Dan Brown books in order are easiest to follow in publication order. Most readers are really looking for Brown’s thriller novels, but this guide includes the full Dan Brown bibliography, including Robert Langdon, his early humor title, the young adult adaptation of The Da Vinci Code, and his children’s book Wild Symphony.
Brown is best known for fast-moving conspiracy thrillers built around codes, symbols, religion, science, secret societies, and famous landmarks. That’s still the core of his work, but having every book in one place makes the full reading order much easier to follow.
Jump to:
- Dan Brown Books in Order of Publication
- Main Dan Brown Thriller Books
- Where to Start with Dan Brown
- Who is Dan Brown?
- Dan Brown Books FAQ
Dan Brown Books in Order of Publication
This is the clearest way to read Dan Brown’s books because it follows the order they were published and keeps the whole bibliography together.
If you’re looking specifically for the Robert Langdon novels, check out my Robert Langdon books in order guide.
- 187 Men to Avoid (1995) (Humor Book)
- Digital Fortress (1998)
- Angels & Demons (2000)
- Deception Point (2001)
- The Da Vinci Code (2003)
- The Lost Symbol (2009)
- Inferno (2013)
- The Da Vinci Code (Young Adult Edition) (2016) (Young Adult Adaptation)
- Origin (2017)
- Wild Symphony (2020) (Children’s Book)
- The Secret of Secrets (2025)
Main Dan Brown Thriller Books
Most readers looking for Dan Brown are really after the thriller novels. If that’s what you want, focus on Digital Fortress, Angels & Demons, Deception Point, The Da Vinci Code, The Lost Symbol, Inferno, Origin, and The Secret of Secrets.
187 Men to Avoid, The Da Vinci Code (Young Adult Edition), and Wild Symphony are all real Dan Brown books, but they aren’t the titles that built his thriller reputation.
Where to Start with Dan Brown
The Da Vinci Code is still the easiest starting point for most readers because it’s Brown’s biggest book and the one that made his name unavoidable. Angels & Demons is another strong place to begin if you’d rather start a little earlier in his thriller run, while Digital Fortress works well for readers who want a standalone techno-thriller first.
Readers who want the full Robert Langdon experience should use publication order for those novels. Readers who want Brown outside the Langdon books should start with Digital Fortress or Deception Point.
Who is Dan Brown?
Dan Brown is an American author best known for bestselling thrillers like The Da Vinci Code, Angels & Demons, Inferno, and Origin. Raised on a prep school campus as the son of a mathematics teacher and a church organist, Brown has said his fascination with science, religion, symbols, and hidden systems grew out of that background.
Brown graduated from Amherst College and Phillips Exeter Academy, later returned to teach English at Exeter, and eventually turned his full attention to writing. His books are published in 56 languages and have more than 250 million copies in print worldwide.
Dan Brown Books FAQ
Do you need to read Dan Brown books in order?
Not always, but publication order is the easiest way to handle the full bibliography. Several of Brown’s thrillers work well on their own, but publication order keeps everything straightforward once you factor in the humor book, the young adult adaptation, and the children’s book.
What was Dan Brown’s first book?
Brown’s first book was 187 Men to Avoid, published in 1995 under the name Danielle Brown. His first novel was Digital Fortress in 1998.
What’s the newest Dan Brown book?
The newest Dan Brown book is The Secret of Secrets, published in 2025.
Are all Dan Brown books thrillers?
No. Brown is famous for thrillers, but his bibliography also includes the humor book 187 Men to Avoid, the children’s book Wild Symphony, and the young adult edition of The Da Vinci Code.
Is The Da Vinci Code Young Adult Edition a different story?
No. It’s an adaptation of The Da Vinci Code for younger readers, not a sequel, prequel, or side story.
Are all Dan Brown books about Robert Langdon?
No. Robert Langdon appears in Brown’s most famous novels, but Digital Fortress, Deception Point, Wild Symphony, and 187 Men to Avoid are not Robert Langdon books.
Looking for more books in order?
If you want more thriller authors and reading-order guides like this one, start with my Thriller Books in Order index.