in publication order.

1. The Word Is Murder (2018)
2. The Sentence Is Death (2019)
3. A Line to Kill (2021)
4. The Twist of a Knife (2022)
5. Close to Death (2024)
6. A Deadly Episode (2026)

The Susan Ryeland Series: Atticus Pünd Investigations

This series centers on editor Susan Ryeland and her work with the manuscript of late mystery author Alan Conway. The books feature Conway's fictional detective, Atticus Pünd, in complete stories nestled inside Susan's own real-world murder investigations. These metafictional puzzles should be read in order:

1. Magpie Murders (2016)
2. Moonflower Murders (2020)
3. Marble Hall Murders (2025)

Authorized Holmes & Bond Continuations

Due to his reputation for crafting classic mysteries and espionage thrillers, Horowitz was officially commissioned by the estates of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Ian Fleming to write continuation novels.

Sherlock Holmes Books

Horowitz's Holmes books are authorized by the Conan Doyle estate and capture the original gaslit atmosphere perfectly. Moriarty takes a unique approach, focusing on the criminal underworld and Inspector Athelney Jones after the fateful events at Reichenbach Falls.

• The House of Silk (2011)
• The Three Monarchs (2014) – A bridge short story.
• Moriarty (2014)

James Bond Books

Horowitz has written three official James Bond novels using previously unpublished material left behind by Ian Fleming. Note that while broader lists of James Bond novels exist by other authors (such as John Gardner or Raymond Benson), Horowitz's contributions stand as a distinct trilogy that fits at specific chronological points in the Fleming timeline:

• Forever and a Day (2018) – Chronologically the earliest; acts as a prequel to Casino Royale, describing Bond's first mission as a 00 agent.
• Trigger Mortis (2015) – Set in the 1950s during the original Fleming timeline, immediately after the events of Goldfinger.
• With a Mind to Kill (2022) – Set immediately after Fleming's final novel, The Man with the Golden Gun, wrapping up Horowitz's Bond trilogy.

The Power of Five vs. The Pentagram Chronicles

In the 1980s, Horowitz began a supernatural adventure series called the Pentagram Chronicles. However, the series went unfinished, leaving the planned final book unwritten. In the 2000s, Horowitz completely rewrote, modernized, and finished this concept as The Power of Five (released in the US as The Gatekeepers). Readers should skip the legacy Pentagram Chronicles and read the modernized series from start to finish:

1. Raven's Gate (2005)
2. Evil Star (2006)
3. Nightrise (2007)
4. Necropolis (2008)
5. Oblivion (2012) – The massive concluding volume that finally finished the story.

The Diamond Brothers & Groosham Grange

For younger readers or those looking for lighter comedy, Horowitz has two highly popular legacy series:

The Diamond Brothers

A slapstick comedy series following Tim Diamond, a spectacularly inept private detective, and his sharp-witted younger brother Nick. They are best read in publication order: The Falcon's Malteser (1986), Public Enemy Number Two (1987), South by Southeast (1991), followed by the shorter novellas and Where Seagulls Dare (2022).

Groosham Grange

Before Harry Potter, there was David Eliot and his strange boarding school. This two-book series consists of Groosham Grange (1988) and Return to Groosham Grange (originally published as The Unholy Grail) (1990).