Books On Board

Carter Bays Books in Order

  • 1 Books
  • 2022 Published

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Reading order
01
The Mutual Friend
The Mutual Friend
2022
Amazon
1 of 1 reading orders shown

Where to Start with Carter Bays

For readers looking to dive into the literary world of Carter Bays, the path is straightforward but highly rewarding. As of right now, Bays has written one standalone novel: The Mutual Friend (2022). This book is the absolute best starting point for anyone wanting to see how the co-creator of the legendary sitcom How I Met Your Mother translates his signature comedic, ensemble-driven storytelling into a full-length novel.

The Carter Bays Novel Directory

The Standalone Novels

  • The Mutual Friend (2022): Set in New York City during the summer of 2015, this sprawling, contemporary story centers on Alice Quick, a 28-year-old nanny struggling to study for the MCAT and escape the endless digital distractions of her smartphone. The narrative quickly expands to follow a massive, interconnected web of characters—including a chaotic new roommate, a tech millionaire experiencing a religious awakening, and an early internet pioneer—whose lives cross paths in unexpected and poignant ways.

What to Know Before You Start

Before cracking open Bays's debut, readers should keep a few stylistic elements in mind. The prose in The Mutual Friend is designed to mimic the hyper-connected, over-stimulated reality of the digital age. Bays employs rapid-fire shifts in perspective, experimental run-on sentences, and an omniscient narrator. It is very much an ensemble piece, so readers who prefer single-character, linear narratives should prepare for a dizzying array of subplots that only fully converge in the book's final acts.

Understanding the How I Met Your Mother Tie-Ins

A common point of confusion for fans is the status of the tie-in books published during the run of How I Met Your Mother, such as The Bro Code and The Playbook. While these books are heavily integrated into the lore of the show co-created by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas, and are officially credited to the character Barney Stinson, Bays did not write them. Instead, they were written by show staff writer Matt Kuhn. If you are looking strictly for books written by Carter Bays, you should focus solely on The Mutual Friend.

However, fans of the sitcom will find plenty of Easter eggs hidden in The Mutual Friend, including references to Wesleyan University (the alma mater of both Bays and his characters Ted, Marshall, and Lily) and subtle thematic nods to the structure and ending of the television show.

Frequently Asked

What is Carter Bays's first book?

Carter Bays's debut novel is The Mutual Friend, which was published in 2022.

Is The Mutual Friend connected to How I Met Your Mother?

No, it is a standalone novel set in a separate universe. However, it shares the same setting (New York City), non-linear ensemble structure, and humor as the show, and includes subtle Easter eggs like references to Wesleyan University.

Did Carter Bays write The Bro Code or The Playbook?

No. Although these books are tie-ins for How I Met Your Mother, they were actually written by show writer Matt Kuhn, though credited to the character Barney Stinson.

What is the recommended reading order for Carter Bays's books?

Since Carter Bays currently has only one published novel, you can read The Mutual Friend as a standalone work.

What are the main themes in Carter Bays's novel?

The novel primarily explores the challenges of human connection in the digital age, procrastination, grief, identity, and how technology both connects and isolates us.