🎯 Where Should I Start?
Best Starting Point
Publication Order of Vampire Archives Books
Start with: Bloodsuckers (2009)
Popular Choice
Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books
Start with: Detectionary (1971)
Popular Choice
Publication Order of Anthologies
Start with: Whodunit? Houdini? (1976)
ⓘ About Otto Penzler
Otto Penzler is a historical romance, thriller, horror, and mystery author and also the proprietor of New York’s “The Mysterious Bookshop.” The author is deemed the foremost authority on suspense, mystery, and crime fiction. Penzler was born in Hamburg Germany in 1942 to Otto Penzler a chemist and his wife Jeanette a secretary. He was always fascinated with mystery and detective novels and he has turned this passion into a multi-faceted and lucrative career over the years. Frederick Allen of New York Magazine called him a one-man, self-made locked room industry whose work in mystery has made him a colossus in the genre. Otto is the founder of two publishing houses that emphasized mystery and suspense works.
All Book Series by Otto Penzler
1
Bloodsuckers
Series opener · book 1 of 2 · published 2009
Buy on Amazon2009
2
Fangs
Latest in the series · book 2 of 2 · published 2009
Buy on Amazon2009
1
Detectionary
Series opener · book 1 of 7 · published 1971
Buy on Amazon1971
2
Encyclopedia of Mystery and Detection
Book 2 of 7 · published 1976 Co-authored · Chris Steinbrunner
Buy on Amazon1976
4
Hunting the Killer Shark
Book 4 of 7 · published 1976
Buy on Amazon1976
5
Daredevils on Wheels
Book 5 of 7 · published 1976
Buy on Amazon1976
6
This Prize is Dangerous
Book 6 of 7 · published 1985
Buy on Amazon1985
7
101 Greatest Films of Mystery and Suspense
Latest in the series · book 7 of 7 · published 2000
Buy on Amazon2000
1
Whodunit? Houdini?
Series opener · book 1 of 101 · published 1976
Buy on Amazon1976
2
The Private Lives of Private Eyes, Spies, Crimefighters & Other Good Guys
Book 2 of 101 · published 1977
Buy on Amazon1977
3
The Great Detectives
Book 3 of 101 · published 1978
Buy on Amazon1978
4
The Crown Crime Companion
Book 4 of 101 · published 1995
Buy on Amazon1995
5
Murder For Love
Book 5 of 101 · published 1996
Buy on Amazon1996
6
The Best American Mystery Stories 1997
Book 6 of 101 · published 1997
Buy on Amazon1997
7
The 50 Greatest Mysteries of All Time
Book 7 of 101 · published 1998
Buy on Amazon1998
8
Murder for Revenge
Book 8 of 101 · published 1998
Buy on Amazon1998
9
The Greatest Mysteries of All Time
Book 9 of 101 · published 1998
Buy on Amazon1998
10
The Case of the Scottish Tragedy
Book 10 of 101 · published 1998
Buy on Amazon1998
11
The Best American Mystery Stories 1998
Book 11 of 101 · published 1998
Buy on Amazon1998
12
Murder and Obsession
Book 12 of 101 · published 1999
Buy on Amazon1999
13
The Best American Mystery Stories 1999
Book 13 of 101 · published 1999
Buy on Amazon1999
14
Criminal Records
Book 14 of 101 · published 2000
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15
The Best American Mystery Stories of the Century
Book 15 of 101 · published 2000
Buy on Amazon2000
16
The Best American Mystery Stories 2000
Book 16 of 101 · published 2000
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17
Murderers' Row
Book 17 of 101 · published 2001
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18
The Best American Mystery Stories 2001
Book 18 of 101 · published 2001
Buy on Amazon2001
19
The Mysterious Press Anniversary Anthology: Celebrating 25 Years
Book 19 of 101 · published 2001
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20
Murder on the Ropes
Book 20 of 101 · published 2001
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21
The Best American Mystery Stories 2000
Book 21 of 101 · published 2001
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22
Murder Is My Racquet
Book 22 of 101 · published 2002
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23
The Mighty Johns and Other Stories
Book 23 of 101 · published 2002
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24
Sudden Death
Book 24 of 101 · published 2002
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25
The Best American Crime Writing: 2002
Book 25 of 101 · published 2002
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26
The Best American Mystery Stories 2002
Book 26 of 101 · published 2002
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27
The Best American Mystery Stories 3
Book 27 of 101 · published 2002
