Order of Book Series
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Stephen Leather Books in Order

Stephen Leather has written 134 books, published between 1987 and 2026. The first book is Pay Off (1987) and the newest is Underdogs (2026). One more title is announced: Broken Promises (2027). Publication order is the reading order below.

Books
134 + 1 announced
Published
1987–2026
Confirmed
135 of 135 titles
Pages on record
17,385 in 44 of 135 books
See all 135 books in order Printable Stephen Leather checklistNext: Broken Promises (2027)
Photo of Stephen Leather, author

Stephen Leather is a British thriller writer, born 25 October 1956 and published by Hodder & Stoughton. Leather has also written for television, on London's Burning, The Knock and the BBC's Murder in Mind, and ranked as the second bestselling UK author worldwide on Kindle in 2011. The catalogue holds 135 books from Pay Off (1987) to Underdogs (2026), with Broken Promises scheduled for 2027. Dan 'Spider' Shepherd carries the Spider Shepherd SAS novels, and Jack Nightingale, Mike Cramer, Lex Harper, Matt Standing and Inspector Zhang head further series. Undercover operations, terrorism and private investigators recur as subjects.

How many Stephen Leather books are there?

Stephen Leather has 134 published books, released between 1987 and 2026. They include 8 separate series. One more, Broken Promises (2027), is announced.

