Erle Stanley Gardner books

Erle Stanley Gardner was a prolific American crime fiction author and lawyer, best known for the Perry Mason legal thriller series spanning 92 novels published from 1933 to 1973.
Author · Legal Thriller · Mystery · Crime Fiction

Anthologies

Title Published Buy on Amazon
Hard-Boiled Detectives 1953 Buy
Daring Detectives 1969 Buy
Tantalizing Locked Room Mysteries 1982 Buy
Murder Plus 1992 Buy
The Mammoth Book of Short Spy Novels 1996 Buy
The Oxford Book of American Detective Stories 1996 Buy
Law and Order 1997 Buy
The Oxford Book of Detective Stories 2000 Buy
A Century of Great Suspense Stories 2001 Buy
Murder On The Railways 2003 Buy

Donald Lam & Bertha Cool Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
The Bigger They Come 1939 Buy
The Knife Slipped 1939 Buy
Turn on the Heat 1940 Buy
Gold Comes in Bricks 1940 Buy
Spill the Jackpot 1941 Buy
Double or Quits 1941 Buy
Owls Don’t Blink 1942 Buy
Bats Fly at Dusk 1942 Buy
Cats Prowl at Night 1943 Buy
Give ’em the Ax 1944 Buy
Crows Can’t Count 1946 Buy
Fools Die on Friday 1947 Buy
Bedrooms Have Windows 1949 Buy
Top of the Heap 1952 Buy
Some Women Won’t Wait 1953 Buy
Beware the Curves 1956 Buy
You Can Die Laughing 1957 Buy
Some Slips Don’t Show 1957 Buy
The Count of 9 1958 Buy
Pass the Gravy 1959 Buy
Kept Women Can’t Quit 1960 Buy
Bachelors Get Lonely 1961 Buy
Shills Can’t Cash Chips 1961 Buy
Try Anything Once 1962 Buy
Fish or Cut Bait 1963 Buy
Up for Grabs 1964 Buy
Cut Thin to Win 1965 Buy
Widows Wear Weeds 1966 Buy
Traps Need Fresh Bait 1967 Buy
All Grass Isn’t Green 1970 Buy

Doug Selby Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
The D.A. Calls It Murder 1937 Buy
The D.A. Holds a Candle 1938 Buy
The D.A. Draws a Circle 1939 Buy
The D.A. Goes to Trial 1940 Buy
The D. A. Cooks a Goose 1942 Buy
The D.A. Calls a Turn 1944 Buy
The D.A. Breaks a Seal 1946 Buy
The D.A. Takes a Chance 1948 Buy
The D.A. Breaks An Egg 1949 Buy

Gramp Wiggens Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
The Case of the Turning Tide 1941 Buy
The Case of the Smoking Chimney 1943 Buy
The Case Of The Musical Cow 1960 Buy

Non-Fiction

Title Published Buy on Amazon
The Court of Last Resort: The True Story of a Team of Crime Experts Who Fought to Save the Wrongfully Convicted 1952 Buy
The Hidden Heart of Baja 1962 Buy
The Desert is Yours 1963 Buy
Hunting the Desert Whale 1963 Buy
Drifting Down Delta 1969 Buy

