Order of Book Series
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John Creasey Books in Order

497 books are credited to John Creasey, published between 1932 and 2022; 19 of them appeared after John Creasey's death in 1973. The first book is Seven Times Seven (1932) and the newest is Gideon and the Young Toughs and Other Stories (2022). Publication order is the reading order below.

John Creasey also publishes as Robert Caine Frazer.

Books
497
Published
1932–2022
Confirmed
25 of 497 titles
Pages on record
37,260 in 190 of 497 books
See all 497 books in order Printable John Creasey checklist

John Creasey (17 September 1908 to 9 June 1973) was an English novelist of detective and crime fiction who also wrote science fiction, romance and westerns, producing more than six hundred novels under twenty-eight pseudonyms. Creasey characters include The Toff (Richard Rollison), Commander George Gideon of Scotland Yard, Inspector Roger West, The Baron (John Mannering), Dr Emmanuel Cellini and Dr Stanislaus Alexander Palfrey. Gideon, introduced in Gideon's Day (1955), was the basis for the 1958 John Ford film Gideon's Day and the television series Gideon's Way (1964 to 1966). The catalogue lists 497 books from Seven Times Seven (1932), with early titles as M.E. Cooke and Margaret Cooke.

How many John Creasey books are there?

John Creasey has 497 books, released between 1932 and 2022. 19 of them were published after John Creasey's death in 1973. They include 11 series and 132 titles listed outside any series.

John Creasey Books in Publication Order

The table lists all 497 John Creasey 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.

There are 497 recorded titles, more than one list usefully holds. The 300 earliest are below; the series linked further down carry the rest, each in its own order.

  1. Cover of Seven Times Seven by John Creasey (1932)
  2. Cover of Men, Maids and Murder by John Creasey (1933)
  3. Cover of Redhead by John Creasey, book 2 of the Department Z series (1933)
  4. Cover of The Terror Trap by John Creasey, book 7 of the Department Z series (1936)
  5. Cover of Meet the Baron / The Man in the Blue Mask by John Creasey, book 1 of the Baron series (1937)
  6. Cover of The Baron Returns / The Return of Blue Mask by John Creasey, book 2 of the Baron series (1937)
  7. Cover of Carriers of Death by John Creasey, book 8 of the Department Z series (1937)
  8. Cover of Introducing the Toff by John Creasey, book 1 of the Toff series (1938)
  9. Cover of Death Stands By by John Creasey, book 10 of the Department Z series (1938)
  10. Cover of Dangerous Journey by John Creasey, book 2 of the Bruce Murdoch series (1939)
  11. Cover of Alias the Baron / Alias Blue Mask by John Creasey, book 5 of the Baron series (1939)
  12. Cover of The Baron at Large / Challenge Blue Mask! by John Creasey, book 6 of the Baron series (1939)
  13. Cover of Murder Must Wait by John Creasey, book 12 of the Department Z series (1939)
  14. Cover of Two Gun Texan (As: William K. Riley) by John Creasey (1939)
  15. Cover of Terror by Day by John Creasey, book 3 of the Patrick Dawlish series (1940)
  16. Cover of The Secret Murder by John Creasey, book 4 of the Patrick Dawlish series (1940)
  17. Cover of Death by Night by John Creasey, book 14 of the Department Z series (1940)
  18. Cover of Island of Peril by John Creasey, book 15 of the Department Z series (1940)
  19. Cover of I Am the Withered Man by John Creasey, book 5 of the Bruce Murdoch series (1941)
  20. Cover of 'Ware Danger by John Creasey, book 6 of the Patrick Dawlish series (1941)
  21. Cover of Salute the Toff by John Creasey, book 6 of the Toff series (1941)
  22. Cover of The Toff Proceeds by John Creasey, book 7 of the Toff series (1941)
  23. Cover of Sabotage by John Creasey, book 16 of the Department Z series (1941)
  24. Cover of Inspector West Takes Charge by John Creasey, book 1 of the Inspector West series (1942)
  1. 1
    Seven Times Seven1932 · 256 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1932256
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  2. 2
    The Death MiserDepartment Z #11933 · confirmed 2/4
    1933–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  3. 3
    Men, Maids and Murder1933 · 192 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1933192
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  4. 4
    RedheadDepartment Z #21933 · 228 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1933228
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  5. 5
    Fire of Death (As:M.E. Cooke)1934 · confirmed 2/4
    1934–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  6. 6
    First Came a MurderDepartment Z #31934 · 192 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1934192
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  7. 7
    For Love’s Sake (As:Margaret Cooke)1934 · confirmed 2/4
    1934–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  8. 8
    Death 'Round the CornerDepartment Z #41935 · confirmed 2/4
    1935–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  9. 9
    The Black Heart (As:M.E. Cooke)1935 · confirmed 2/4
    1935–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  10. 10
    The Mark of the CrescentDepartment Z #51935 · confirmed 2/4
    1935–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  11. 11
    The Casino Mystery (As:M.E. Cooke)1935 · confirmed 2/4
    1935–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  12. 12
    The Crime Gang (As:M.E. Cooke)1935 · confirmed 2/4
    1935–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  13. 13
    The Dark Shadow (As: Rodney Mattheson)1935 · confirmed 2/4
    1935–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  14. 14
    The Death Drive (As:M.E. Cooke)1935 · confirmed 2/4
    1935–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  15. 15
    The Secret of Ferrars (As: Rodney Mattheson)1935 · confirmed 2/4
    1935–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  16. 16
    No. 1's Last Crime (As:M.E. Cooke)1935 · confirmed 2/4
    1935–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  17. 17
    The Stolen Formula Mystery (As:M.E. Cooke)1935 · confirmed 2/4
    1935–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  18. 18
    Thunder in EuropeDepartment Z #61936 · confirmed 2/4
    1936–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  19. 19
    The Terror TrapDepartment Z #71936 · 254 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1936254
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  20. 20
    The Big Radium Mystery (As:M.E. Cooke)1936 · confirmed 2/4
    1936–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  21. 21
    The Day of Terror (As:M.E. Cooke)1936 · confirmed 2/4
    1936–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  22. 22
    The Dummy Robberies (As:M.E. Cooke)1936 · confirmed 2/4
    1936–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  23. 23
    Lover of Hate (As:Elise Fecamps)1936 · confirmed 2/4
    1936–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  24. 24
    The Hypnotic Demon (As:M.E. Cooke)1936 · confirmed 2/4
    1936–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  25. 25
    The Moat Farm Mystery (As:M.E. Cooke)1936 · confirmed 2/4
    1936–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  26. 26
    The Secret Formula (As:M.E. Cooke)1936 · confirmed 2/4
    1936–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  27. 27
    The Successful Alibi (As:M.E. Cooke)1936 · confirmed 2/4
    1936–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  28. 28
    Meet the Baron / The Man in the Blue MaskBaron #11937 · 270 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1937270
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  29. 29
    The Case of the Murdered FinancierSexton Blake #11937 · confirmed 2/4
    1937–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  30. 30
    The Baron Returns / The Return of Blue MaskBaron #21937 · 202 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1937202
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK

