🎯 Where Should I Start?
ⓘ About E.F. Benson
E. F. Benson was a wonderful English writer, archaeologist, short story writer, biographer, and memoirist. He was born as Edward Frederic Benson and was particularly famous for writing the Mapp and Lucia book series. Additionally, he has penned numerous standalone, several short story collections, a few nonfiction books, as well as some biographies, articles, and plays. Author Benson was born on July 24, 1867, at Wellington College, Berkshire. He was the 5th child of Edward White Benson, the headmaster of Wellington College, who later became a chancellor, Bishop, and finally Archbishop. His mother was Mary Sidgwick.
All Book Series by E.F. Benson
David Blaize and the Blue Door
Latest in the series · book 3 of 3 · published 2015
Lucia and the Diplomatic Incident
Book 14 of 15 · published 2013 Anthology · Tom Holt
Au Reservoir
Latest in the series · book 15 of 15 · published 2014 Anthology · Guy Fraser-Sampson
The Tale of an Empty House and Other Ghost Stories
Book 6 of 21 · published 1986
The Outcast: And Other Dark Tales
Latest in the series · book 21 of 21 · published 2020
Make Way for Lucia
Single-title series · published 1948 Co-authored · John Van Druten
Polar Horrors: Strange Tales from the World’s Ends
Series opener · book 1 of 2 · published 2022 Anthology · John Miller
The Lure of Atlantis: Strange Tales from the Sunken Continent
Latest in the series · book 2 of 2 · published 2023 Anthology · Michael Wheatley
Paradise Lost & Other Poems
Series opener · book 1 of 91 · published 1667 Anthology · John Milton
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland: With Poems, Letters & Biography
Book 2 of 91 · published 1865 Anthology · Lewis Carroll
Science Fiction Short Stories
Book 4 of 91 · published 2015 Anthology · David Tallerman,Rachael K. Jones,Sarah Hans,Brian Trent,Adrian Ludens,Keyan Bowes,Beth Cato,Andy Sawyer,Zach Shephard,Alexis A. Hunter,M. Darusha Wehm,Edward Ahern,Patrick Tumblety,Donald Jacob Uitvlugt,Kate O'Connor,Conor Powers-Smith,Stewart C. Baker,MikeMorgan,Nemma Wollenfang,Jacob M. Lambert,Laura Bulbeck,Rob Hartzell
Chilling Horror Short Stories
Book 5 of 91 · published 2015 Anthology · Charles Dickens,Arthur Conan Doyle,Bram Stoker,Edgar Allan Poe,Robert Louis Stevenson,Elizabeth Gaskell,J. Sheridan Le Fanu,Guy de Maupassant,Thomas Hardy,Ambrose Bierce,H.P. Lovecraft,Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley,Nathaniel Hawthorne,Edith Wharton,D.H. Lawrence,Lucy Taylor,William Hope Hodgson,A. Merritt,John Buchan,F. Marion Crawford,Robert E. Howard,C.L. Moore,Frank Long,Robert W. Chambers,Rebecca J. Allred,Frank Roger,Gwendolyn Kiste,Elise Forier Edie,Michael Paul Gonzalez,D.J. Tyrer,William R.D. Wood,Kristopher Triana,James Lecky,Glen Damien Campbell,Justin Coates,John H. Dromey,Andrew J. Wilson,Bill Kte'pi,Ed Grabianowski,Gillian Whitaker,Nick Wells,Laura Bulbeck,Dale Townshend,Michael Bondies,David A Elsensohn,Eric Esser,John Neruda,Frances Bodlam,Josie Mitchell
Crime & Mystery Short Stories
Book 7 of 91 · published 2016 Anthology · Cameron Trost,Marcelle Dube,James Dorr,Jennifer Gifford,Dan Stout,Ruth Nestvold,Jennifer Dornan-Fish,H.L. Fullerton,Tara Campbell,Nathan Hystad
Swords & Steam Short Stories
Book 8 of 91 · published 2016 Anthology · S.T. Joshi,Amanda C. Davis,Jennifer Dornan-Fish,Spencer Ellsworth,Liam Hogan
Dystopia Utopia Short Stories
