Ed McBain Books in Order – Complete List

Last Updated on April 20, 2023

Ed McBain is the pseudonym of the American author Evan Hunter, who passed away in 2005. He is best known for his Matthew Hope series and the 87th Precinct series, where his main character, Detective Steve Carella, often featured. In addition, the author has written several standalone novels under various aliases between 1952 and 2005.

Here are the Ed McBain books in order for his novels and series during his lifetime.

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87th Precinct Series In Publication Order

1. Cop Hater, 1956
2. The Mugger, 1956
3. The Pusher, 1956
4. The Con Man, 1957
5. Killer’s Choice, 1957
6. Killer’s Payoff, 1957
7. Killer’s Wedge, 1959
8. Lady Killer, 1958
9. ‘Til Death, 1959
10. King’s Ransom, 1959
11. Give the Boys a Great Big Hand, 1960
12. The Heckler, 1960
13. See Them Die, 1960
14. Lady, Lady, I Did It!, 1961
15. Like Love, 1962
16. Ten Plus One, 1963
17. Ax/Axe, 1964
18. He Who Hesitates, 1964
19. Doll, 1965
20. Eighty Million Eyes, 1966
21. Fuzz, 1968
22. Shotgun, 1969
23. Jigsaw, 1970
24. Hail, Hail, the Gang’s All Here, 1971
25. Let’s Hear It for the Deaf Man, 1972
26. Sadie When She Died, 1972
27. Hail to the Chief, 1973
28. Bread, 1974
29. Blood Relatives, 1975
30. So Long As You Both Shall Live, 1976
31. Long Time No See, 1977
32. Calypso, 1979
33. Ghosts, 1980
34. Heat, 1981
35. Ice, 1983
36. Lightning, 1984
37. And All Through the House, 1984
38. Eight Black Horses, 1985
39. Poison, 1987
40. Tricks, 1987
41. Lullaby, 1989
42. Vespers, 1990
43. Widows, 1991
44. Kiss, 1992
45. Mischief, 1993
46. Romance, 1995
47. Nocturne, 1997
48. The Big Bad City, 1999
49. The Last Dance, 2000
50. Money, Money, Money, 2001
51. Fat Ollie’s Book, 2002
52. The Frumious Bandersnatch, 2003
53. Hark!, 2004
54. Fiddlers, 2005

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87th Precinct Short Stories in Publication Order

• The Empty Hours, 1962
• The McBain Brief, 1982
• McBain’s Ladies, 1988
• McBain’s Ladies, Too, 1992

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Matthew Hope Series In Publication Order

1. Goldilocks, 1977
2. Rumpelstiltskin, 1981
3. Beauty & The Beast, 1982
4. Jack & The Beanstalk, 1984
5. Snow White & Rose Red, 1985
6. Cinderella, 1986
7. Puss in Boots, 1987
8. The House that Jack Built, 1988
9. Three Blind Mice, 1990
10. Mary, Mary, 1991
11. There Was A Little Girl, 1994
12. Gladly The Cross-Eyed Bear, 1996
13. The Last Best Hope, 1998

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Standalone Books in Publication Order as Ed McBain

• The Big Fix, 1952
• Death of a Nurse, 1955
• The Merry, Merry Christmas, 1957 (short stories)
• On the Sidewalk Bleeding, 1957 (short stories)
• The April Robin Murders (with Craig Rice), 1958 (Bingo Riggs and Handsome Kusak series)
• The Last Spin & Other Stories, 1960 (short stories)
• The Sentries, 1965
• Where There’s Smoke, 1975
• Guns, 1976
• Another Part Of The City, 1986
• Downtown, 1991
• Driving Lessons, 2000
• Learning to Kill, 2005
• Transgressions, 2005 (edited by Ed McBain)
• Women In Jeopardy, 2005
• Alice in Jeopardy, 2005
• Learning to Kill, 2006 (short stories published after the author’s death)

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Standalone Books in Publication Order as Evan Hunter