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28
The Best American Mystery Stories 2
Book 28 of 101 · published 2003
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29
One Clue Beyond
Book 29 of 101 · published 2003
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30
Best American Crime Writing: 2003
Book 30 of 101 · published 2003
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31
Best American Crime Writing
Book 31 of 101 · published 2003
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32
The Year's Best True Crime Reporting: Best American Crime Writing
Book 32 of 101 · published 2003
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33
Murder at the Foul Line
Book 33 of 101 · published 2003
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34
The Best American Mystery Stories
Book 34 of 101 · published 2003
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35
The Best American Mystery Stories 2003
Book 35 of 101 · published 2003
Buy on Amazon2003
36
The Best American Mystery Stories 2004
Book 36 of 101 · published 2004
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37
Dangerous Women
Book 37 of 101 · published 2005
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38
The Best American Crime Writing 2005
Book 38 of 101 · published 2005
Buy on Amazon2005
39
The Best American Mystery Stories 2005
Book 39 of 101 · published 2005
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40
Uncertain Endings
Book 40 of 101 · published 2006
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41
Murder at the Racetrack
Book 41 of 101 · published 2006
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42
Murder in the Rough
Book 42 of 101 · published 2006
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43
The Best American Mystery Stories 2006
Book 43 of 101 · published 2006
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44
Pulp Fiction: The Crimefighters
Book 44 of 101 · published 2006
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45
Pulp Fiction - The Villains
Book 45 of 101 · published 2007
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46
Dead Man's Hand
Book 46 of 101 · published 2007
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47
The Best American Crime Reporting 2007
Book 47 of 101 · published 2007
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48
The Best American Mystery Stories 2007
Book 48 of 101 · published 2007
Buy on Amazon2007
49
The Black Lizard Big Book of Pulps
Book 49 of 101 · published 2007
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50
The Vicious Circle
Book 50 of 101 · published 2007
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51
Best American Mystery Stories 2007
Book 51 of 101 · published 2008
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52
Pulp Fiction - The Dames
Book 52 of 101 · published 2008
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53
Hardcore Hardboiled
Book 53 of 101 · published 2008
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54
The Best American Mystery Stories 2008
Book 54 of 101 · published 2008
Buy on Amazon2008
55
Bloodsuckers
Book 55 of 101 · published 2009
Buy on Amazon2009
56
The Vampire Archives
Book 56 of 101 · published 2009
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60
The Best American Crime Reporting 2009
Book 60 of 101 · published 2009
Buy on Amazon2009
61
The Best American Mystery Stories 2009
Book 61 of 101 · published 2009
Buy on Amazon2009
62
Agents of Treachery
Book 62 of 101 · published 2010
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63
The Black Lizard Big Book of Black Mask Stories
Book 63 of 101 · published 2010
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64
The Best American Mystery Stories 2010
Book 64 of 101 · published 2010
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65
The Best American Noir of the Century
Book 65 of 101 · published 2010
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66
Christmas at The Mysterious Bookshop
Book 66 of 101 · published 2010
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68
The Greatest Russian Stories of Crime and Suspense
Book 68 of 101 · published 2010
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69
The Best American Mystery Stories 2011
Book 69 of 101 · published 2011
Buy on Amazon2011
70
The Big Book of Adventure Stories
Book 70 of 101 · published 2011
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71
Zombies! Zombies! Zombies!
