John D. MacDonald

1916–1986

1 series 24 books in order 1 standalone book

John D. MacDonald was an American writer born in Sharon, Pennsylvania, who attended the Wharton School and later earned an MBA from Harvard. After serving in the Office of Strategic Services in World War II, he became a full-time pulp and detective writer, publishing his first novel The Brass Cupcake in 1950 and specializing in crime thrillers from 1953.

Born: 1916
Known for: Travis McGee

Series by John D. MacDonald

Travis McGee

23 books in order · 1920–1985

The Deep Blue Goodbye

Year unknown · John D. MacDonald

The Deep Blue Goodbye is a 2002 book by John D. MacDonald. It is book 1 of the series Travis McGee. Catalog genres: Mystery Fiction, Literary…
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Nightmare in Pink

Year unknown · John D. MacDonald

Nightmare in Pink is the second novel in the Travis McGee series by John D. MacDonald, published in 1964 alongside the first book, The Deep Blue…
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A Deadly Shade of Gold

Year unknown · John D. MacDonald

A Deadly Shade of Gold (1965) is the fifth novel in the Travis McGee series by John D. MacDonald. The plot revolves around a solid gold Aztec…
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The Green Ripper

Year unknown · John D. MacDonald

The Green Ripper (1979) is a mystery novel by John D. MacDonald, the 18th of 21 in the Travis McGee series. It won a 1980 U.S. National Book Award in…
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Free Fall In Crimson

1981 · John D. MacDonald

Free Fall in Crimson (1981) is the nineteenth novel in the Travis McGee series by John D. MacDonald. McGee investigates the death of an ailing…
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Cinnamon Skin

1982 · John D. MacDonald

Cinnamon Skin (1982) is the twentieth novel in the Travis McGee series by John D. MacDonald. The story follows McGee as he travels to Mexico to solve…
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The Lonely Silver Rain

1985 · John D. MacDonald

The Lonely Silver Rain is the 21st and final novel in the Travis McGee series by John D. MacDonald, published in 1985, a year before the author's…
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Standalone books

Cape Fear (Bloomsbury Film Classics)

Frequently asked questions

How many books has John D. MacDonald written?

We list 24 books by John D. MacDonald across 1 series, published between 1920–1985 — each shown in full reading order.

What order should I read John D. MacDonald's books?

Read each series in publication order. A good place to start is “The Deep Blue Goodbye.” Open any series above for its complete numbered reading order.

Where can I buy John D. MacDonald's books?

Every title links to Amazon from its series page — see our affiliate disclosure in the footer for how that supports the site.

Bibliography and reading orders compiled from verified bibliographic data. Spotted an error? We continuously correct the catalog.