John Creasey books grouped by series

Each title below is a row in the publication-order table above. None of these groups has a reading-order page of its own on this site.

Toff in order

29 books
  1. 1. Introducing the Toff
  2. 2. The Toff Goes On
  3. 3. The Toff Steps Out
  4. 4. Here Comes the Toff
  5. 5. The Toff Breaks In
  6. 6. Salute the Toff
  7. 7. The Toff Proceeds
  8. 8. The Toff Goes to Market
  9. 9. The Toff is Back
  10. 10. The Toff Among the Millions
  11. 11. Accuse the Toff
  12. 12. The Toff and the Curate / The Toff and the Deadly Parson / The Toff and the Deadly Priest
  13. and 17 more in the table above

Patrick Dawlish in order

29 books
  1. 1. Death on Demand
  2. 2. The Speaker / The Croaker
  3. 3. Terror by Day
  4. 4. The Secret Murder
  5. 5. Who Was the Jester? / The Masked Gunman
  6. 6. 'Ware Danger
  7. 7. Murder Most Foul
  8. 8. There Goes Death
  9. 9. Death in High Places
  10. 10. Death in Flames
  11. 11. Two Men Missing
  12. 12. Rogues Rampant
  13. and 17 more in the table above

Baron in order

26 books
  1. 1. Meet the Baron / The Man in the Blue Mask
  2. 2. The Baron Returns / The Return of Blue Mask
  3. 3. The Baron Again / Salute Blue Mask
  4. 4. Held at Bay / Blue Mask at Bay / Baron at Bay
  5. 5. Alias the Baron / Alias Blue Mask
  6. 6. The Baron at Large / Challenge Blue Mask!
  7. 7. Versus the Baron / Blue Mask Strikes Again
  8. 8. Call for the Baron / Blue Mask Victorious
  9. 9. The Baron Comes Back
  10. 10. A Case for the Baron
  11. 11. Reward for the Baron
  12. 12. Career for the Baron
  13. and 14 more in the table above

