Dortmunder books in order A series by Donald E. Westlake
The Dortmunder series by Donald E. Westlake has 15 books, from The Hot Rock (1970) to Get Real (2009). Read it in order, starting with The Hot Rock.
Reading order: 1 The Hot Rock (1970) · 2 Bank Shot (1972) · 3 Jimmy the Kid (1974) · 4 Nobody's Perfect (1977) · 5 Why Me (1983) · 6 Good Behavior (1985) · 7 Drowned Hopes (1990) · 8 Don't Ask (1993) · 9 What's the Worst That Could Happen? (1996) · 10 Bad News (2001) · … all 15 below
Updated September 2026
All 15 Dortmunder books in order
- 1.
The Hot Rock (1970)
- 2.
Bank Shot (1972)
- 3.
Jimmy the Kid (1974)
- 4.
Nobody's Perfect (1977)
- 5.
Why Me (1983)
- 6.
Good Behavior (1985)
- 7.
Drowned Hopes (1990)
- 8.
Don't Ask (1993)
- 9.
What's the Worst That Could Happen? (1996)
- 10.
Bad News (2001)
- 11.
The Road To Ruin (2004)
- 12.
Thieves' Dozen (2004)
- 13.
Watch Your Back! (2005)
- 14.
What's So Funny? (2007)
- 15.
Get Real (2009)
Dortmunder on screen
- The Hot Rock (1972)Film · from The Hot Rock
Dortmunder FAQ
- How many Dortmunder books are there?
- There are 15 Dortmunder books, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read the Dortmunder books in?
- In publication order, starting with The Hot Rock (1970): 1 The Hot Rock (1970) · 2 Bank Shot (1972) · 3 Jimmy the Kid (1974) · 4 Nobody's Perfect (1977) · 5 Why Me (1983) · 6 Good Behavior (1985) · … all 15 below.
- What is the first Dortmunder book?
- The Hot Rock (1970).
- What is the latest Dortmunder book?
- Get Real (2009).
- Is the Dortmunder series finished?
- There have been no new Dortmunder books since 2009; Donald E. Westlake died in 2008.
Sources: series order and dates from Wikidata and Open Library. Last updated September 2026.