Book 71 of 101 · published 2011
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72
Zombies: A Compendium
Book 72 of 101 · published 2011
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73
The Big Book of Ghost Stories
Book 73 of 101 · published 2012
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74
Mark Twain's Medieval Romance
Book 74 of 101 · published 2012
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75
In Pursuit of Spenser
Book 75 of 101 · published 2012
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76
The Best American Mystery Stories 2012
Book 76 of 101 · published 2012
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77
Jack the Ripper
Book 77 of 101 · published 2012
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78
The Best American Mystery Stories 2013
Book 78 of 101 · published 2013
Buy on Amazon2013
79
The Best of the Best American Mystery Stories
Book 79 of 101 · published 2013
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81
The Big Book of Christmas Mysteries
Book 81 of 101 · published 2013
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82
The Best American Mystery Stories of the Nineteenth Century
Book 82 of 101 · published 2014
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83
The Best American Mystery Stories 2014
Book 83 of 101 · published 2014
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84
The Black Lizard Big Book of Locked-Room Mysteries
Book 84 of 101 · published 2014
Buy on Amazon2014
86
The Best American Mystery Stories 2015
Book 86 of 101 · published 2015
Buy on Amazon2015
87
The Best American Mystery Stories 2016
Book 87 of 101 · published 2016
Buy on Amazon2016
88
Silent Night, Deadly Night
Book 88 of 101 · published 2016
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89
The Realm of the Impossible
Book 89 of 101 · published 2017
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90
The Best American Mystery Stories 2017
Book 90 of 101 · published 2017
Buy on Amazon2017
91
The Misadventures of Nero Wolfe
Book 91 of 101 · published 2020
Buy on Amazon2020
92
Collectibles
Book 92 of 101 · published 2021
Buy on Amazon2021
93
The Best Mystery Stories of the Year: 2021
Book 93 of 101 · published 2021
Buy on Amazon2021
94
Best Crime Stories of the Year: 2021
Book 94 of 101 · published 2021
Buy on Amazon2021
95
Golden Age Bibliomysteries
Book 95 of 101 · published 2023
Buy on Amazon2023
96
The Mysterious Bookshop Presents the Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2025
Book 96 of 101 · published 2025
Buy on Amazon2025
97
The Greatest Mysteries of All Time, Volume 3
Book 97 of 101 · published 2025
Buy on Amazon2025
98
Murderers' Row Volume 2
Book 98 of 101 · published 2026
Buy on Amazon2026
99
Golden Age Suspense Stories
Book 99 of 101 · published 2026
Buy on Amazon2026
100
The Mysterious Bookshop Presents the Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2026
Book 100 of 101 · published 2026
Buy on Amazon2026
101
Golden Age Masters of Mystery
Latest in the series · book 101 of 101 · published 2026
Buy on Amazon2026
? Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Otto Penzler?
Otto Penzler is a historical romance, thriller, horror, and mystery author and also the proprietor of New York’s “The Mysterious Bookshop.” The author is deemed the foremost authority on suspense, mystery, and crime fiction. Penzler was born in Hamburg Germany in 1942 to Otto Penzler a chemist and his wife Jeanette a secretary. He was always fascinated with mystery and detective novels and he has turned this passion into a multi-faceted and lucrative career over the years.
Which Otto Penzler series should I start with?
The best place to start is the Vampire Archives series, the earliest of Otto Penzler's multi-book series: it opens with Bloodsuckers (2009) and runs to 2 books across 2009, ending with Fangs (2009).
How many books has Otto Penzler written?
Otto Penzler has 110 books catalogued in this guide, published between 1971 and 2026. 2 of them belong to 1 named series — the largest being the Vampire Archives series with 2 books — and 108 are standalone titles, collections or anthologies.
In what order should Otto Penzler's series be read?
Read each series in publication order — the numbered entries in each series follow the year each book first appeared. Otto Penzler's series do not depend on one another, so they can be started in any order; by start date they are Vampire Archives (2009, 2 books).
How are Otto Penzler's books organised into series?
This guide splits Otto Penzler's 110 books into 1 named series and 108 titles that stand alone or appear only in collections: Vampire Archives (2 books, 2009).