• Find The Feathered Serpent, 1952
• The Evil Sheep!, 1952
• Don’t Crowd Me, 1953
• The Blackboard Jungle, 1954
• Second Ending, 1956
• The Jungle Kids, 1956 (short stories)
• Strangers When We Meet, 1958
• A Matter of Conviction, 1959
• The Remarkable Harry, 1959
• Mothers And Daughters, 1961
• The Wonderful Button, 1961
• Buddwing, 1964
• Me And Mr. Stenner, 1965
• Happy New Year, Herbie, 1965 (short stories)
• The Paper Dragon, 1966
• A Horse’s Head, 1967
• Last Summer, 1968
• Sons, 1969
• Nobody Knew They Were There, 1971
• Every Little Crook And Nanny, 1972
• Seven, 1972
• The Easter Man (a Play) And Six Stories, 1972
• Come Winter, 1973
• Streets Of Gold, 1974
• The Chisholms: A Novel Of The Journey West, 1976
• Walk Proud, 1979
• Love, Dad, 1981
• Far From The Sea, 1983
• Lizzie, 1984
• Criminal Conversation, 1994
• Privileged Conversation, 1996
• Candyland, 2000
• Barking at Butterflies & Other Stories, 2000
• Running from Legs, 2000 (short stories)
• The Moment She Was Gone, 2002

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Standalone Books in Publication Order as Richard Marsten

• Rocket To Luna, 1953
• Danger: Dinosaurs!, 1953
• Rocket to Luna, 1953
• Runaway Black, 1954
• Murder In The Navy, 1955 (republished as Death of a Nurse by Ed McBain)
• Vanishing Ladies, 1957
• The Spiked Heel, 1957
• Even The Wicked, 1958
• Big Man, 1959

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Standalone Books in Publication Order as Hunt Collins

• Cut Me In, 1954
• Tomorrow And Tomorrow, 1956

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Standalone Books in Publication Order as Curt Cannon

• Tomorrow’s Word, 1956 (republished as Sphere by Ed McBain
• I Like ‘Em Tough (short stories), 1958
• I’m Cannon – For Hire, 1958 (republished as The Gutter and the Grave by Ed McBain

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Standalone Books in Publication Order Under Other Aliases

• Doors, 1975 (as Ezra Hannon)
• Scimitar, 1992 (as John Abbott)

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Books Edited by Ed McBain

• The Best American Mystery Stories, 2000 (as Evan Hunter)
• Transgressions, 2005

Ed McBain Biography – About the Author

Ed McBain was the pen name of American author Evan Hunter, born Salvatore Albert Lombino on October 15, 1926, in New York City. He grew up in the Bronx and attended Hunter College, where he earned a degree in English and psychology. After serving in World War II, he worked as a teacher, a copywriter, and a literary agent before turning to full-time writing.

Hunter adopted the pseudonym Ed McBain in 1956 when he began writing the Detective Steve Carella series of police procedurals set in the fictional 87th Precinct of Isola, a city based on New York. The first novel in the series, Cop Hater, was published in 1956 and was followed by over 50 additional novels in the series, which were praised for their realistic portrayal of police work and the urban environment.

In addition to the 87th Precinct series, McBain wrote several other popular mystery and suspense series, including the Matthew Hope series, the Evan Tanner series, and the Blackboard Jungle series, which was based on his own experiences as a high school teacher in the 1950s. He also wrote numerous standalone novels and short stories, as well as screenplays and teleplays, including the script for Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds.

McBain’s work earned him many accolades over the course of his career. He received an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America in 1986 for his novel Fiddlers, as well as a Grand Master Award in 1986. He was also awarded the Cartier Diamond Dagger from the Crime Writers’ Association in 1998 for his lifetime achievement in the genre. In addition, his novel Money, Money, Money was nominated for the Edgar Award Best Novel in 2002.

McBain was known for his skillful plotting, his ability to create complex characters, and his ability to capture the essence of the city in his writing. His influence on the crime fiction genre is widely recognized, and many contemporary mystery writers cite him as an inspiration.

McBain continued to write prolifically up until his death on July 6, 2005, at the age of 78. His legacy lives on through his extensive body of work and the many writers he inspired.

Film Adaptations

The following are the film adaptations of the Ed McBain books.

• Blackboard Jungle in 1955 from Blackboard Jungle
• High and Low in 1963 from King’s Ransom
• Mister Buddwing in 1966 from Buddwing
• Last Summer in 1969 from Last Summer
• Sans mobile apparent in 1971 from Ten Plus One
• Every Little Crook and Nanny in 1972 from Every Little Crook and Nanny
• Blood Relatives in 1978 from Blood Relatives
• Lonely Heart in 1981 from Lady, Lady, I Did It