Philip Marlowe is a fictional detective created by American author Raymond Chandler, and was later written by Robert B. Parker and Benjamin Black. The Philip Marlowe series is a hardboiled detective fiction series that actually started out as a series of short stories. Chandler would later cannibalize these stories into the first (and most famous) novel of the series, The Big Sleep. In 1946, The Big Sleep would be adapted into a film directed by Howard Hawks starring Humphrey Bogart as Marlowe. Other actors who would play the character in adaptations were Dick Powell, Robert Montgomery, James Garner, Elliot Gould and Robert Mitchum.

The Philip Marlowe series would begin in 1939 with The Big Sleep. Chandler’s final completed Marlowe novel was Playback in 1958, although he would leave Poodle Springs unfinished. Parker would finish that novel in 1989 and then go on to write Perchance To Dream in 1991 – the only authorized sequel. Below is a list of all of the Philip Marlowe novels in order of when they were originally published (which is also their chronological order):

Publication Order of Philip Marlowe Books

The Big Sleep (1939)Best Hardcover PriceBest Paperback PriceBest Kindle Price
Farewell, My Lovely (1940)Best Hardcover PriceBest Paperback PriceBest Kindle Price
The High Window (1942)Best Hardcover PriceBest Paperback PriceBest Kindle Price
The Lady in the Lake (1943)Best Hardcover PriceBest Paperback PriceBest Kindle Price
The Little Sister (1949)Best Hardcover PriceBest Paperback PriceBest Kindle Price
The Long Goodbye (1953)Best Hardcover PriceBest Paperback PriceBest Kindle Price
Playback (1958)Best Hardcover PriceBest Paperback PriceBest Kindle Price
Poodle Springs (1989)Best Hardcover PriceBest Paperback PriceBest Kindle Price
Perchance to Dream (1991)Best Hardcover PriceBest Paperback PriceBest Kindle Price
The Black-Eyed Blonde (2014)Best Hardcover PriceBest Paperback PriceBest Kindle Price
Only to Sleep (2018)Best Hardcover PriceBest Paperback PriceBest Kindle Price
The Goodbye Coast (2022)Best Hardcover PriceBest Paperback PriceBest Kindle Price

Publication Order of Philip Marlowe Collections

Trouble is My Business (1939)Best Hardcover PriceBest Paperback PriceBest Kindle Price

Notes: Poodle Springs was finished by Robert B. Parker, while Perchance to Dream was written entirely by Parker. Beginning with The Black-Eyed Blonde, the series is written by Benjamin Black.

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2 Responses to “Order of Philip Marlowe Books”

  1. Joanna Gillian: 4 years ago

    What were Raymond Chandler’s feelings about his detective? I’m asking because I’m listening to Philip Marlowe episodes on Youtube. Also because I’m trying to figure out (without success) why Hercule Poirot was so HATED by his author? What was so bad about him that he was the object of such poisonous animosity.

    “Why oh WHY did I EVER create that DETESTABLE, bombastic creature?” The word DETESTABLE is defined as “DESERVING of INTENSE DISLIKE/ HATE” . But there needs to be a REASON that someone is so LOATHED? Hopefully, Mr. Marlowe was spoken of in kinder words than poor Mr. Poirot. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/e15c873cf4890db7ca81bb143f2fec4326acbf5b4c2706d7e12a2dc73a76d144.jpg

    Reply

  2. Raptor Jesus: 8 years ago

    If you like Philip Marlowe try Nero Wolfe books by Rex Stout.

    Reply

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