Philip Marlowe Books in Order
Philip Marlowe is a fictional hardboiled private investigator created by Raymond Chandler, featured in seven novels published between 1939 and 1958 that helped define American detective noir fiction. The character and stories are set primarily in and around Los Angeles, and the novels have been widely adapted into film, television, and radio.
Publication order
In the order the books were originally released.
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Buy on Amazon1939 · Robert B. Parker
The source describes The Big Sleep, a 1939 hardboiled crime novel by Raymond Chandler, the first to feature detective Philip Marlowe, set in Los…
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Buy on Amazon1940 · Raymond Chandler
This is one of Raymond Chandler’s most famous crime novels, featuring the detective Philip Marlowe. The story begins with a routine case, but Marlowe…
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1942 · Raymond Chandler
The High Window is a 1942 novel written by Raymond Chandler. It is his third novel featuring the Los Angeles private detective Philip Marlowe.…
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Buy on Amazon1943 · Raymond Chandler
The Lady in the Lake by Raymond Chandler follows private investigator Philip Marlowe as he takes on a case involving two missing women. One is the…
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Buy on Amazon1949 · Raymond Chandler
Orfamay Quest travels from Manhattan, Kansas, to seek help from private investigator Philip Marlowe in finding her missing brother, Orrin. She offers…
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Buy on Amazon1953 · Raymond Chandler
This 1953 novel by Raymond Chandler follows Philip Marlowe, who befriends down-on-his-luck war veteran Terry Lennox. Lennox's wealthy nymphomaniac…
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Buy on Amazon1958 · Raymond Chandler
Playback is a novel by American-British writer Raymond Chandler featuring the private detective Philip Marlowe. It was first published in Britain in…
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Frequently asked questions
What order should I read the Philip Marlowe books in?
Read them in publication order, starting with “Perchance to Dream”. Start with “Perchance to Dream.”
How many books are in the Philip Marlowe series?
We list 7 books by Raymond Chandler , published between 1939–1958.
Where can I buy the Philip Marlowe books?
Each title above links to Amazon. See our affiliate disclosure.
Reading order compiled from author/publisher guidance and verified bibliographic data. Spotted an error? We continuously correct the catalog.