Book 9 of 91 · published 2016 Anthology · Rudyard Kipling,Jack London,Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley,Fyodor Dostoevsky,Kim Antieau,Voltaire,William Morris,Claude Lalumière,Robert W. Chambers,Samuel Butler,Gerri Leen,Konstantine Paradias,M. Darusha Wehm,Thomas More,Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain,Edward Bellamy,Carolyn Charron,Jeremy Szal,J.M. Templet,Steve Carr,Richard Jefferies,Michelle Kaseler,Andrew J. Wilson,Nidhi Singh,Jeff Parsons,Sarah Lyn Eaton,Megan Dorei,Dave Golder,Kelsey Shannahan,Russ Thorne
Murder Mayhem Short Stories
Book 10 of 91 · published 2016 Anthology · James Dorr,Gerri Leen,Liam Hogan,Kate Heartfield,David M. Hoenig,Donald Jacob Uitvlugt
Lovecraft Short Stories
Book 11 of 91 · published 2017 Anthology · H.P. Lovecraft
Supernatural Horror Short Stories
Book 13 of 91 · published 2017 Anthology · Roger Luckhurst,Damien Angelica Walters
Time Travel Short Stories
Book 14 of 91 · published 2017 Anthology · Dominick Cancilla,Brian Trent,Kate Heartfield
Heroic Fantasy Short Stories
Book 15 of 91 · published 2017 Anthology · Various
Edgar Allan Poe Collection
Book 16 of 91 · published 2017 Anthology · Edgar Allan Poe
Sherlock Holmes Short Stories
Book 17 of 91 · published 2017 Multi-author collection
Agents & Spies Short Stories
Book 18 of 91 · published 2017 Anthology · Josh Pachter,Martin Edwards,Dan Stout,Tony Pi,Stephen Kotowych,David Downing,Sara Dobie Bauer,Shane Halbach,Colt Leasure,Lauren C. Teffeau,Joseph Cusumano,Jo Miles,Laura Bulbeck,Jonathan MacGregor,S.L.Scott
Pirates & Ghosts Short Stories
Book 19 of 91 · published 2017 Anthology · Jeremy A. TeGrotenhuis
Tales of King Arthur and The Knights of the Round Table
Book 20 of 91 · published 2017 Anthology · Thomas Malory,Aubrey Beardsley
Alien Invasion Short Stories
Book 21 of 91 · published 2018 Anthology · H.G. Wells,H.P. Lovecraft,Jonathan Swift,A. Merritt,Voltaire,Claude Lalumière,Rich Larson,Rachael K. Jones,George Allan England,Patrick Parrinder,Austin Hall,William R.D. Wood,John Walters,Bo Balder,Maria Haskins,Garrett P. Serviss,Sunil Patel,Jennifer Rachel Baumer,Laura Pearlman,Robert Potter,Tim Pieraccini,Angus McIntyre,Suo Hefu,George Chesney,Stephen G. Parks,Eric Reitan,S.A. Westerley
Bram Stoker Horror Stories
Book 23 of 91 · published 2018 Anthology · Bram Stoker
Endless Apocalypse Short Stories
Book 24 of 91 · published 2018 Anthology · Shannon Connor Winward,Michael Paul Gonzalez
Robots & Artificial Intelligence Short Stories
Book 25 of 91 · published 2018 Anthology · George Cotronis,Rich Larson,Rachael K. Jones,Bruce Golden,Holly Lyn Walrath,Monte Lin,Eleanor R. Wood,David Sklar,Nemma Wollenfang,Deborah Davitt,Trixie Nisbet,Luke Dormehl,Roan Clay,Jeff Deck,Christopher Geeson,Rob Hartzell,Nathaniel Hosford,Chloie Piveral,Claire Sorrenson,Sara Uckelman
Lost Souls
Book 26 of 91 · published 2018 Anthology · Roger Luckhurst,Damien Angelica Walters
Irish Fairy Tales
Book 29 of 91 · published 2018 Anthology · Arthur Rackham,D.L. Ashliman
Mary Shelley Horror Stories
Book 30 of 91 · published 2018 Anthology · Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
Cosy Crime Short Stories
Book 33 of 91 · published 2019 Anthology · Arthur Conan Doyle,E.E. King,G.K. Chesterton,R. Austin Freeman,Arnold Bennett,Edgar Wallace,Arthur Morrison,Martin Edwards,Ernest Bramah,Maurice Leblanc,Amanda C. Davis,Stephanie Bedwell-Grime,Emmuska Orczy,Israel Zangwill,Anna Katharine Green,Catherine Louisa Pirkis,Flame Tree Studio,Andrew Forrester,Nancy Sweetland,Jeffrey B. Burton,Louise Taylor,Annette Siketa,Philip Brian Hall,Tom Mead,C.B. Channell,Michael Martin Garrett,Trixie Nisbet,Joshua Boyce,Sarah Holly Bryant,Gregory Von Dare,B. David Spicer,Elise Warner,Anton Chekhov
