S. S. Van Dine books in order
American art critic and writer
- Lived
- 1888–1939
- Country
- United States
- Books
- 18
- Series
- 1
S. S. Van Dine published 17 novels and 1 short story collection, beginning with The Man of Promise (1916). The series is Philo Vance (12 books, starting with The Benson Murder Case). The best-known is The Greene Murder Case (1928).
Updated September 2026
Philo Vance books in order (12)Series page
Reading order: 1 The Benson Murder Case (1926) · 2 The "Canary" Murder Case (1927) · 3 The Greene Murder Case (1928) · 4 The Bishop Murder Case (1929) · 5 The Kennel Murder Case (1933) · 6 The Casino Murder Case (1934) · 7 The Dragon Murder Case (1934) · 8 The Garden Murder Case (1935) · 9 The Kidnap Murder Case (1936) · 10 The Gracie Allen Murder Case (1938) · … all 12 below
- 1.
The Benson Murder Case (1926)
- 2.
The "Canary" Murder Case (1927)
- 3.
The Greene Murder Case (Mar 1928)
- 4.
The Bishop Murder Case (1929)
- 5.
The Kennel Murder Case (1933)
- 6.
The Casino Murder Case (1934)
- 7.
The Dragon Murder Case (1934)
- 8.
The Garden Murder Case (1935)
- 9.
The Kidnap Murder Case (1936)
- 10.
The Gracie Allen Murder Case (1938)
- 11.
The Winter Murder Case (1939)
- 12.
Philo Vance (1984)
Where to start with S. S. Van Dine
Start here
The Benson Murder Case
Book 1 of Philo Vance, the series that includes The Greene Murder Case, S. S. Van Dine's most-read book.
Standalone novels in order
The Man of Promise (1916)
Misinforming a Nation (1917)
Modern Painting, Its Tendency and Meaning (1922)
Twenty Rules for Writing Detective Stories by S.S. Van Dine (1928)
The Scarab Murder Case (1929)
Short story collections in order
The Great Modern French Stories (1917)
Film and TV adaptations
- The Greene Murder Case (1929)Film · from The Greene Murder Case
- The Bishop Murder Case (1929)Film · from The Bishop Murder Case
- The Kennel Murder Case (1933)Film · from The Kennel Murder Case
About S. S. Van Dine
S. S. Van Dine is the pen name used by American art critic Willard Huntington Wright when he wrote detective novels. Wright was active in avant-garde cultural circles in pre–World War I New York, and under the pen name he created the fictional detective Philo Vance, a sleuth and aesthete who first appeared in novels, starting with The Benson Murder Case (1926), then in films and on the radio.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
S. S. Van Dine FAQ
- How many books has S. S. Van Dine written?
- S. S. Van Dine published 17 novels and 1 short story collection that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read S. S. Van Dine's books in?
- Read each series in its own order: start Philo Vance with The Benson Murder Case. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.
- What is S. S. Van Dine's last book?
- The Winter Murder Case (1939).
- What is S. S. Van Dine's most famous book?
- The Greene Murder Case (1928) is S. S. Van Dine's most widely read book.
- Are S. S. Van Dine's books connected?
- 12 books belong to 1 series (Philo Vance); the other 6 books stand alone.
- Which S. S. Van Dine books have been adapted?
- 3 books have been adapted for film or TV, including The Greene Murder Case (film, 1929), The Bishop Murder Case (film, 1929) and The Kennel Murder Case (film, 1933).
- Can I read S. S. Van Dine's books for free?
- Yes. 5 books by S. S. Van Dine are in the public domain in the US and free to read online or download here.
Authors like S. S. Van Dine
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers, free texts from Project Gutenberg. Last updated September 2026.