Perry Mason Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
O Caso das Garras de Veludo 1933 N/A
The Case of the Sulky Girl 1933 Buy
The Case of the Lucky Legs 1934 Buy
Tiếng chó tru trong đêm 1934 N/A
The Case of the Curious Bride 1934 Buy
The Case of the Counterfeit Eye 1935 Buy
The Case of the Caretaker’s Cat 1935 Buy
The Case of the Sleepwalker’s Niece 1936 Buy
The Case of the Stuttering Bishop 1936 Buy
The Case of the Dangerous Dowager 1937 Buy
O Caso do Canário Coxo 1937 N/A
The Case of the Substitute Face 1938 Buy
The Case of the Shoplifter’s Shoe 1938 Buy
Vụ án vẹt khai man 1939 N/A
The Case of the Howling Dog 1934 Buy
The Case of the Baited Hook 1940 Buy
The Case of the Silent Partner 1940 Buy
The Case of the Haunted Husband 1941 Buy
The Case of the Empty Tin 1941 Buy
The Case of the Drowning Duck 1942 Buy
The Case of the Careless Kitten 1942 Buy
The Case of the Buried Clock 1943 Buy
The Case of the Drowsy Mosquito 1943 Buy
The Case of the Crooked Candle 1944 Buy
The Case of the Black-Eyed Blonde 1944 Buy
The Case of the Golddigger’s Purse 1945 Buy
The Case of the Half-Wakened Wife 1945 Buy
The Case of the Borrowed Brunette 1946 Buy
The Case of the Fan-Dancer’s Horse 1946 Buy
O Caso do Cavalo da Bailarina 1947 N/A
The Case of the Lazy Lover 1947 Buy
The Case of the Lonely Heiress 1948 Buy
The Case of the Vagabond Virgin 1948 Buy
The Case of the Dubious Bridegroom 1949 Buy
The Case of the Cautious Coquette 1949 Buy
The Case of the Negligent Nymph 1950 Buy
The Case of the One-Eyed Witness 1950 Buy
The Case of the Moth-Eaten Mink 1952 Buy
The Case of the Grinning Gorilla 1952 Buy
The Case of the Hesitant Hostess 1953 Buy
The Case of the Green-Eyed Sister 1953 Buy
The Case of the Fugitive Nurse 1954 Buy
The Case of the Runaway Corpse 1954 Buy
The Case of the Restless Redhead 1954 Buy
The Case of the Sun Bather’s Diary 1955 Buy
The Case of the Glamorous Ghost 1955 Buy
The Case of the Nervous Accomplice 1955 Buy
The Case of the Perjured Parrot 1939 Buy
The Case of the Gilded Lily 1956 Buy
The Case of the Demure Defendant 1956 Buy
The Case of The Screaming Woman 1957 Buy
The Case of the Lucky Loser 1957 Buy
The Case of the Rolling Bones 1939 Buy
The Case of the Foot-Loose Doll 1958 Buy
The Case of the Long-Legged Models 1958 Buy
The Case of the Calendar Girl 1958 Buy
The Case of the Singing Skirt 1959 Buy
The Case of the Mythical Monkeys 1959 Buy
The Case of the Deadly Toy 1959 Buy
The Case of the Waylaid Wolf 1960 Buy
The Case of the Duplicate Daughter 1960 Buy
The Case of the Shapely Shadow 1960 Buy
The Case of the Bigamous Spouse 1961 Buy
The Case of the Reluctant Model 1962 Buy
The Case of the Lame Canary 1937 Buy
The Case of the Blonde Bonanza 1962 Buy
The Case of the Velvet Claws 1933 Buy
The Case of the Ice-Cold Hands 1962 Buy
The Case of the Spurious Spinster 1961 Buy
O Caso do Segredo da Enteada 1963 N/A
The Case of the Stepdaughter’s Secret 1963 Buy
The Case of the Mischievous Doll 1962 Buy
The Case of the Daring Divorcee 1964 Buy
The Case of the Terrified Typist 1955 Buy
The Case of the Phantom Fortune 1964 Buy
The Case of the Daring Decoy 1957 Buy
The Case of the Troubled Trustee 1965 Buy
The Case of the Beautiful Beggar 1965 Buy
The Case of the Horrified Heirs 1964 Buy
The Case of the Worried Waitress 1966 Buy
The Case of the Queenly Contestant 1967 Buy
The Case of the Careless Cupid 1968 Buy
The Case of the Amorous Aunt 1963 Buy
The Case of the Fabulous Fake 1969 Buy
The Case of the Fenced-in Woman 1972 Buy
The Case of the Angry Mourner 1951 Buy
The Case of the Postponed Murder 1973 Buy
The Case of the Crimson Kiss 1971 N/A
The Case of Too Many Murders 1989 Buy
The Case Of The Crying Swallow 1973 N/A
The Case of the Burning Bequest 1990 Buy
The Case of the Fiery Fingers 1951 Buy

