Walter Besant books in order
English novelist and historian
- Lived
- 1836–1901
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Books
- 31
Walter Besant published 20 novels, 1 novella, 9 non-fiction books and 1 other book, beginning with The Golden Butterfly (1876). The best-known is The Art of Fiction (1884).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Walter Besant
Standalone novels in order
The Golden Butterfly (1876)
The Monks of Thelema (1878)
Ready-money Mortiboy (1883)
Children of Gibeon (1886)
The World Went Very Well Then (1887)
The Case of Mr. Lucraft (1888)
The Chaplain of the Fleet (1888)
The Inner House (1888)
Captain Cook (1890)
The Ivory Gate (1890)
The Rebel Queen (1893)
Beyond the Dreams of Avarice (1895)
Dorothy Forster (1898)
The Changeling (1898)
For Faith and Freedom (1900)
The Alabaster Box (1900)
The Thames (1903)
Novellas in order
The Art of Fiction (1884)
Non-fiction in order
Rabelais (1879)
London (1892)
Westminster (1895)
East London (1901)
London in the Eighteenth Century (1902)
The Survey of London (1903)
Medieval London (1906)
Other books in order
Philanthropy
Free to read
All free classics
About Walter Besant
Sir Walter Besant was an English novelist and historian. William Henry Besant was his brother, and another brother, Frank, was the husband of Annie Besant.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Walter Besant FAQ
- How many books has Walter Besant written?
- Walter Besant published 20 novels, 1 novella, 9 non-fiction books and 1 other book that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Walter Besant's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with The Art of Fiction.
- What is Walter Besant's last book?
- The Thames (1903).
- What is Walter Besant's most famous book?
- The Art of Fiction (1884) is Walter Besant's most widely read book.
- Can I read Walter Besant's books for free?
- Yes. 33 books by Walter Besant are in the public domain in the US and free to read online or download here.
Authors like Walter Besant
Charles Dickens
Also wrote literary fiction and essays
Jules Verne
Also wrote literary fiction and adventure
Robert Louis Stevenson
Also wrote literary fiction and adventure
Grant Allen
Also wrote literary fiction and essays
Arnold Bennett
Also wrote literary fiction and essays
Theodore Roosevelt
Also wrote essays and adventure
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers, free texts from Project Gutenberg. Last updated September 2026.