Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Most Wanted | 2002 | Parnell Hall | N/A |
| 2 | Detective | 1987 | Parnell Hall | Buy |
| 3 | Murder | 1987 | Parnell Hall | Buy |
| 4 | Favor | 1988 | Parnell Hall | Buy |
| 5 | Strangler | 1989 | Parnell Hall | Buy |
| 6 | Client | 1990 | Parnell Hall | Buy |
| 7 | Juror | 1990 | Parnell Hall | Buy |
| 8 | Shot | 1991 | Parnell Hall | Buy |
| 9 | Actor | 1993 | Parnell Hall | Buy |
| 10 | Blackmail | 1994 | Parnell Hall | Buy |
| 11 | Movie | 1995 | Parnell Hall | Buy |
| 12 | Trial | 1996 | Parnell Hall | Buy |
| 13 | Scam | 1997 | Parnell Hall | Buy |
| 14 | Suspense | 1998 | Parnell Hall | Buy |
| 15 | Cozy | 2001 | Parnell Hall | Buy |
| 16 | Fear of Failure | 2002 | Parnell Hall | Buy |
| 17 | Manslaughter | 2003 | Parnell Hall | Buy |
| 18 | Hitman | 2007 | Parnell Hall | Buy |
| 19 | Oh, What a Tangled Lanyard We Weave | 2006 | Parnell Hall | Buy |
| 20 | Caper | 2010 | Parnell Hall | Buy |
| 21 | Clicker Training | 2013 | Parnell Hall | Buy |
| 22 | Death of a Vampire | 2013 | Parnell Hall | Buy |
| 23 | Stakeout | 2013 | Parnell Hall | Buy |
| 24 | Deal Me In | 2007 | Parnell Hall | Buy |
| 25 | Safari | 2014 | Parnell Hall | Buy |
| 26 | A Fool for a Client | 2015 | Parnell Hall | Buy |
| 27 | The Naked and the Dead | 2020 | Parnell Hall | Buy |
| 28 | The Dead Client | 2020 | Parnell Hall | Buy |
The Stanley Hastings series by Parnell Hall spans 28 books published between 1987 and 2020. Hastings is a struggling New York actor who took a job as a private investigator for a personal injury law firm because he needed the money. His cases, which start as simple accident investigations, have a habit of turning into murder cases that he is completely unequipped to handle.
Hall’s writing in this series is defined by its humor. Hastings narrates in a cynical, self-deprecating voice that makes even the darkest cases feel entertaining. Early titles like Detective, Murder, and Favor established the tone, while later entries like Caper and Stakeout kept the formula fresh. The series is one of the longer-running humorous mystery series in American fiction, and Hastings remains Hall’s most personal creation.