Mario Puzo books in order
American author, screenwriter, and journalist
- Lived
- 1920–1999
- Country
- United States
- Books
- 18
- Series
- 1
- Also writes as
- Mario Cleri
Mario Puzo published 16 novels, 1 novella and 1 non-fiction book, beginning with The Dark Arena (1955). The series is The Godfather (6 books, starting with The Family Corleone). The best-known is The Godfather (1969).
Updated September 2026
The Godfather books in order (6)Series page
Reading order: 1 The Family Corleone (2012) · 2 The Godfather (1969) · 3 The Sicilian (1984) · 4 The Godfather Returns (2004) · 5 The Godfather's Revenge (2006) · Omertà (2000)
- 1.
The Family Corleone (2012)
- 2.
The Godfather (Mar 1969)
- 3.
The Sicilian (Nov 1984)
- 4.
The Godfather Returns (2004)
- 5.
The Godfather's Revenge (2006)
Omertà (2000)
Where to start with Mario Puzo
Start here
The Family Corleone
Book 1 of The Godfather, the series that includes The Godfather, Mario Puzo's most-read book.
Highest rated
The Godfather
Rated 4.3 out of 5 by 48 readers.
Shortest way in
The Fortunate Pilgrim
One of the most-read, at about 301 pages.
Standalone novels in order
The Dark Arena (1955)
Mamma Lucia (1964)
The Fortunate Pilgrim (1965)
Six Graves to Munich (1967)
The Godfather Papers and Other Confessions (1972)
Inside Las Vegas (1977)
Fools Die (Oct 1978)
The Fourth K (1990)
The Last Don (1996)
The Family (Oct 2001)
Novellas in order
The Runaway Summer of Davie Shaw (1966)
Non-fiction in order
Making of the Godfather (2013)
Film and TV adaptations
- The Godfather (1972)Film · from The Godfather
- The Godfather Part II (1974)Film · from The Godfather
- The Godfather Saga (1977)TV · from The Godfather
- The Godfather Part III (1990)Film · from The Godfather
- The Sicilian (1987)Film · from The Sicilian
- The Last Don (1997)TV · from The Last Don
About Mario Puzo
Mario Francis Puzo was an American author and screenwriter. He wrote crime novels about the Italian-American Mafia and Sicilian Mafia, most notably The Godfather (1969), which he later co-adapted into a film trilogy directed by Francis Ford Coppola. He received the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for the first film in 1972 and for its sequel Part II in 1974. Puzo also wrote the original screenplay for Superman (1978) and its 1980 sequel. His final novel, The Family, was released posthumously in 2001.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Mario Puzo FAQ
- How many books has Mario Puzo written?
- Mario Puzo published 16 novels, 1 novella and 1 non-fiction book that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Mario Puzo's books in?
- Read each series in its own order: start The Godfather with The Family Corleone. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.
- What is Mario Puzo's last book?
- The Family (2001).
- What is Mario Puzo's most famous book?
- The Godfather (1969) is Mario Puzo's most widely read book.
- Are Mario Puzo's books connected?
- 6 books belong to 1 series (The Godfather); the other 12 books stand alone.
- Does Mario Puzo write under a pen name?
- Yes: Mario Puzo has also published as Mario Cleri.
- Which Mario Puzo books have been adapted?
- 3 books have been adapted for film or TV, including The Godfather (film, 1972), The Sicilian (film, 1987) and The Last Don (TV, 1997).
Authors like Mario Puzo
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Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.