Colleen McCullough books in order
Australian author
- Lived
- 1937–2015
- Country
- Australia
- Books
- 25
- Series
- 2
Colleen McCullough published 25 novels, beginning with The Thorn Birds (1977). The 2 series include Masters of Rome (7 books, starting with The First Man in Rome) and Carmine Delmonico (5 books, starting with On, Off).
Updated September 2026
Masters of Rome books in order (7)Series page
Reading order: 1 The First Man in Rome (1990) · 2 The Grass Crown (1991) · 3 Fortune's Favourites (1993) · 4 Caesar's Women (1996) · 5 Caesar (1997) · 6 The October Horse (2002) · 7 Antony and Cleopatra (2007)
- 1.
The First Man in Rome (1990)
- 2.
The Grass Crown (1991)
- 3.
Fortune's Favourites (1993)
- 4.
Caesar's Women (1996)
- 5.
Caesar (1997)
- 6.
The October Horse (2002)
- 7.
Antony and Cleopatra (2007)
Carmine Delmonico books in order (5)Series page
Reading order: 1 On, Off (2005) · 2 Too Many Murders (2009) · 3 Naked Cruelty (2010) · 4 The Prodigal Son (2012) · 5 Sins of the Flesh (2013)
- 1.
On, Off (2005)
- 2.
Too Many Murders (2009)
- 3.
Naked Cruelty (2010)
- 4.
The Prodigal Son (2012)
- 5.
Sins of the Flesh (2013)
Where to start with Colleen McCullough
Start here
The Thorn Birds
Colleen McCullough's most-read book.
Standalone novels in order
Tim (1974)
The Thorn Birds (Apr 1977)
An Indecent Obsession (1981)
A Creed for the Third Millennium (1985)
The Ladies of Missalonghi (1987)
The Song of Troy (1998)
The Courage And The Will The Life Of Roden Cutler Vc (1999)
Morgan's Run (Aug 2000)
The Touch (Nov 2003)
Angel (2004)
Angel Puss (Oct 2005)
The Independence of Miss Mary Bennet (2008)
Bittersweet (2013)
Film and TV adaptations
- Tim (1979)Film · from Tim
- Mary & Tim (1996)TV · from Tim
- The Thorn Birds (1983)TV · from The Thorn Birds
- The Thorn Birds: The Missing Years (1996)TV · from The Thorn Birds
About Colleen McCullough
Colleen McCullough was an Australian author. Raised in Sydney, she trained as a neurophysiologist and spent her early career working at hospitals and universities in Australia and overseas. In 1974, while working as a research assistant at the Yale School of Medicine, she published her first novel Tim. Her second novel, The Thorn Birds, was published in 1977 and became an international bestseller. It sold more than 30 million copies worldwide and was adapted into a successful television miniseries.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Colleen McCullough FAQ
- How many books has Colleen McCullough written?
- Colleen McCullough published 25 novels that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Colleen McCullough's books in?
- Read each series in its own order: start Masters of Rome with The First Man in Rome and Carmine Delmonico with On, Off. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.
- What is Colleen McCullough's last book?
- Sins of the Flesh (2013).
- What is Colleen McCullough's most famous book?
- The Thorn Birds (1977) is Colleen McCullough's most widely read book.
- Are Colleen McCullough's books connected?
- 12 books belong to 2 series (Masters of Rome and Carmine Delmonico); the other 13 books stand alone.
- Which Colleen McCullough books have been adapted?
- 2 books have been adapted for film or TV, including Tim (film, 1979) and The Thorn Birds (TV, 1983).
Authors like Colleen McCullough
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.