Order of Book Series
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Alan Hunter Books in Order

51 books are credited to Alan Hunter, published between 1955 and 2016; 4 of them appeared after Alan Hunter's death in 2005. The first book is Gently Does It (1955) and the newest is Gently with Passion (2016). Publication order is the reading order below. All 51 books listed here are in the Inspector George Gently series, which has its own page: Inspector George Gently books in order.

Books
51
Published
1955–2016
Pages on record
8,654 in 43 of 51 books
Reading time
144–216 hours

Reading time is an estimate, not a recorded figure: 8,654 pages at 300 words a page, read at 200–300 words a minute, covering the 43 of 51 titles with a page count on record.

See all 51 books in order Printable Alan Hunter checklist

Alan Hunter (1922-2005) was an English crime novelist and the creator of Inspector George Gently, who features in 46 of his books. The 51 catalogued titles open with Gently Does It (1955) and carry the detective's name through the run, from Gently By the Shore (1956) to Gently with Passion (2016). Hunter farmed and then dealt in antiquarian books before publishing his first novel. Police procedure, murder investigation and English settings define the series.

How many Alan Hunter books are there?

Alan Hunter has 51 books, released between 1955 and 2016. 4 of them were published after Alan Hunter's death in 2005.

Alan Hunter Books in Publication Order

The table lists all 51 Alan Hunter books in the order they were published, with the release year, the page count where one is on record, and how many independent book listings confirm each title. Catalogue data as of September 2026.

