Philip Kerr published 37 novels, 4 children's books and 1 other book, beginning with March Violets (1989). The 3 series include Bernie Gunther (9 books, starting with The One From the Other), Children of the Lamp (4 books, starting with The Akhenaten Adventure) and Berlin Noir trilogy (3 books, starting with March Violets). The best-known is The Akhenaten Adventure (2004).
Updated September 2026
Bernie Gunther books in order (9)Series page
Reading order: 4 The One From the Other (2006) · 5 A Quiet Flame (2008) · 6 If the Dead Rise Not (2009) · 7 Field Gray (2010) · 8 Prague Fatale (2011) · 10 The Lady from Zagreb (2015) · 12 Prussian Blue (2017) · 13 Greeks Bearing Gifts (2018) · 14 Metropolis (2019)
- 4.
The One From the Other (2006)
- 5.
A Quiet Flame (2008)
- 6.
If the Dead Rise Not (2009)
- 7.
Field Gray (2010)
- 8.
Prague Fatale (2011)
- 10.
The Lady from Zagreb (2015)
- 12.
Prussian Blue (2017)
- 13.
Greeks Bearing Gifts (2018)
- 14.
Metropolis (2019)
Children of the Lamp books in order (4)Series page
Reading order: 1 The Akhenaten Adventure (2004) · 2 The Blue Djinn of Babylon (2005) · 3 The Cobra King of Kathmandu (2006) · 4 The Eye of the Forest (2009)
- 1.
The Akhenaten Adventure (2004)
- 2.
The Blue Djinn of Babylon (2005)
- 3.
The Cobra King of Kathmandu (2006)
- 4.
The Eye of the Forest (Jan 2009)
Berlin Noir trilogy books in order (3)Series page
Reading order: 1 March Violets (1989) · 2 The Pale Criminal (1990) · 3 A German Requiem (1991)
- 1.
March Violets (1989)
- 2.
The Pale Criminal (1990)
- 3.
A German Requiem (1991)
Where to start with Philip Kerr
Start here
The Akhenaten Adventure
Philip Kerr's most-read book and the first of the 4 Children of the Lamp books.
Standalone novels in order
The Penguin Book of Lies (1991)
A Philosophical Investigation (1992)
Berlin Noir (1993)
Dead Meat (1994)
Gridiron (1995)
Esau (1996)
The Grid (1996)
A Five Year Plan (1997)
The Second Angel (1999)
The Shot (1999)
Dark Matter (2002)
Dark Matter: The Private Life of Sir Isaac Newton (2003)
Hitler's Peace (2005)
Field Grey (2010)
Field of Gray (2011)
A Man Without Breath (2013)
A Man Without Breath A Bernie Gunther Novel (2013)
Research (2013)
Prayer (2014)
January Window (2015)
Other Side of Silence (2016)
Children's books in order
The Day of the Djinn Warriors (2007)
The Five Fakirs Of Faizabad (2011)
The Grave Robbers of Genghis Khan (2011)
The Winter Horses (2014)
Other books in order
Children of the Lamp #1 (2004)
About Philip Kerr
Philip Ballantyne Kerr was a Scottish author, best known for his Bernie Gunther series of historical detective thrillers.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Philip Kerr FAQ
- How many books has Philip Kerr written?
- Philip Kerr published 37 novels, 4 children's books and 1 other book that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Philip Kerr's books in?
- Read each series in its own order: start Bernie Gunther with The One From the Other, Children of the Lamp with The Akhenaten Adventure and Berlin Noir trilogy with March Violets. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.
- What is Philip Kerr's last book?
- Metropolis (2019).
- What is Philip Kerr's most famous book?
- The Akhenaten Adventure (2004) is Philip Kerr's most widely read book.
- Are Philip Kerr's books connected?
- 16 books belong to 3 series (Bernie Gunther, Children of the Lamp and Berlin Noir trilogy); the other 26 books stand alone.
- Does Philip Kerr write under a pen name?
- Yes: Philip Kerr has also published as P. B. Kerr.
Authors like Philip Kerr
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.