🎯 Where Should I Start?
ⓘ About Stephen Hunter
Many authors have a background that includes an inspiring story about how they suddenly discovered they had a passion for writing. It was no surprise at all when Stephen Hunter emerged as an author, as his mother, Virginia Ricker Hunter, was an author of books for children and his father, Charles Francis Hunter, was a professor for Northwestern University who taught speech, television production, and film. Although it is clear that the careers of his parents have a big influence on what Hunter would become, his relationship with his father was very strained. Charles Francis Hunter, being upstanding as a college professor, was frequently physically abusive to his wife and kids. He was an alcoholic who drank to cope with his hidden pangs of being gay.
All Book Series by Stephen Hunter
American Gunfight
Latest in the series · book 3 of 3 · published 2005 Co-authored · John Bainbridge Jr.
The Gun Man Jackson Swagger
Latest in the series · book 23 of 23 · published 2025
The Book of Virtue
Series opener · book 1 of 40 · published 2012 Anthology · Ken Bruen
Pronghorns of the Third Reich
Book 2 of 40 · published 2012 Anthology · C.J. Box
An Acceptable Sacrifice
Book 5 of 40 · published 2012 Anthology · Jeffery Deaver
The Long Sonata of the Dead
Book 9 of 40 · published 2013 Anthology · Andrew Taylor
The Book of Ghosts
Book 10 of 40 · published 2013 Anthology · Reed Farrel Coleman
The Compendium of Srem
Book 11 of 40 · published 2014 Anthology · F. Paul Wilson
The Nature of My Inheritance
Book 17 of 40 · published 2014 Anthology · Bradford Morrow
It's in the Book
Book 18 of 40 · published 2014 Anthology · Max Allan Collins,Mickey Spillane
Reconciliation Day
Book 28 of 40 · published 2016 Anthology · Christopher Fowler
The Hemingway Valise
Book 34 of 40 · published 2018 Anthology · Robert Olen Butler
The Last Honest Horse Thief
Book 35 of 40 · published 2018 Anthology · Michael Koryta
The Caxton Private Lending Library & Book Depository
Book 36 of 40 · published 2018 Anthology · John Connolly
The Girl Who Did Say No
Book 37 of 40 · published 2020 Anthology · David Handler
The Honeymoon Trap
Latest in the series · book 40 of 40 · published 2022 Anthology · Peter Swanson
Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus
Book 11 of 33 · published 2022 Anthology · Faye Kellerman
Aloysius X. L. Pendergast
Book 15 of 33 · published 2022 Anthology · Douglas Preston,Lincoln Child
Charlotte and Thomas Pitt
Book 18 of 33 · published 2022 Anthology · Anne Perry
Precious Ramotswe
Book 24 of 33 · published 2022 Anthology · Alexander McCall Smith
Orphan X
Latest in the series · book 33 of 33 · published 2025 Anthology · Gregg Hurwitz
? Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Stephen Hunter?
Many authors have a background that includes an inspiring story about how they suddenly discovered they had a passion for writing. It was no surprise at all when Stephen Hunter emerged as an author, as his mother, Virginia Ricker Hunter, was an author of books for children and his father, Charles Francis Hunter, was a professor for Northwestern University who taught speech, television production, and film. Although it is clear that the careers of his parents have a big influence on what Hunter would become, his relationship with his father was very strained.
Which Stephen Hunter series should I start with?
The best place to start is the Swaggerverse series, the earliest of Stephen Hunter's multi-book series: it opens with The Second Saladin (1982) and runs to 23 books across 1982–2025, ending with The Gun Man Jackson Swagger (2025). Stephen Hunter's other series stand alone, so they can be read in any order.
How many books has Stephen Hunter written?
Stephen Hunter has 129 books catalogued in this guide, published between 1980 and 2025. 115 of them belong to 7 named series — the largest being the Swaggerverse series with 23 books — and 14 are standalone titles, collections or anthologies.
In what order should Stephen Hunter's series be read?
Read each series in publication order — the numbered entries in each series follow the year each book first appeared. Stephen Hunter's series do not depend on one another, so they can be started in any order; by start date they are Swaggerverse (1982–2025, 23 books), Bob Lee Swagger (1993–2022, 12 books) and Earl Swagger (2000–2023, 4 books), plus 2 more.
How are Stephen Hunter's books organised into series?
This guide splits Stephen Hunter's 129 books into 7 named series and 14 titles that stand alone or appear only in collections: Swaggerverse (23 books, 1982–2025); Bob Lee Swagger (12 books, 1993–2022); Earl Swagger (4 books, 2000–2023); Ray Cruz (2 books, 2010–2011); Swagger Collections (1 book, 2024), plus 2 further series.