Brothers Grimm Short Stories
Book 34 of 91 · published 2019 Anthology · Jacob Grimm
American Gothic Short Stories
Book 35 of 91 · published 2019 Anthology · Ramsey Campbell,Lucy A. Snyder,Lina Rather,Sean Logan,Wendy Nikel,Christi Nogle,Lynette Mejía,Madison McSweeney,Russell James,M.Regan,Monika Elbert,Terri Bruce,Maxx Fidalgo,Joshua Hiles,Clayton Kroh,Joe Nazare,Rebecca Ring,Mike Robinson,Valerie B. Williams,Nemma Wollenfang
Short Stories from the Age of Queen Victoria
Book 36 of 91 · published 2019 Anthology · Various,Peter Garratt
Urban Crime Short Stories
Book 37 of 91 · published 2019 Anthology · Ramsey Campbell,Josh Pachter,Judi Calhoun,David Tallerman,Rich Larson,Meg Elison,Dan Micklethwaite,Thana Niveau,Michael Penncavage,T.J. Berg,Chris Wheatley,Alexandra Renwick,Leo X. Robertson,K.W. Roberts,Rachel Watts,Jennifer Quail,Trixie Nisbet,Christopher P. Semtner,C.L. McDaniel,Salinda Tyson
Lovecraft Mythos New & Classic Collection
Book 39 of 91 · published 2020 Anthology · Robert Bloch,Ramsey Campbell,Ambrose Bierce,H.P. Lovecraft,Fritz Leiber,Henry Kuttner,Hal Bodner,Clark Ashton Smith,William Browning Spencer,Mark Samuels,Robert E. Howard,Victor LaValle,Frank Long,Lord Dunsany,Arthur Machen,Caitlín R. Kiernan,Robert W. Chambers,Nancy Kilpatrick,JG Faherty,Rachael K. Jones,Cody Goodfellow,Evey Brett,John Llewellyn Probert,Zealia Bishop,Hazel Heald,Jonathan Thomas,Donald Tyson,Thana Niveau,Douglas Wynne,Helen E. Davis,N.R. Lambert,Scott R. Jones,Gillian Whitaker,Nick Wells,Taylor Bentley,Catherine Taylor,Caroline Watson,August E. Derleth,John Possidente,R.S. Stefoff
Epic Fantasy Short Stories
Book 40 of 91 · published 2020 Anthology · Leah Cypess
A Dying Planet Short Stories
Book 41 of 91 · published 2020 Anthology · Dave Golder,Ana Maria Curtis
Detective Thrillers Short Stories
Book 42 of 91 · published 2020 Anthology · Marie Vibbert
Charles Dickens Supernatural Short Stories
Book 43 of 91 · published 2020 Anthology · Charles Dickens
African Myths & Tales: Epic Tales
Book 44 of 91 · published 2020 Anthology · Marian Womack,Ana Maria Curtis
Heroes & Heroines Short Stories
Book 45 of 91 · published 2020 Anthology · Maria Tatar
Native American MythsTales
Book 46 of 91 · published 2020 Anthology · Sam D. Gill
Witches, Wizards, Seers & Healers Myths & Tales
Book 47 of 91 · published 2020 Anthology · Abbie Farwell Brown,Andrew Lang,Jacob Grimm,Wilhelm Grimm,Joseph Jacobs,Yei Theodora Ozaki,Douglas Hyde,Thomas Malory,Jeremiah Curtin,Henry Rowe Schoolcraft,Lewis Spence,James Mooney,Charles Godfrey Leland,Florence Holbrook,E.A. Wallis Budge,Richard Wilhelm,F. Hadland Davis,Norman Hinsdale Pitman,Yi Ryuk,Charles Montgomery Skinner,Edmund Leamy,Sophia Morrison,William Elliot Griffis,James Scarth Gale,Elphinstone Dayrell,Alice Werner,M.I. Ogumefu,William Butler Yeats,Diane Purkiss,George W. Bateman,Elsie Finnimore Buckley,Margaret Compton,Jonathan Ceredig Davies,George Douglas,Alice Elizabeth Dracott,George Grey,Francis Hindes Groome,H.A. Guerber,Eleanor Hull,W.F. Kirby,Ignác Kúnos,Minnie Martin,Frederick H. Martens,W.R.S. Ralston,A.G. Seklemian,Chauncy Hugh Stigand,J.R. Walker,E.T.C. Werner,William Drake Westervelt,Lady Wilde,Albert Henry Wratislaw
George Orwell Visions of Dystopia
Book 48 of 91 · published 2021 Anthology · George Orwell
Gods & Monsters Myths & Tales
Book 49 of 91 · published 2021 Anthology · Liz Gloyn
Black Sci-Fi Short Stories
Book 51 of 91 · published 2021 Anthology · K. Tempest Bradford,Russell Nichols,Wole Talabi,W.E.B. Du Bois,Tara Campbell,Walidah Imarisha,James Beamon,Martin R. Delany,Sandra M. Grayson,Patty Nicole Johnson,Pauline Elizabeth Hopkins,Temi Oh,Michelle F. Goddard,Tia Ross,Harambee K. Grey-Sun,Sutton E. Griggs,Emmalia Harrington,Edward Johnson,Megan Pindling,Sylvie Soul,Lyle Stiles
