Tom Holt

Tom Holt, born Thomas Charles Louis Holt in 1961 is a British author best known for writing a series of fantasy and science fiction novels with a touch of humor. He was born to Hazel Holt, who was himself a famous novelist known for the Sheila Malory series. Born in London, he went to Westminster School before proceeding to Wadham College, Oxford, and finally the College of Law, London.

The best place to start is The Mapp & Lucia Novels series, the earliest of Tom Holt's multi-book series: it opens with Queen Lucia (1920) and runs to 15 books across 1920–2014, ending with Au Reservoir (2014). Tom Holt's other series stand alone, so they can be read in any order.

Tom Holt has 147 books catalogued in this guide, published between 1920 and 2026. 80 of them belong to 17 named series — the largest being The Mapp & Lucia Novels series with 15 books — and 67 are standalone titles, collections or anthologies.

Read each series in publication order — the numbered entries in each series follow the year each book first appeared. Tom Holt's series do not depend on one another, so they can be started in any order; by start date they are The Mapp & Lucia Novels (1920–2014, 15 books), The Walled Orchard (1989–1990, 2 books) and Fencer Trilogy (1998–2000, 3 books), plus 14 more.

This guide splits Tom Holt's 147 books into 17 named series and 67 titles that stand alone or appear only in collections: The Mapp & Lucia Novels (15 books, 1920–2014); K.J. Parker Short Stories/Novellas (12 books, 2009–2025); J. W. Wells & Co. (8 books, 2003–2023); Tom Holt Omnibus (7 books, 2000–2004); Five Stories High (5 books, 2016), plus 12 further series.