Stephen Leather Books in Publication Order

The table lists all 135 Stephen Leather books in the order they were released, 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 Pay Off by Stephen Leather, book 1 of the Stephen Leather Standalone Novels series (1987)
  2. Cover of The Fireman by Stephen Leather, book 2 of the Stephen Leather Standalone Novels series (1989)
  3. Cover of Hungry Ghost by Stephen Leather, book 3 of the Stephen Leather Standalone Novels series (1991)
  4. Cover of The Chinaman / The Foreigner by Stephen Leather, book 1 of the Mike Cramer series (1992)
  5. Cover of The Vets by Stephen Leather, book 4 of the Stephen Leather Standalone Novels series (1993)
  6. Cover of The Long Shot by Stephen Leather, book 2 of the Mike Cramer series (1995)
  7. Cover of The Double Tap by Stephen Leather, book 3 of the Mike Cramer series (1996)
  8. Cover of The Birthday Girl by Stephen Leather, book 5 of the Stephen Leather Standalone Novels series (1996)
  9. Cover of The Solitary Man by Stephen Leather, book 6 of the Stephen Leather Standalone Novels series (1997)
  10. Cover of The Tunnel Rats by Stephen Leather, book 7 of the Stephen Leather Standalone Novels series (1998)
  11. Cover of The Bombmaker by Stephen Leather, book 8 of the Stephen Leather Standalone Novels series (1999)
  12. Cover of The Stretch by Stephen Leather, book 9 of the Stephen Leather Standalone Novels series (2000)
  13. Cover of Tango One by Stephen Leather, book 10 of the Stephen Leather Standalone Novels series (2002)
  14. Cover of Hard Landing by Stephen Leather, book 1 of the Spider Shepherd series (2004)
  15. Cover of Soft Target by Stephen Leather, book 2 of the Spider Shepherd series (2005)
  16. Cover of Private Dancer by Stephen Leather, book 12 of the Stephen Leather Standalone Novels series (2005)
  17. Cover of Confessions of a Bangkok Private Eye by Stephen Leather, book 1 of the Stephen Leather Non-Fiction series (2006)
  18. Cover of Cold Kill by Stephen Leather, book 3 of the Spider Shepherd series (2006)
  19. Cover of Hot Blood by Stephen Leather, book 4 of the Spider Shepherd series (2007)
  20. Cover of Dead Men by Stephen Leather, book 5 of the Spider Shepherd series (2008)
  21. Cover of Live Fire by Stephen Leather, book 6 of the Spider Shepherd series (2009)
  22. Cover of Rough Justice by Stephen Leather, book 7 of the Spider Shepherd series (2010)
  23. Cover of Once Bitten by Stephen Leather, book 14 of the Stephen Leather Standalone Novels series (2010)
  24. Cover of The Basement by Stephen Leather, book 15 of the Stephen Leather Standalone Novels series (2010)
  1. 1
    Pay OffStephen Leather Standalone Novels #11987 · 240 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1987240
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  2. 2
    The FiremanStephen Leather Standalone Novels #21989 · 304 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1989304
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  3. 3
    Hungry GhostStephen Leather Standalone Novels #31991 · 480 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1991480
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  4. 4
    The Chinaman / The ForeignerMike Cramer #11992 · 310 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1992310
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  5. 5
    The VetsStephen Leather Standalone Novels #41993 · 572 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1993572
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  6. 6
    The Long ShotMike Cramer #21995 · 567 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1995567
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  7. 7
    The Double TapMike Cramer #31996 · 508 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1996508
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  8. 8
    The Birthday GirlStephen Leather Standalone Novels #51996 · 528 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1996528
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  9. 9
    The Solitary ManStephen Leather Standalone Novels #61997 · 425 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1997425
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  10. 10
    The Tunnel RatsStephen Leather Standalone Novels #71998 · 512 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1998512
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  11. 11
    The BombmakerStephen Leather Standalone Novels #81999 · 406 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1999406
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  12. 12
    The StretchStephen Leather Standalone Novels #92000 · 344 pages · confirmed 3/4
    2000344
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  13. 13
    Tango OneStephen Leather Standalone Novels #102002 · 480 pages · confirmed 3/4
    2002480
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  14. 14
    Hard LandingSpider Shepherd #12004 · 384 pages · confirmed 3/4
    2004384
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  15. 15
    The EyewitnessStephen Leather Standalone Novels #112004 · confirmed 3/4
    2004–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  16. 16
    Soft TargetSpider Shepherd #22005 · 528 pages · confirmed 3/4
    2005528
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  17. 17
    Private DancerStephen Leather Standalone Novels #122005 · 288 pages · confirmed 3/4
    2005288
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  18. 18
    Confessions of a Bangkok Private EyeStephen Leather Non-Fiction #12006 · 272 pages · confirmed 3/4
    2006272
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  19. 19
    Cold KillSpider Shepherd #32006 · 528 pages · confirmed 3/4
    2006528
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  20. 20
    Hot BloodSpider Shepherd #42007 · 384 pages · confirmed 3/4
    2007384
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  21. 21
    Dead MenSpider Shepherd #52008 · 320 pages · confirmed 3/4
    2008320
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  22. 22
    Live FireSpider Shepherd #62009 · 472 pages · confirmed 3/4
    2009472
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  23. 23
    NightfallJack Nightingale #12010 · confirmed 3/4
    2010–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  24. 24
    Rough JusticeSpider Shepherd #72010 · 502 pages · confirmed 3/4
    2010502
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  25. 25
    Dreamer's CatStephen Leather Standalone Novels #132010 · confirmed 3/4
    2010–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  26. 26
    Once BittenStephen Leather Standalone Novels #142010 · 240 pages · confirmed 3/4
    2010240
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  27. 27
    The BasementStephen Leather Standalone Novels #152010 · 128 pages · confirmed 3/4
    2010128
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  28. 28
    CursedJack Nightingale Short Stories/Novellas #12011 · confirmed 3/4
    2011–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  29. 29
    Inspector Zhang Gets His WishInspector Zhang #12011 · confirmed 3/4
    2011–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  30. 30
    Inspector Zhang and the Dead Thai GangsterInspector Zhang #22011 · confirmed 3/4
    2011–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK

Stephen Leather characters in order

Each character linked below has its own reading-order page.

Stephen Leather books grouped by series

Each title below is a row in the publication-order table above. A group whose heading is a link has its own reading-order page; the other groups have no page of their own on this site.

Stephen Leather Standalone Novels

29 books

29 titles published under this heading without a numbered place in a series.

Spider Shepherd books in order

24 books by Stephen Leather
  1. 1. Hard Landing
  2. 2. Soft Target
  3. 3. Cold Kill
  4. 4. Hot Blood
  5. 5. Dead Men
  6. 6. Live Fire
  7. 7. Rough Justice
  8. 8. Fair Game
  9. 9. False Friends
  10. 10. True Colours
  11. 11. White Lies
  12. 12. Black Ops
  13. and 12 more in the table above

Jack Nightingale Short Stories/Novellas

21 books

21 titles published under this heading without a numbered place in a series.