Chilling Crime Short Stories
Book 53 of 91 · published 2021 Anthology · Dan Stout,Margaret Murphy,Marshall J. Moore
Persian Myths & Tales: Epic Tales
Book 54 of 91 · published 2022 Anthology · Christine Ruymbeke
BeastsCreatures MythsTales: Epic Tales
Book 55 of 91 · published 2022 Anthology · Tok Thompson
Asian Ghost Short Stories
Book 56 of 91 · published 2022 Anthology · Lee Murray,K.P. Kulski
Weird Horror Short Stories
Book 57 of 91 · published 2022 Anthology · M.R. James
Christmas Gothic Short Stories
Book 58 of 91 · published 2022 Anthology · Marshall J. Moore,Jerrold E. Hogle
First Peoples Shared Stories: Gothic Fantasy)
Book 59 of 91 · published 2022 Anthology · Flame Tree Studio (Literature and Science
Alternate History Short Stories)
Book 60 of 91 · published 2023 Anthology · Flame Tree Studio (Literature and Science
Hidden Realms Short Stories
Book 61 of 91 · published 2023 Anthology · Anna Taborska,Briana Una McGuckin
Immigrant Sci-Fi Short Stories)
Book 62 of 91 · published 2023 Anthology · Flame Tree Studio (Literature and Science
Spirits & Ghouls Short Stories
Book 63 of 91 · published 2023 Anthology · Rayne Hall,BretNelson,Wen Wen Yang,Ahmed al-Rawi
Lost Atlantis Short Stories)
Book 64 of 91 · published 2023 Anthology · Flame Tree Studio (Literature and Science
Algernon Blackwood Horror Stories
Book 66 of 91 · published 2023 Anthology · Algernon Blackwood
Viking Folk & Fairy Tales
Book 67 of 91 · published 2023 Anthology · Dagrún Ósk Jónsdóttir
Scottish Folk & Fairy Tales
Book 68 of 91 · published 2023 Anthology · Allison Galbraith
Egyptian Myths & Tales: Epic Tales
Book 69 of 91 · published 2023 Anthology · Jake Jackson
Learning to Be Human Short Stories
Book 70 of 91 · published 2024 Anthology · P.A. Cornell
Shadows on the Water Short Stories
Book 71 of 91 · published 2024 Anthology · Rachael K. Jones
Arthur Machen Horror Stories
Book 72 of 91 · published 2024 Anthology · Arthur Machen
William Hope Hodgson Horror Stories
Book 73 of 91 · published 2024 Anthology · William Hope Hodgson,Jonathan Newell
African Ghost Short Stories
Book 74 of 91 · published 2024 Anthology · Chinelo Onwualu,Nuzo Onoh,Divine Che Neba
Titans & Giants Myths & Tales: Epic Tales
Book 75 of 91 · published 2024 Multi-author collection
Babylon & Sumer Myths & Tales
Book 77 of 91 · published 2024 Anthology · Fiona Collins
Sun Rising Short Stories
Book 78 of 91 · published 2024 Anthology · Faye Snowden,Ravit Helled
Moon Falling Short Stories
Book 79 of 91 · published 2024 Anthology · Various,Ben Moore
Sheridan Le Fanu Horror Stories
Book 80 of 91 · published 2025 Anthology · J. Sheridan Le Fanu
Afrofuturism Short Stories,Dr. Sandra M. Grayson)
Book 81 of 91 · published 2025 Anthology · Flame Tree Studio (Literature and Science
Were Wolf Short Stories
Book 82 of 91 · published 2025 Anthology · Dr. Karen E. Macfarlane
Prophecies & Oracles Myths & Tales
Book 83 of 91 · published 2025 Anthology · Richard Stoneman
Robots Past & Future Short Stories
Book 84 of 91 · published 2025 Anthology · Chris Beckett
Kalevala & Finnish Myths & Tales
Book 85 of 91 · published 2026 Anthology · Various
Faeries & Nymphs Myths & Tales: Epic Tales
Book 86 of 91 · published 2026 Anthology · Dr Jennifer Larson
Slavic Myths & Tales: Epic Tales
Book 87 of 91 · published 2026 Anthology · Kristijan Petrovic,Ema Lakinska
Africanfuturism Short Stories
