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

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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

Start with Book 1: Fer-de-Lance / Meet Nero Wolfe

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