Spider Shepherd Short Stories/Novellas

14 books

14 titles published under this heading without a numbered place in a series.

Jack Nightingale books in order

13 books by Stephen Leather
  1. 1. Nightfall
  2. 2. Midnight
  3. 3. Nightmare
  4. 4. Nightshade
  5. 5. Lastnight
  6. 6. San Francisco Night
  7. 7. New York Night
  8. 8. Tennessee Night
  9. 9. New Orleans Night
  10. 10. Las Vegas Night
  11. 11. Rio Grande Night
  12. 12. Houston Night
  13. and 1 more in the table above

Inspector Zhang in order

7 books
  1. 1. Inspector Zhang Gets His Wish
  2. 2. Inspector Zhang and the Dead Thai Gangster
  3. 3. Inspector Zhang and the Falling Woman
  4. 4. Inspector Zhang and the Disappearing Drugs
  5. 5. Inspector Zhang and The Perfect Alibi
  6. 6. Inspector Zhang Goes To Harrogate
  7. 7. Inspector Zhang and the Island of the Dead

Spider Shepherd SAS in order

5 books
  1. 1. The Sandpit
  2. 2. Moving Targets
  3. 3. Russian Roulette
  4. 4. Drop Zone
  5. 5. Baltic Black Ops

Mike Cramer in order

4 books
  1. 1. The Chinaman / The Foreigner
  2. 2. The Long Shot
  3. 3. The Double Tap
  4. 4. The Chinaman: The 1992 Breakout Thriller From Stephen Leather

Asian Heat in order

4 books
  1. 1. Banging Bill's Wife
  2. 2. The Alphabet Game
  3. 3. The Pregnant Wife
  4. 4. The Threesome

Stephen Leather Short Story

4 books

4 titles published under this heading without a numbered place in a series.

Matt Standing in order

4 books
  1. 1. Last Man Standing
  2. 2. Standing Alone
  3. 3. Still Standing
  4. 4. Standing Strong

Lex Harper in order

3 books
  1. 1. Takedown
  2. 2. Plausible Deniability (Short Story)
  3. 3. Breakout

Richard Yokely Short Stories/Novellas

2 books

2 titles published under this heading without a numbered place in a series.

Stephen Leather Non-Fiction

1 book

1 title published under this heading without a numbered place in a series.

Stephen Leather Books in Chronological Order

By publication date, the Stephen Leather books run from Pay Off (1987) to Underdogs (2026), the sequence in the table above. No separate story order is recorded for Stephen Leather in the book listings this catalogue merges, so publication order is the only order on record.

Do you have to read Stephen Leather books in order?

You only need to read Stephen Leather books in order within each series: the books listed here span 8 separate series, and each series has its own publication order.

Where to start with Stephen Leather

Start with the first book of the Stephen Leather series you want to read: Spider Shepherd starts with Hard Landing (2004), Jack Nightingale starts with Nightfall (2010) and Dan “Spider” Shepherd starts with Hard Landing (2004). The earliest catalogued title overall is Pay Off (1987).

What is the newest Stephen Leather book?

Underdogs (2026) is the newest Stephen Leather book released so far.

Is there a new Stephen Leather book coming?

Yes. Broken Promises (2027) is the next Stephen Leather book announced in the catalogue. A publication year announced this far ahead moves, so it is worth rechecking: every announced title dated after 2026 sits on the upcoming book releases page.

Stephen Leather at a glance

Still publishing
Stephen Leather is still publishing. Broken Promises is announced for 2027.
Release pace
Stephen Leather books have appeared more than one a year on average.
Length
17,385 pages across the 44 of 135 books with a recorded length, a median of 400 pages each.
Busiest decade
Most Stephen Leather books, 83 of 135, were published in the 2010s.

What the Stephen Leather books are about

44 of the 135 Stephen Leather books carry subject tags in Open Library's catalogue. The subjects below are the ones that recur across them, most frequent first: thrillers is tagged on 18 of 44. The subjects are cataloguers’ headings, not a plot summary.