How many books has James Herbert written?

James Herbert published 25 novels, 1 novella and 1 non-fiction book that we list, as of September 2026.

What order should I read James Herbert's books in?

Read each series in its own order: start Rats with The Rats. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.

What is James Herbert's most famous book?

The Rats (1974) is James Herbert's most widely read book.

Are James Herbert's books connected?

3 books belong to 1 series (Rats); the other 24 books stand alone.

Which James Herbert books have been adapted?

2 books have been adapted for film or TV, including Shrine (as The Unholy, film, 2021) and The Secret of Crickley Hall (TV).

James Herbert books in order

English horror writer

Lived: 1943–2013
Country: United Kingdom
Books: 27
Series: 1

Horror

James Herbert published 25 novels, 1 novella and 1 non-fiction book, beginning with The Rats (1974). The series is Rats (3 books, starting with The Rats).

Updated September 2026

Rats books in order (3)Series page

Reading order: 1 The Rats (1974) · 2 Lair (1979) · 3 Domain (1984)

1.
The Rats (1974)
187 pages
Buy
2.
Lair (1979)
244 pages
Buy
3.
Domain (1984)
412 pages
Buy

Where to start with James Herbert

Start here
The Rats
James Herbert's most-read book and the first of the 3 Rats books.

Standalone novels in order

The Fog (1975)
307 pages
Buy
The Survivor (1976)
206 pages
Buy
Fluke (1977)
215 pages
Buy
The Spear (1978)
288 pages
Buy
The Dark (1980)
400 pages
Buy
Shrine (1983)
432 pagesAdapted for film
Buy
Moon (1985)
313 pages
Buy
Magic Cottage. Roman (1986)
352 pages
Buy
The Magic Cottage (1986)
393 pages
Buy
Sepulchre (1987)
353 pages
Buy
Haunted (1988)
231 pages
Buy
Creed (1990)
320 pages
Buy
Portent (1992)
376 pages
Buy
The Ghosts of Sleath (1994)
409 pages
Buy
'48 (1996)
333 pages
Buy
Others (1999)
503 pages
Buy
Others Uk (1999)
512 pages
Buy
The Jonah (1999)
281 pages
Buy
Once (2001)
382 pages
Buy
Nobody True (2003)
394 pages
Buy
The Secret of Crickley Hall (Oct 2006)
500 pagesAdapted for TV
Buy
Ash (2012)
698 pages
Buy

Novellas in order

The City (1994)
64 pages
Buy

Non-fiction in order

Dark Places (1993)
167 pages
Buy

Film and TV adaptations

The Unholy (2021)Film · from Shrine
The Secret of Crickley HallTV · from The Secret of Crickley Hall

About James Herbert

James John Herbert, OBE was an English horror writer. A full-time writer, he also designed his own book covers and publicity. His books have sold 54 million copies worldwide, and have been translated into 34 languages, including Chinese and Russian.

Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.

James Herbert FAQ

How many books has James Herbert written?: James Herbert published 25 novels, 1 novella and 1 non-fiction book that we list, as of September 2026.
What order should I read James Herbert's books in?: Read each series in its own order: start Rats with The Rats. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.
What is James Herbert's last book?: Ash (2012).
What is James Herbert's most famous book?: The Rats (1974) is James Herbert's most widely read book.
Are James Herbert's books connected?: 3 books belong to 1 series (Rats); the other 24 books stand alone.
Which James Herbert books have been adapted?: 2 books have been adapted for film or TV, including Shrine (as The Unholy, film, 2021) and The Secret of Crickley Hall (TV).