Dirk Pitt Books in Order

Clive Cussler's flagship adventure series follows Dirk Pitt, a daring marine engineer and special projects director for the fictional National Underwater and Marine Agency (NUMA), as he chases sunken treasures, foils global conspiracies, and unravels historical mysteries across the world's oceans. Begun in 1973 and later co-written and continued by Cussler's son Dirk Cussler, the saga spans nearly thirty novels.

Publication order

In the order the books were originally released.

  1. Cover of The Mediterranean Caper

    The Mediterranean Caper

    1973 · Clive Cussler

    On a remote Aegean island, the U.S. Air Force is rocked when an ancient German biplane strafes a base that shouldn't have any enemies. Dirk Pitt, on…

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  2. Cover of Iceberg

    Iceberg

    1975 · Clive Cussler

    A NUMA aerial patrol spots a ship encased inside a drifting iceberg off Greenland, its crew long dead. Dirk Pitt investigates the frozen derelict and…

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  3. Cover of Raise the Titanic!

    Raise the Titanic!

    1976 · Clive Cussler

    A rare mineral vital to a defensive shield exists only in a shipment lost when the Titanic sank. To recover it, Dirk Pitt leads an audacious effort…

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  4. Cover of Vixen 03

    Vixen 03

    1978 · Clive Cussler

    A long-lost military transport that vanished decades earlier carried canisters of a devastating biological agent. When the cargo resurfaces, Dirk…

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  5. Cover of Night probe!

    Night probe!

    1981 · Clive Cussler

    A secret treaty hidden since the early twentieth century could redraw the map of North America, with profound consequences for the United States and…

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  6. Cover of Pacific Vortex!

    Pacific Vortex!

    1983 · Clive Cussler

    In the Pacific, ships and submarines are vanishing without a trace in a mysterious zone of ocean. Dirk Pitt dives into the danger and discovers an…

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  7. Cover of Deep Six

    Deep Six

    1984 · Clive Cussler

    A bizarre contamination poisons people along the American coast, and the trail leads Pitt to a shadowy Asian shipping empire. When a presidential…

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  8. Cover of Cyclops

    Cyclops

    1986 · Clive Cussler

    A vintage airship found in the Caribbean and a secret American moon colony collide in one of Pitt's wildest cases. Dirk Pitt becomes entangled in a…

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  9. Cover of Treasure

    Treasure

    1988 · Clive Cussler

    Priceless artifacts from the lost Library of Alexandria, hidden for nearly two millennia, become the object of a global hunt. Dirk Pitt is swept into…

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  10. Cover of Dragon

    Dragon

    1990 · Clive Cussler

    A Japanese cartel secretly plants nuclear devices across the globe in shipped cars, threatening to hold the world hostage. After a NUMA submersible…

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  11. Cover of Sahara

    Sahara

    1992 · Clive Cussler

    Investigating a mysterious red tide spreading off West Africa, Dirk Pitt ventures into a brutal desert nation where a dictator and a toxic-waste…

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  12. Cover of Inca Gold

    Inca Gold

    1994 · Clive Cussler

    A fabled hoard of Inca gold, hidden from the Spanish centuries ago, draws treasure hunters and smugglers alike. Dirk Pitt follows a trail of ancient…

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  13. Cover of Shock wave

    Shock wave

    1996 · Clive Cussler

    A revolutionary mining technology unleashes a deadly acoustic plague that kills sea life and sailors across the oceans. Dirk Pitt traces the…

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  14. Cover of Flood Tide

    Flood Tide

    1997 · Clive Cussler

    A massive human-smuggling operation run by a Chinese shipping tycoon funnels immigrants and corruption into the United States. Dirk Pitt uncovers the…

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  15. Cover of Atlantis Found

    Atlantis Found

    1999 · Clive Cussler

    An ancient catastrophe and a chilling prophecy resurface when mysterious artifacts and a hidden chamber point to a long-vanished civilization. Dirk…

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  16. Cover of Valhalla Rising

    Valhalla Rising

    2001 · Clive Cussler

    Sabotage strikes a futuristic undersea city and a luxury liner powered by revolutionary technology, leading Dirk Pitt to a brilliant inventor and a…

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  17. Cover of Trojan Odysey

    Trojan Odysey

    2003 · Clive Cussler

    A strange brown haze and engineered weather threaten the Caribbean as Dirk Pitt investigates a scientist's grand scheme to reshape ocean currents.…

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  18. Cover of Black Wind

    Black Wind

    2004 · Clive Cussler

    A pair of lost World War II Japanese submarines carried a biological weapon meant to devastate America, and a modern fanatic intends to finish the…

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  19. Cover of Treasure of Khan

    Treasure of Khan

    2006 · Clive Cussler

    A revolutionary discovery and the lost tomb of Genghis Khan become the obsession of a Mongolian oil tycoon with imperial ambitions. Dirk Pitt and his…

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  20. Cover of Arctic Drift

    Arctic Drift

    2008 · Clive Cussler

    A breakthrough that could reverse global warming becomes the target of a ruthless industrialist willing to kill to protect his interests. Set against…

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  21. Cover of Crescent Dawn

    Crescent Dawn

    2010 · Clive Cussler

    An ancient relic and the schemes of a militant faction seeking to spark conflict draw Dirk Pitt into intrigue spanning the Mediterranean and the…

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  22. Cover of Poseidons Arrow

    Poseidons Arrow

    2012 · Clive Cussler

    The theft of plans for a stealthy new submarine and a deadly rare mineral set Dirk Pitt against a powerful arms dealer. As NUMA tracks a trail of…

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  23. Cover of Havana Storm

    Havana Storm

    2014 · Clive Cussler

    A mysterious source of deadly contamination in the Caribbean leads Dirk Pitt toward a long-lost Spanish treasure and a Cuban plot with dangerous…

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  24. Cover of Odessa Sea

    Odessa Sea

    2016 · Clive Cussler

    A daring rescue in the Black Sea pulls Dirk Pitt into a tangle of mysteries linking a lost cache of Ottoman gold, a missing nuclear weapon, and a…

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Frequently asked questions

What order should I read the Dirk Pitt books in?

Publication order — Widely recommended by readers and by Book Series In Order (bookseriesinorder.com) Start with “The Mediterranean Caper.”

How many books are in the Dirk Pitt series?

We list 24 books by Clive Cussler , published between 1973–2016.

Where can I buy the Dirk Pitt books?

Each title above links to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.

Reading order compiled from author/publisher guidance and verified bibliographic data. Spotted an error? We continuously correct the catalog.