Books in Order: Comprehensive Guide to Rex Stout's Novels

Books In Order: The Remarkable Literary Journey of Rex Stout

Rex Stout (1886-1975), an acclaimed American author, commanded a widely admired portfolio, demonstrating exceptional skills in detective fiction. Stout’s name is synonymous with his most recognized creation, the astute investigator Nero Wolfe. Yet, his repertoire expands beyond the Nero Wolfe series, comprising another worthwhile series, Tecumtha Fox, a plethora of standalone tales, engaging short story collections, and even a delightful Nero Wolfe cookbook.

The Unique Style and Unmatched Craftsmanship of Rex Stout

Stout’s literary oeuvre, marked by sharp dialogue and intricately woven narratives, awards his novels a compelling quality—tantalizing readers to revisit and explore every detail, every emotion, every plot twist once again. Stout’s variable themes and striking writing style are widely acclaimed for their re-readable appeal.

The author embarked on his illustrious writing journey with the standalone novel, Her Forbidden Knight, published in 1913. It wasn’t until 1934, however, that Stout introduced the world to the ingenious Nero Wolfe through Fer-de-Lance.

Rex Stout’s Prolific Bibliography: Books In Order

With an extensive career that shaped detective fiction, Rex Stout’s impressive work chronology deserves acknowledgment and celebration. Discerning readers will be pleased to find here a comprehensive list of Rex Stout’s books in order of their original publication, as well as arranged chronologically.

Publication Order of Nero Wolfe by Rex Stout Books

Fer-de-Lance / Meet Nero Wolfe (1934) 📚 Buy on Amazon
The League of Frightened Men (1935) 📚 Buy on Amazon
The Rubber Band / To Kill Again (1936) 📚 Buy on Amazon
The Red Box / Case of the Red Box (1937) 📚 Buy on Amazon
Too Many Cooks (1938) 📚 Buy on Amazon
Some Buried Caesar / The Red Bull (1939) 📚 Buy on Amazon
Over My Dead Body (1940) 📚 Buy on Amazon
Where There’s a Will (1940) 📚 Buy on Amazon
Black Orchids (1942) 📚 Buy on Amazon
Not Quite Dead Enough (1944) 📚 Buy on Amazon
The Silent Speaker (1946) 📚 Buy on Amazon
Too Many Women (1947) 📚 Buy on Amazon
And Be a Villain / More Deaths Than One (1948) 📚 Buy on Amazon
Trouble in Triplicate (1949) 📚 Buy on Amazon
The Second Confession (1949) 📚 Buy on Amazon
Even in the Best Families / In the Best Families (1950) 📚 Buy on Amazon
Three Doors to Death / Door to Death (1950) 📚 Buy on Amazon
Curtains for Three (1951) 📚 Buy on Amazon
Murder by the Book (1951) 📚 Buy on Amazon
Prisoner’s Base / Out She Goes (1952) 📚 Buy on Amazon
Triple Jeopardy (1952) 📚 Buy on Amazon
The Golden Spiders (1953) 📚 Buy on Amazon
The Black Mountain (1954) 📚 Buy on Amazon
Three Men Out (1954) 📚 Buy on Amazon
Before Midnight (1955) 📚 Buy on Amazon
Might as Well Be Dead (1956) 📚 Buy on Amazon
Three Witnesses (1956) 📚 Buy on Amazon
If Death Ever Slept (1957) 📚 Buy on Amazon
Three for the Chair (1957) 📚 Buy on Amazon
And Four to Go / Crime and Again (1958) 📚 Buy on Amazon
Champagne for One (1958) 📚 Buy on Amazon
Plot it Yourself / Murder in Style (1959) 📚 Buy on Amazon
Three at Wolfe’s Door (1960) 📚 Buy on Amazon
Too Many Clients (1960) 📚 Buy on Amazon
The Final Deduction (1961) 📚 Buy on Amazon
Homicide Trinity (1962) 📚 Buy on Amazon
Gambit (1962) 📚 Buy on Amazon
The Mother Hunt (1963) 📚 Buy on Amazon
Trio for Blunt Instruments (1964) 📚 Buy on Amazon
A Right to Die (1964) 📚 Buy on Amazon
The Doorbell Rang (1965) 📚 Buy on Amazon
Death of a Doxy (1966) 📚 Buy on Amazon
The Father Hunt (1968) 📚 Buy on Amazon
Death of a Dude (1969) 📚 Buy on Amazon
Please Pass The Guilt (1973) 📚 Buy on Amazon
A Family Affair (1975) 📚 Buy on Amazon
Death Times Three (1985) 📚 Buy on Amazon