Perry Mason Collections Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
O Caso das Garras de Veludo 1933 N/A
The Case of the Murderer’s Bride and Other Stories 1955 Buy
The Case of the Sulky Girl 1933 N/A
The Case of the Lucky Legs 1934 N/A
Tiếng chó tru trong đêm 1934 N/A
The Case of the Curious Bride 1934 N/A
Four Cases of Murder 1989 Buy
The Case of the Counterfeit Eye 1935 N/A
The Case of the Caretaker’s Cat 1935 N/A
The Case of the Sleepwalker’s Niece 1936 N/A
The Case of the Stuttering Bishop 1936 N/A
The Case of the Dangerous Dowager 1937 N/A
O Caso do Canário Coxo 1937 N/A
The Case of the Substitute Face 1938 N/A
The Case of the Shoplifter’s Shoe 1938 N/A
Vụ án vẹt khai man 1939 N/A
The Case of the Rolling Bones 1939 N/A
The Case of the Baited Hook 1940 N/A
The Case of the Silent Partner 1940 N/A
The Case of the Haunted Husband 1941 N/A
The Case of the Empty Tin 1941 N/A
The Case of the Drowning Duck 1942 N/A
The Case of the Careless Kitten 1942 N/A
The Case of the Buried Clock 1943 N/A
The Case of the Drowsy Mosquito 1943 N/A
Case of the Crooked Candle 1944 N/A
The Case of the Black-Eyed Blonde 1944 N/A
The Case of the Golddigger’s Purse 1945 N/A
The Case of the Half-Wakened Wife 1945 N/A
The Case of the Borrowed Brunette 1946 N/A
O Caso do Cavalo da Bailarina 1947 N/A
The Case of the Lazy Lover 1947 N/A
The Case of the Lonely Heiress 1948 N/A
The Case of the Vagabond Virgin 1948 N/A
The Case of the Dubious Bridegroom 1949 N/A
The Case of the Cautious Coquette 1949 N/A
The Case of the Negligent Nymph 1950 N/A
The Case of the One-Eyed Witness 1950 N/A
The Case of the Moth-Eaten Mink 1952 N/A
The Case of the Grinning Gorilla 1952 N/A
The Case of the Hesitant Hostess 1953 N/A
Case of the Green-eyed Sister 1953 N/A
The Case of the Fugitive Nurse 1954 N/A
The Case of the Runaway Corpse 1954 N/A
The Case of the Restless Redhead 1954 N/A
The Case of Sunbather’s Diary 1955 N/A
The Case of the Glamorous Ghost 1955 N/A
The Case of the Terrified Typist 1956 N/A
The Case of the Gilded Lily 1956 N/A
The Case of the Demure Defendant 1956 N/A
The Case of the Screaming Woman 1957 N/A
The Case of the Lucky Loser 1957 N/A
The Case of the Daring Decoy 1957 N/A
The Case of the Foot-Loose Doll 1958 N/A
The Case of the Long-Legged Models 1958 N/A
The Case of the Calendar Girl 1958 N/A
The Case of the Singing Skirt 1959 N/A
The Case of the Mythical Monkeys 1959 N/A
The Case of the Deadly Toy 1959 N/A
The Case of the Waylaid Wolf 1960 N/A
The Case of the Duplicate Daughter 1960 N/A
The Case Of The Shapely Shadow 1960 N/A
Case of the Bigamous Spouse 1961 N/A
Perry Mason: The Case of the Reluctant Model 1962 N/A
The Case of the Blonde Bonanza 1962 N/A
The Case of the Ice Cold Hands 1962 N/A
The Case of the Amorous Aunt 1963 N/A
O Caso do Segredo da Enteada 1963 N/A
The Case of the Mischievous Doll 1964 N/A
The Case of the Horrified Heirs 1964 N/A
The Case of the Daring Divorcee 1964 N/A
The Case of the Troubled Trustee 1965 N/A
The Case of the Beautiful Beggar 1966 N/A
The Case of the Worried Waitress 1966 N/A
The Case of the Queenly Contestant 1967 N/A
The Case of the Careless Cupid 1968 N/A
The Case Of The Fabulous Fake 1969 N/A
The Case of the Fenced-in Woman 1972 N/A
The Case of the Postponed Murder 1973 N/A
The Case of the Crimson Kiss 1970 Buy
The Case Of The Crying Swallow 1971 Buy
The Case of the Irate Witness and Other Stories 1973 Buy

