Reading Order
Sam Reillyseries.seoTitleShort
Start with The Last Airship and continue through all 27 books in the listed reading order.
About This Series
The Sam Reilly series, penned by Christopher Cartwright, is an exhilarating blend of adventure, mystery, and the supernatural. Set against a backdrop of ancient myths and modern-day intrigue, this series invites readers to join the intrepid protagonist, Sam Reilly, on a quest filled with danger and discovery. With each book, Cartwright weaves a rich narrative that balances tension and excitement, making it a captivating read for fans of thrillers and archaeological adventures alike.
What sets the Sam Reilly series apart is its unique exploration of historical enigmas and the human pursuit of knowledge. Themes of exploration, the clash between ancient wisdom and modern science, and the moral dilemmas faced by the characters resonate throughout the series. Ideal for readers who enjoy both action-packed plots and thought-provoking narratives, the series appeals to those who love to unravel mysteries while being entertained. Each installment builds on the last, creating a tapestry of interconnected stories that keep readers eagerly turning the pages.
To fully appreciate the intricate narratives and character development, it's advisable to start with Book 1, "The Last Airship." This foundational book sets the stage for Sam Reilly's adventures and introduces key themes and characters that recur throughout the series. While there are no prequels or spin-offs, each book is designed to be read in order for an immersive experience.
Though thought leaders have yet to recommend these books, the Sam Reilly series is perfect for readers who enjoy fast-paced stories filled with adventure, archaeological mysteries, and a touch of the supernatural. Whether you're a fan of historical fiction or seeking an exhilarating escape, this series promises to deliver an unforgettable journey into the unknown.
Start Here
Start with The Last Airship
Book 1 by Christopher Cartwright • Published 2015
In 1939 a secret airship left Nazi Germany under cover of darkness, packed with influential passengers and priceless cargo, including one item as dangerous as it was valuable. The airship never arrived. When Sam Reill...
Complete List
Sam Reilly reading order
Ends with The Elixir of Life
- 1
Book 1:The Last Airship
Christopher Cartwright • 2015
In 1939 a secret airship left Nazi Germany under cover of darkness, packed with influential passengers and priceless cargo, including one item as dangerous as it was valuable. The airship never arrived. When Sam Reill...
- 2
Book 2:The Mahogany Ship
Christopher Cartwright • 2016
More than 200 years ago, the ship Emily Rose wrecked on Australia's rugged southern coast, forcing survivors to walk nearly a thousand miles toward Sydney Cove. Along the way they found something in the dunes that sho...
- 3
Book 3:Atlantis Stolen
Christopher Cartwright • 2016
Only a handful of people know what really destroyed the ancient Atlanteans, and they are willing to kill to keep it secret. When a billionaire's obsession with unlocking the lost civilization's power collides with a l...
- 4
Book 4:Rogue Wave
Christopher Cartwright • 2016
Four top alternative energy scientists are offered twenty billion dollars to sell and bury their work on a revolutionary power source. As they resist and a devastating new weapon surfaces at sea, Sam Reilly finds hims...
- 5
Book 5:The Cassidy Project
Christopher Cartwright • 2016
At the height of the Cold War, a secret program used high altitude nuclear tests to study massive electromagnetic pulses, with a secondary objective so dangerous it was buried. Decades later, a woman wakes alone on a...
- 6
Book 6:The Nostradamus Equation
Christopher Cartwright • 2017
In 1562 Nostradamus led a small party deep into the Sahara in search of a miracle and vanished from the chronicles. In the present day, Dr Zara Delacroix enlists Sam Reilly to help find a manuscript she believes was b...
- 7
Book 7:The Third Temple
Christopher Cartwright • 2017
In 1655 the crew of the Emerald Star entered the Namibian Desert seeking a relic hidden in a secret temple and never returned. Centuries later, a strange wooden placard surfaces in the underground city of Derinkuyu, s...
- 8
Book 8:The Aleutian Portal
Christopher Cartwright • 2017
A Russian cargo vessel sinks in the shallow Bering Strait and somehow vanishes. A cowboy in the American desert follows a river of sand into an undiscovered ruin, while a massive tunnel boring machine drilling between...
- 9
Book 9:Code to Extinction
Christopher Cartwright • 2017
As the most powerful hurricane in history bears down on New York, atmospheric rivers flood deserts, wildfires rage in Canada, and earthquakes tear through Europe. A growing black mass spreads across the sky, and a lon...
- 10
Book 10:The Ironclad Covenant
Christopher Cartwright • 2018
During the siege of Vicksburg in 1863, an ironclad carrying a secret war chest and a powerful covenant slipped down the Mississippi and vanished. In the present, a US senator's son disappears while searching for a fab...
- 11
Book 11:The Heisenberg Legacy
Christopher Cartwright • 2018
In January 1945 a plane left southwest Germany carrying an experimental weapon of unimaginable power and was never seen again. When its wreck is discovered in modern Washington, DC without the cargo, Sam Reilly is dra...
