What order should I read Shirley Jackson's books in?

Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with The Haunting of Hill House.

What is Shirley Jackson's last book?

The Magic of Shirley Jackson (1966).

What is Shirley Jackson's most famous book?

The Haunting of Hill House (1959) is Shirley Jackson's most widely read book.

Which Shirley Jackson books have been adapted?

2 books have been adapted for film or TV, including The Haunting of Hill House (as The Haunting, film, 1963) and We Have Always Lived in the Castle (film, 2018).

Shirley Jackson books in order

American writer

Lived: 1916–1965
Country: United States
Books: 18

Shirley Jackson published 10 novels, 4 short story collections, 2 non-fiction books and 2 children's books, beginning with The Lottery and Other Stories (1949). The best-known is The Haunting of Hill House (1959).

Updated September 2026

Where to start with Shirley Jackson

Start here
The Haunting of Hill House
Shirley Jackson's most-read book, rated by 78 Open Library readers.
Highest rated
We Have Always Lived in the Castle
Rated 4.3 out of 5 by 58 readers.

Standalone novels in order

The Road Through the Wall (1948)
208 pages
Buy
The Lottery and Other Stories (1949)
★ 3.7 (30 ratings)
Buy
Hangsaman (1951)
280 pages
Buy
The Bird's Nest (1954)
276 pages
Buy
The Sundial (1958)
243 pages
Buy
The Haunting of Hill House (Oct 1959)
246 pages★ 4.0 (78 ratings)Adapted for film
Buy
Special Delivery (1960)
175 pages
Buy
We Have Always Lived in the Castle (1962)
187 pages★ 4.3 (58 ratings)Adapted for film
Buy
The Magic of Shirley Jackson (1966)
753 pages
Buy
Come Along With Me (1968)
243 pages
Buy

Short story collections in order

Just an Ordinary Day (1996)
448 pages
Buy
The Tooth (2011)
Buy
Let Me Tell You (2015)
432 pages
Buy
Dark Tales (2016)
206 pages
Buy

Non-fiction in order

Life Among the Savages (1953)
241 pages
Buy
Raising Demons (1953)
320 pages
Buy

Children's books in order

The Witchcraft of Salem Village (1956)
144 pages
Buy
9 Magic Wishes (1963)
47 pages
Buy

Film and TV adaptations

The Haunting (1963)Film · from The Haunting of Hill House
The Haunting (1999)Film · from The Haunting of Hill House
The Haunting of Hill HouseTV · from The Haunting of Hill House
We Have Always Lived in the Castle (2018)Film · from We Have Always Lived in the Castle

About Shirley Jackson

Shirley Hardie Jackson was an American writer known primarily for her works of horror and mystery. Her writing career spanned over two decades, during which she composed six novels, two memoirs, and more than 200 short stories.

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

Shirley Jackson FAQ

How many books has Shirley Jackson written?: Shirley Jackson published 10 novels, 4 short story collections, 2 non-fiction books and 2 children's books that we list, as of September 2026.
What order should I read Shirley Jackson's books in?: Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with The Haunting of Hill House.
What is Shirley Jackson's last book?: The Magic of Shirley Jackson (1966).
What is Shirley Jackson's most famous book?: The Haunting of Hill House (1959) is Shirley Jackson's most widely read book.
Which Shirley Jackson books have been adapted?: 2 books have been adapted for film or TV, including The Haunting of Hill House (as The Haunting, film, 1963) and We Have Always Lived in the Castle (film, 2018).