Short Story Collections

Title Published Buy on Amazon
Two Clues: The Clue of the Runaway Blonde / Clue’s Don’t Count & The Clue of the Hungry Horse 1947 Buy
The Amazing Adventures of Lester Leith 1980 Buy
The Human Zero 1981 Buy
Whispering Sands 1981 Buy
Pay Dirt and Other Whispering Sands Stories of Gold Fever and the Western Desert 1983 Buy
The Adventures Of Paul Pry, Volume 2 1990 Buy
The Blonde in Lower Six Plus 3 Short Novels 1990 Buy
The Adventures Of Paul Pry 1991 Buy
Honest Money and Other Short Novels 1991 Buy
The Danger Zone and Other Stories 2004 Buy
The Casebook of Sidney Zoom 2006 Buy

Standalone Novels

Title Published Buy on Amazon
The Clue of the Forgotten Murder / The Clew of the Forgotten Murder 1942 Buy
This Is Murder 1948 Buy
Dead Men’s Letters 1990 Buy
The Exploits of the Patent Leather Kid 2010 Buy

Terry Clane Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
Murder Up My Sleeve 1937 Buy
The Case of the Backward Mule 1946 Buy

Erle Stanley Gardner (1889-1970) was an American author and attorney who produced one of the most successful series in crime fiction history. Working as a lawyer gave him both the material and the credibility to construct Perry Mason, a defense attorney who invariably wins his cases through a combination of courtroom skill and behind-the-scenes investigation. Gardner began publishing Mason novels in 1933 and continued through 1973, with the final book, The Case of the Postponed Murder, published posthumously.

Gardner’s output was extraordinary. In addition to the 92 Perry Mason novels, he wrote under the pen name A.A. Fair, producing 30 books in the Donald Lam and Bertha Cool series, and also created other series characters including Doug Selby, a district attorney, and Gramp Wiggens. He also wrote short story collections, non-fiction travel writing, and contributed to numerous anthologies. His total fiction output runs to well over 200 book-length works.

The Perry Mason character became a cultural fixture through both the novels and the long-running CBS television series starring Raymond Burr, which aired from 1957 to 1966. Gardner’s influence on the legal thriller genre, from Scott Turow to John Grisham, is substantial and largely unchallenged. He received the Mystery Writers of America’s Grand Master Award in 1961.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books has Erle Stanley Gardner written?

Erle Stanley Gardner has written 248 books across ten series.

What was Erle Stanley Gardner's first book?

Erle Stanley Gardner’s first book is O Caso das Garras de Veludo, published in 1933.

What is the best way to start reading Erle Stanley Gardner's work?

Most readers begin with the Perry Mason series, starting with The Case of the Velvet Claws (1933). The books can be read in any order since each is a self-contained case, but starting at the beginning gives the best sense of how Gardner developed the character. The Donald Lam and Bertha Cool series, written under the pen name A.A. Fair, is the recommended second series for those who want more from Gardner.

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