- 12
Book 12:Omega Deep
Christopher Cartwright • 2018
The experimental nuclear submarine USS Omega Deep disappears, followed in quick succession by a Russian spy ship and a Chinese aircraft carrier. At the request of the US president, Sam Reilly and his team must find ou...
- 13
Book 13:The Holy Grail
Christopher Cartwright • 2018
Fresh from the Omega Deep mission, Sam Reilly is looking forward to rest when a terrified man with unnaturally purple eyes takes him hostage at gunpoint. To survive, Sam must uncover what his captor is running from an...
- 14
Book 14:The Phoenix Sanction
Christopher Cartwright • 2018
On Phoenix Airlines Flight 318, Andrew Goddard wakes to find the cockpit empty and every passenger unconscious. High in Colorado's mountains, a miner uncovers a sinister stone mask sealed in an obsidian chamber. Sam R...
- 15
Book 15:Habitat Zero
Christopher Cartwright • 2018
A Silicon Valley magnate sailing his yacht Carpe Diem discovers a vast floating island of pumice in the Pacific. Two weeks later the yacht returns to port on autopilot with nobody on board. Called in to investigate, S...
- 16
Book 16:The Hunt for Excalibur
Christopher Cartwright • 2019
When the Japanese trawler Hoshi Maru hauls something lethal into its hold and then vanishes in the 2011 tsunami, the tragedy seems complete. Years later the wreck washes up on the Oregon coast and people begin dying i...
- 17
Book 17:Ghost Ship
Christopher Cartwright • 2019
A decaying yacht drifts into the Italian harbor of Vernazza, while nearby a man wakes in a small rowboat, covered in blood beside a woman shot execution style. With a gun in his pocket and no memory of who he is, he b...
- 18
Book 18:The Tomb of El Dorado
Christopher Cartwright • 2019
A legendary city hidden in the jungle, a tribe sworn to protect their gods, and a shipwreck scattered with gold and carvings of a mythical beast. Sam Reilly's search for El Dorado's truth turns into a race to keep its...
- 19
Book 19:The Labyrinth Key
Christopher Cartwright • 2019
As a boy, Ethan Jones watched a stranger bury something in Nevada's Rhyolite Desert and never forgot it. Years later, a Navy SEAL discovers a strange stone artifact beneath the streets of Syria, and Sam Reilly is forc...
- 20
Book 20:The Obsidian Chamber
Christopher Cartwright • 2020
In AD 79, Mount Vesuvius erupts and a young girl races through Pompeii to hide what she has done. In the present, Sam Reilly searches for Ernest Shackleton's lost ship while a mysterious code appears online, promising...
- 21
Book 21:Shangri-La
Christopher Cartwright • 2020
Whispers of Shangri La have always sounded like fairy tales, until a clandestine meeting of the world's most powerful organisations suggests the paradise is real. Sam Reilly must separate myth from truth while ruthles...
- 22
Book 22:Alexander's Treasure
Christopher Cartwright • 2020
A new discovery hinting at the missing fortune of Alexander the Great pulls Sam Reilly into a global hunt. Ancient clues lead to modern violence as rival treasure seekers race to claim a hoard whose real value lies in...
- 23
Book 23:Valhalla Found
Christopher Cartwright • 2021
In AD 980 a banished Viking fleet discovers fertile Vinland and something far stranger waiting there. Centuries later, Sam Reilly investigates the deaths of archaeologists at Chichén Itzá and uncovers a deadly link be...
- 24
Book 24:Medusa's Curse
Christopher Cartwright • 2021
An investigation into a string of unexplained deaths draws Sam Reilly toward a relic bound to the myth of Medusa. As science and legend blur, he must learn what the so called curse really is before it claims more lives.
- 25
Book 25:Dragon's Breath
Christopher Cartwright • 2022
In 1974 farmers near Xi'an uncover the legendary Terracotta Army, but in Sam Reilly's world the warriors were meant to imprison something far worse. When that ancient evil stirs again, Sam races to stop it from breaki...
- 26
Book 26:The Vostok Enigma
Christopher Cartwright • 2022
A research team drilling into Antarctica's Lake Vostok pulls up more than ice, triggering a rapid response from rival military powers. Sam Reilly must uncover what lies beneath the frozen lake before a buried secret i...
- 31
Book 31:The Elixir of Life
Honore de Balzac • 1830
Balzac retells the legend of Don Juan through a macabre twist: a dying father reveals an elixir that can restore youth and life. His son's selfish experiment unleashes uncanny consequences, raising dark questions abou...
Quick Answers
Sam Reilly FAQ
What is the best order to read the Sam Reilly series?
The recommended reading order is the numbered order shown on this page, starting with The Last Airship.
How many books are in the Sam Reilly series?
There are 27 books currently listed in the Sam Reilly series on GurusReads.
Where should I start with the Sam Reilly series?
New readers should start with The Last Airship, the first book in the reading order.
Is the Sam Reilly series complete?
Based on the publication years we have, the series appears likely complete and spans releases from 1830 to 2022.