Philip Marlowe books in order A series by Raymond Chandler
The Philip Marlowe series by Raymond Chandler has 7 books, from The Big Sleep (1939) to Playback (1958). Read it in order, starting with The Big Sleep.
Reading order: 1 The Big Sleep (1939) · 2 Farewell, My Lovely (1940) · 3 The High Window (1942) · 4 The Lady in the Lake (1943) · 5 The Little Sister (1949) · 6 The Long Goodbye (1953) · 7 Playback (1958)
Updated September 2026
All 7 Philip Marlowe books in order
- 1.
The Big Sleep (1939)
- 2.
Farewell, My Lovely (1940)
- 3.
The High Window (1942)
- 4.
The Lady in the Lake (1943)
- 5.
The Little Sister (1949)
- 6.
The Long Goodbye (1953)
- 7.
Playback (1958)
Philip Marlowe on screen
- The Big Sleep (1946)Film · from The Big Sleep
- The Big Sleep (1978)Film · from The Big Sleep
- The Falcon Takes Over (1942)Film · from Farewell, My Lovely
- Murder, My Sweet (1944)Film · from Farewell, My Lovely
- Farewell, My Lovely (1975)Film · from Farewell, My Lovely
- Time to Kill (1942)Film · from The High Window
- The Brasher Doubloon (1947)Film · from The High Window
- Lady in the Lake (1946)Film · from The Lady in the Lake
- Marlowe (1969)Film · from The Little Sister
- The Long Goodbye (1973)Film · from The Long Goodbye
Philip Marlowe FAQ
- How many Philip Marlowe books are there?
- There are 7 Philip Marlowe books, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read the Philip Marlowe books in?
- In publication order, starting with The Big Sleep (1939): 1 The Big Sleep (1939) · 2 Farewell, My Lovely (1940) · 3 The High Window (1942) · 4 The Lady in the Lake (1943) · 5 The Little Sister (1949) · 6 The Long Goodbye (1953) · … all 7 below.
- What is the first Philip Marlowe book?
- The Big Sleep (1939).
- What is the latest Philip Marlowe book?
- Playback (1958).
- Is the Philip Marlowe series finished?
- There have been no new Philip Marlowe books since 1958; Raymond Chandler died in 1959.
Sources: series order and dates from Wikidata and Open Library. Last updated September 2026.