Book 88 of 91 · published 2026 Anthology · Chinelo Onwualu,Yvette Lisa Ndlovu
Folklore Horror Short Stories
Book 89 of 91 · published 2026 Anthology · Flame Tree Studio
Wars in the Stars Short Stories
Book 90 of 91 · published 2026 Anthology · Flame Tree Studio
Christmas Horror Short Stories
Latest in the series · book 91 of 91 · published 2026 Anthology · Flame Tree Studio
The Invisible Eye
Series opener · book 1 of 8 · published 1880 Anthology · Erckmann-Chatrian
The Black Reaper
Book 3 of 8 · published 1998 Anthology · Bernard Capes,Hugh Lamb
Dracula’s Brethren
Book 5 of 8 · published 2017 Anthology · Richard Dalby,Brian J. Frost
Three Men in the Dark
Book 6 of 8 · published 2017 Co-authored · Robert Barr,Barry Pain,Jerome K. Jerome,Hugh Lamb
Ghosts in the House
Book 7 of 8 · published 2018 Anthology · Hugh Lamb,A.C. Benson,R.H. Benson
The Tiled House
Latest in the series · book 8 of 8 · published 2019 Anthology · J. Sheridan Le Fanu
The Undying Monster
Series opener · book 1 of 12 · published 1922 Anthology · Jessie Douglas Kerruish
Promethean Horrors
Book 4 of 12 · published 2019 Anthology · Xavier Aldana Reyes
A Phantom Lover and Other Dark Tales
Book 6 of 12 · published 2020 Anthology · Vernon Lee
The Weird Tales of Dorothy K. Haynes
Latest in the series · book 12 of 12 · published 2024 Anthology · Johnny Mains,Dorothy K. Haynes,Craig Lamont
Great Short Stories of Detection, Mystery and Horror
Series opener · book 1 of 27 · published 1931
Ghost Stories and Other Tales of the Supernatural
Book 20 of 27 · published 2019
Crawling Horror: Creeping Tales of the Insect Weird
Book 25 of 27 · published 2021
Weird Woods: Tales From the Haunted Forests of Britain
Latest in the series · book 27 of 27 · published 2020
? Frequently Asked Questions
Who is E.F. Benson?
E. F. Benson was a wonderful English writer, archaeologist, short story writer, biographer, and memoirist. He was born as Edward Frederic Benson and was particularly famous for writing the Mapp and Lucia book series. Additionally, he has penned numerous standalone, several short story collections, a few nonfiction books, as well as some biographies, articles, and plays.
Which E.F. Benson series should I start with?
The best place to start is the Collins Chillers series, the earliest of E.F. Benson's multi-book series: it opens with The Invisible Eye (1880) and runs to 8 books across 1880–2019, ending with The Tiled House (2019). E.F. Benson's other series stand alone, so they can be read in any order.
How many books has E.F. Benson written?
E.F. Benson has 251 books catalogued in this guide, published between 1667 and 2026. 135 of them belong to 7 named series — the largest being The Mapp & Lucia Novels series with 15 books — and 116 are standalone titles, collections or anthologies.
In what order should E.F. Benson's series be read?
Read each series in publication order — the numbered entries in each series follow the year each book first appeared. E.F. Benson's series do not depend on one another, so they can be started in any order; by start date they are Collins Chillers (1880–2019, 8 books), Dodo Trilogy (1893–1921, 4 books) and David Blaize (1916–2015, 3 books), plus 3 more.
How are E.F. Benson's books organised into series?
This guide splits E.F. Benson's 251 books into 7 named series and 116 titles that stand alone or appear only in collections: The Mapp & Lucia Novels (15 books, 1920–2014); British Library Tales of the Weird (12 books, 1922–2024); Collins Chillers (8 books, 1880–2019); Dodo Trilogy (4 books, 1893–1921); David Blaize (3 books, 1916–2015), plus 2 further series.