Inspector West in order

16 books
  1. 1. Inspector West Takes Charge
  2. 2. Inspector West Leaves Town / Go Away To Murder
  3. 3. Inspector West at Home / Apostle of Gloom
  4. 4. Inspector West Regrets
  5. 5. Holiday for Inspector West
  6. 6. Battle for Inspector West
  7. 7. Triumph for Inspector West / The Case Against Paul Raeburn
  8. 8. Inspector West Kicks Off / Sport for Inspector West
  9. 9. Inspector West Alone
  10. 10. Inspector West Cries Wolf / The Creepers
  11. 11. A Case for Inspector West / The Figure in the Dusk
  12. 12. Puzzle for Inspector West / The Dissemblers
  13. and 4 more in the table above

Dr. Palfrey in order

17 books
  1. 1. Traitor's Doom
  2. 2. The Legion of the Lost
  3. 3. The Perilous Country / The Valley of Fear
  4. 4. Dangerous Quest
  5. 5. Death in the Rising Sun
  6. 6. The Hounds of Vengeance
  7. 7. Shadow of Doom
  8. 8. The House of the Bears
  9. 9. Dark Harvest
  10. 10. The Wings of Peace
  11. 11. The Sons of Satan
  12. 12. The Dawn of Darkness
  13. and 5 more in the table above

Department Z in order

27 books
  1. 1. The Death Miser
  2. 2. Redhead
  3. 3. First Came a Murder
  4. 4. Death 'Round the Corner
  5. 5. The Mark of the Crescent
  6. 6. Thunder in Europe
  7. 7. The Terror Trap
  8. 8. Carriers of Death
  9. 9. Days of Danger
  10. 10. Death Stands By
  11. 11. Menace!
  12. 12. Murder Must Wait
  13. and 15 more in the table above

Superintendent Folly in order

7 books
  1. 1. Murder in the Family
  2. 2. Find The Body
  3. 3. Murder Came Late
  4. 4. Run Away to Murder
  5. 5. Let's Kill Uncle Lionel
  6. 6. Mystery Motive
  7. 7. Close the Door on Murder

Bruce Murdoch in order

6 books
  1. 1. Secret Errand
  2. 2. Dangerous Journey
  3. 3. The Withered Man
  4. 4. Unknown Mission
  5. 5. I Am the Withered Man
  6. 6. Where is the Withered Man?

Sexton Blake in order

5 books
  1. 1. The Case of the Murdered Financier
  2. 2. The Great Air Swindle
  3. 3. The Man from Fleet Street
  4. 4. The Case of the Mad Inventor
  5. 5. Private Carter\'s Crime

Fane Brothers in order

4 books
  1. 1. Take a Body
  2. 2. Lame Dog Murder
  3. 3. Murder in the Stars
  4. 4. Man on the Run

Liberator in order

2 books
  1. 1. Return to Adventure
  2. 2. Gateway to Escape

Standalone books

132 books

132 John Creasey titles here are not listed as part of any series.

Do you have to read John Creasey books in order?

You only need to read John Creasey books in order within each series: the books listed here span 11 separate series, and each series has its own publication order.

Where to start with John Creasey

Start with Seven Times Seven (1932), the earliest published title.

What is the newest John Creasey book?

Gideon and the Young Toughs and Other Stories (2022) is the newest John Creasey book released so far.

Is there a new John Creasey book coming?

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

Awards John Creasey has won

Wikidata records 1 award for John Creasey. Each row states whether the title won or was shortlisted, and the year the award was given.

  • Edgar Awards1962Won

John Creasey at a glance

Died
John Creasey died in 1973, according to Wikidata.
After death
Books credited to John Creasey are still being published after John Creasey's death in 1973; the newest appeared in 2022.
Release pace
John Creasey books have appeared more than one a year on average.
Length
37,260 pages across the 190 of 497 books with a recorded length, a median of 191 pages each.
Busiest decade
Most John Creasey books, 148 of 497, were published in the 1940s.

What the John Creasey books are about

162 of the 497 John Creasey books carry subject tags in Open Library's catalogue. The subjects below are the ones that recur across them, most frequent first: fiction in english is tagged on 47 of 162. The subjects are cataloguers’ headings, not a plot summary.