Willard Huntington Wright

1888–1939

1 series 12 books in order

S. S. Van Dine, also styled S.S. Van Dine, was the pseudonym used by Willard Huntington Wright, an American art critic and writer who lived from October 15, 1888, to April 11, 1939. Wright was part of avant-garde cultural circles in pre-World War I New York. He adopted the pseudonym to conceal his identity and created the popular detective character Philo Vance, a sleuth and aesthete who first appeared in books in the 1920s. The character later appeared in movies and on the radio. Wright wrote detective novels under the name S. S. Van Dine.

Born: 1888
Known for: Philo Vance

Series by Willard Huntington Wright

Philo Vance

12 books in order · 1926–1939

The Benson murder case

1926 · Willard Huntington Wright

The Benson Murder Case is a 1926 novel by Willard Huntington Wright, writing as S. S. Van Dine. It is the first novel in the Philo Vance series of…
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The scarab murder case

1930 · Willard Huntington Wright

The Scarab Murder Case (1930) is a mystery novel by S. S. Van Dine featuring detective Philo Vance. The story centers on a murder that occurs in a…
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The kennel murder case

1933 · Willard Huntington Wright

The Kennel Murder Case is a 1933 murder mystery novel written by S. S. Van Dine. The story follows the fictional detective Philo Vance as he…
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The dragon murder case, a Philo Vance story

1933 · Willard Huntington Wright

The Dragon Murder Case is a novel written by S. S. Van Dine featuring the fictional detective Philo Vance. It is part of a series that follows Vance…
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The Casino Murder Case

1934 · Willard Huntington Wright

The Casino Murder Case is a 1934 novel by S. S. Van Dine featuring detective Philo Vance. The story centers on a murder linked to a private casino…
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The garden murder case

1935 · Willard Huntington Wright

The Garden Murder Case is the ninth mystery novel in a series featuring Philo Vance, a fictional detective created by S. S. Van Dine. The book…
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The Kidnap Murder Case

1936 · Willard Huntington Wright

"Philo Vance Mystery #10" is a 1936 novel by S. S. Van Dine. The story follows the disappearance of playboy Kaspar Kenting and the investigations of…
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The winter murder case

1939 · Willard Huntington Wright

The Winter Murder Case (1939) is a novella by S. S. Van Dine that was meant to be expanded into his twelfth full-length novel. The story shows…
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Frequently asked questions

How many books has Willard Huntington Wright written?

We list 12 books by Willard Huntington Wright across 1 series, published between 1926–1939 — each shown in full reading order.

What order should I read Willard Huntington Wright's books?

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

Where can I buy Willard Huntington Wright'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.