🎯 Where Should I Start?
ⓘ About John Banville / Benjamin Black
John Banville is an Irish author of fiction as well as playwright and screenwriter. He is known for his darkly humorous writing, precise forensic style, and thick poetry. He was born in Wexford, Ireland, on December 8, 1945. Banville also writes under the pen name of Benjamin Black, under which he wrote Christine Falls and then The Silver Swan. He has also taken over the Philip Marlowe character from celebrated author Raymond Chandler under the Benjamin Black mantle. His mother stayed at home as a housewife and his father worked in a garage. His father passed away when John was in his thirties. Banville is one of three siblings and is the youngest of them all. Vincent, his older brother, is a novelist as well and has written under pen name Vincent Lawrence as well as his given name.
All Book Series by John Banville / Benjamin Black
The Big Sleep
Series opener · book 1 of 13 · published 1939 Anthology · Raymond Chandler
Poodle Springs
Book 8 of 13 · published 1989 Anthology · Robert B. Parker,Raymond Chandler
The Black-Eyed Blonde / Marlowe
Book 10 of 13 · published 2014 Pen name · Benjamin Black
The Second Murderer
Latest in the series · book 13 of 13 · published 2023 Anthology · Denise Mina
The Secret Guests
Series opener · book 1 of 5 · published 2020 Pen name · Benjamin Black
Wolf on a String / Prague Nights
Book 9 of 12 · published 2017 Pen name · Benjamin Black
The Supreme Fictions of John Banville
Latest in the series · book 2 of 2 · published 1999
Timeless Voices, Modern Echoes
Single-title series · published 2024 Pen name · Benjamin Black
Conversation in the Mountains
Latest in the series · book 2 of 2 · published 2020
Possessed of a Past: A John Banville Reader
Series opener · book 1 of 2 · published 2012
The Flaneur
Series opener · book 1 of 5 · published 2001 Anthology · Edmund White
Florence, a Delicate Case
Book 2 of 5 · published 2002 Anthology · David Leavitt
Ghost Town: Tales of Manhattan Then and Now
Book 4 of 5 · published 2005 Anthology · Patrick McGrath
Oxford Revisited: A City Revisited
Latest in the series · book 5 of 5 · published 2008 Anthology · Justin Cartwright
The Believer Book of Writers Talking to Writers
Series opener · book 1 of 6 · published 2005
Review of Contemporary Fiction: Roberto Calasso Issue
Latest in the series · book 6 of 6 · published 2019
? Frequently Asked Questions
Who is John Banville / Benjamin Black?
John Banville is an Irish author of fiction as well as playwright and screenwriter. He is known for his darkly humorous writing, precise forensic style, and thick poetry. He was born in Wexford, Ireland, on December 8, 1945.
Which John Banville / Benjamin Black series should I start with?
The best place to start is the Philip Marlowe series, the earliest of John Banville / Benjamin Black's multi-book series: it opens with The Big Sleep (1939) and runs to 13 books across 1939–2023, ending with The Second Murderer (2023). John Banville / Benjamin Black's other series stand alone, so they can be read in any order.
How many books has John Banville / Benjamin Black written?
John Banville / Benjamin Black has 68 books catalogued in this guide, published between 1939 and 2025. 42 of them belong to 8 named series — the largest being the Philip Marlowe series with 13 books — and 26 are standalone titles, collections or anthologies.
In what order should John Banville / Benjamin Black's series be read?
Read each series in publication order — the numbered entries in each series follow the year each book first appeared. John Banville / Benjamin Black's series do not depend on one another, so they can be started in any order; by start date they are Philip Marlowe (1939–2023, 13 books), The Revolutions Trilogy (1976–1982, 3 books) and Frames: The Freddie Montgomery Trilogy (1989–1995, 3 books), plus 5 more.
How are John Banville / Benjamin Black's books organised into series?
This guide splits John Banville / Benjamin Black's 68 books into 8 named series and 26 titles that stand alone or appear only in collections: Philip Marlowe (13 books, 1939–2023); Quirke (9 books, 2006–2023); St. John Strafford (5 books, 2020–2024); Writer and the City (5 books, 2001–2008); The Revolutions Trilogy (3 books, 1976–1982), plus 3 further series.