  1. Cover of Gently Does It by Alan Hunter, book 1 of the Inspector George Gently series (1955)
  2. Cover of Gently Down the Stream by Alan Hunter, book 3 of the Inspector George Gently series (1957)
  3. Cover of Landed Gently by Alan Hunter, book 4 of the Inspector George Gently series (1957)
  4. Cover of Gently Through the Mill by Alan Hunter, book 5 of the Inspector George Gently series (1958)
  5. Cover of Gently in the Sun by Alan Hunter, book 6 of the Inspector George Gently series (1959)
  6. Cover of Gently With The Painters by Alan Hunter, book 7 of the Inspector George Gently series (1960)
  7. Cover of Gently to the Summit by Alan Hunter, book 8 of the Inspector George Gently series (1961)
  8. Cover of Gently Go Man by Alan Hunter, book 9 of the Inspector George Gently series (1961)
  9. Cover of Gently Where The Roads Go by Alan Hunter, book 10 of the Inspector George Gently series (1962)
  10. Cover of Gently Floating by Alan Hunter, book 11 of the Inspector George Gently series (1963)
  11. Cover of Gently Sahib by Alan Hunter, book 12 of the Inspector George Gently series (1964)
  12. Cover of Gently with the Ladies by Alan Hunter, book 13 of the Inspector George Gently series (1965)
  13. Cover of Gently North-West by Alan Hunter, book 14 of the Inspector George Gently series (1967)
  14. Cover of Gently Continental by Alan Hunter, book 15 of the Inspector George Gently series (1967)
  15. Cover of Gently with the Innocents by Alan Hunter, book 17 of the Inspector George Gently series (1970)
  16. Cover of Gently at a Gallop by Alan Hunter, book 18 of the Inspector George Gently series (1971)
  17. Cover of Gently Where She Lay by Alan Hunter, book 19 of the Inspector George Gently series (1972)
  18. Cover of Gently French by Alan Hunter, book 20 of the Inspector George Gently series (1973)
  19. Cover of Gently in Trees / Gently Through the Woods by Alan Hunter, book 21 of the Inspector George Gently series (1974)
  20. Cover of Gently with Love by Alan Hunter, book 22 of the Inspector George Gently series (1975)
  21. Cover of Gently Instrumental by Alan Hunter, book 24 of the Inspector George Gently series (1977)
  22. Cover of Gently to a Sleep by Alan Hunter, book 25 of the Inspector George Gently series (1978)
  23. Cover of Gabrielle's Way by Alan Hunter, book 27 of the Inspector George Gently series (1981)
  24. Cover of Gently Heartbroken / The Scottish Decision by Alan Hunter, book 29 of the Inspector George Gently series (1981)
  1. 1
    Gently Does ItInspector George Gently #11955 · 250 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1955250
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  2. 2
    Gently By the ShoreInspector George Gently #21956 · 272 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1956272
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  3. 3
    Gently Down the StreamInspector George Gently #31957 · 256 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1957256
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  4. 4
    Landed GentlyInspector George Gently #41957 · 256 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1957256
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  5. 5
    Gently Through the MillInspector George Gently #51958 · 256 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1958256
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  6. 6
    Gently in the SunInspector George Gently #61959 · 235 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1959235
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  7. 7
    Gently With The PaintersInspector George Gently #71960 · 249 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1960249
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  8. 8
    Gently to the SummitInspector George Gently #81961 · confirmed 2/4
    1961–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  9. 9
    Gently Go ManInspector George Gently #91961 · 224 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1961224
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  10. 10
    Gently Where The Roads GoInspector George Gently #101962 · 215 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1962215
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  11. 11
    Gently FloatingInspector George Gently #111963 · 224 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1963224
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  12. 12
    Gently SahibInspector George Gently #121964 · 224 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1964224
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  13. 13
    Gently with the LadiesInspector George Gently #131965 · confirmed 2/4
    1965–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  14. 14
    Gently North-WestInspector George Gently #141967 · 208 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1967208
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  15. 15
    Gently ContinentalInspector George Gently #151967 · 202 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1967202
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  16. 16
    Gently ColouredInspector George Gently #161969 · 151 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1969151
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  17. 17
    Gently with the InnocentsInspector George Gently #171970 · 208 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1970208
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  18. 18
    Gently at a GallopInspector George Gently #181971 · 187 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1971187
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  19. 19
    Gently Where She LayInspector George Gently #191972 · 217 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1972217
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  20. 20
    Gently FrenchInspector George Gently #201973 · 204 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1973204
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  21. 21
    Gently in Trees / Gently Through the WoodsInspector George Gently #211974 · confirmed 2/4
    1974–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  22. 22
    Gently with LoveInspector George Gently #221975 · 184 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1975184
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  23. 23
    Gently Where the Birds areInspector George Gently #231976 · 173 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1976173
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  24. 24
    Gently InstrumentalInspector George Gently #241977 · 175 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1977175
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  25. 25
    Gently to a SleepInspector George Gently #251978 · 172 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1978172
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  26. 26
    The Honfleur DecisionInspector George Gently #261980 · 182 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1980182
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  27. 27
    Gabrielle's WayInspector George Gently #271981 · 145 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1981145
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  28. 28
    Fields of Heather / Death on the HeathInspector George Gently #281981 · 158 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1981158
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  29. 29
    Gently Heartbroken / The Scottish DecisionInspector George Gently #291981 · 145 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1981145
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  30. 30
    Gently Between TidesInspector George Gently #301982 · confirmed 2/4
    1982–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK

Alan Hunter series in order

The series linked below has its own reading-order page.

Do you have to read Alan Hunter books in order?

You only need to read Alan Hunter books in order within the Inspector George Gently series, which holds 51 of the 51 Alan Hunter books listed here. The numbered table above gives every book in publication order.

Where to start with Alan Hunter

Start with Gently Does It (1955), the first Inspector George Gently book. It is also the earliest catalogued title.

What is the newest Alan Hunter book?

Gently with Passion (2016) is the newest Alan Hunter book released so far.

Is there a new Alan Hunter book coming?

No next Alan Hunter book is announced in the catalogue, which is a gap in the listings it merges rather than a sign that the run has ended.

Alan Hunter at a glance

Died
Alan Hunter died in 2005, according to Wikidata.
After death
Books credited to Alan Hunter are still being published after Alan Hunter's death in 2005; the newest appeared in 2016.
Release pace
Alan Hunter books have appeared about one a year on average.
Length
8,654 pages across the 43 of 51 books with a recorded length, a median of 192 pages each.
Busiest decade
Most Alan Hunter books, 13 of 51, were published in the 1980s.

What the Alan Hunter books are about

34 of the 51 Alan Hunter books carry subject tags in Open Library's catalogue. The subjects below are the ones that recur across them, most frequent first: gently, george (fictitious character) is tagged on 28 of 34. The subjects are cataloguers’ headings, not a plot summary.