Dan Brown Books in Order: All 8 Novels (Langdon + Standalones)
Dan Brown has written eight novels, and six of them follow Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon. If you've ever stood in front of a bookshelf wondering where to begin with the author of The Da Vinci Code, this guide lays out the Langdon series in the right order, then his two standalone thrillers, with a quick note on who each one suits.
↓ Jump to the quick-reference table: all 8 Dan Brown books in order
This is the complete list of Dan Brown's novels (8 novels, as of October 2026), not a curated selection. It leaves out his non-novels, such as the children's book Wild Symphony (2020). Everything below is spoiler-free, and prices on Amazon India change often, so check the current price before you buy.
Dan Brown books in order: quick reference table
Here is every Dan Brown novel at a glance. Swipe sideways on a phone to see the whole table.
| Reading order | Book | Year | Series or standalone | Main settings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Langdon #1 | Angels & Demons | 2000 | Langdon series | Vatican City and Rome (starts at CERN, Switzerland) |
| Langdon #2 | The Da Vinci Code | 2003 | Langdon series | Paris (the Louvre), London, Rosslyn Chapel in Scotland |
| Langdon #3 | The Lost Symbol | 2009 | Langdon series | Washington, D.C. |
| Langdon #4 | Inferno | 2013 | Langdon series | Florence, Venice, Istanbul |
| Langdon #5 | Origin | 2017 | Langdon series | Bilbao and Barcelona, Spain |
| Langdon #6 | The Secret of Secrets | 2025 | Langdon series | Prague, London, New York |
| Standalone | Digital Fortress | 1998 | Standalone (no Langdon) | The NSA and Seville, Spain |
| Standalone | Deception Point | 2001 | Standalone (no Langdon) | The Arctic and Washington, D.C. |
Sources: Wikipedia: Dan Brown, Wikipedia: Robert Langdon and the publisher's page for The Secret of Secrets. Dates are first publication years.
Do you need to read Dan Brown's books in order?
It's recommended, but not required. The Langdon books are loosely connected: each one is a self-contained puzzle in a new city, with a new set of codes, symbols and secrets. Reading in order gives you a little extra. For example, Katherine Solomon, who first appears in The Lost Symbol, is a central character in The Secret of Secrets. But you can start with almost any of them and follow the story. His two non-Langdon thrillers are completely standalone.
The Robert Langdon series in order
1. Angels & Demons (2000)
A physicist is found murdered with a mysterious symbol branded on his chest, and Robert Langdon is called in to help. The trail leads to an ancient secret society and a ticking clock in Rome, just as the Vatican prepares to elect a new pope.
Read it if: You want the original Langdon adventure, a fast, race-against-time chase through Rome.
Disclosure: Some links in this post are Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
2. The Da Vinci Code (2003)
The curator of the Louvre is found dead in the museum, and Langdon becomes a suspect. Together with a French cryptologist, he follows a trail of clues hidden in famous works of art, one that points to a secret that has been protected for centuries.
Read it if: You want the book that made Dan Brown a household name. It's also the one most people start with.
3. The Lost Symbol (2009)
Langdon travels to Washington, D.C. at the invitation of an old mentor, only to find that nothing about the trip is what he was told. Soon he's following a trail of symbols and hidden history through the capital's famous landmarks. The story unfolds over about twelve hours.
Read it if: You like secret societies, ancient mysteries and an American-capital setting.
4. Inferno (2013)
Langdon wakes up in a hospital in Florence with no memory of the past few days, and someone is already trying to find him. With a doctor's help, he has to piece together what happened using clues tied to Dante's famous poem.
Read it if: You enjoy art, literature and a mystery that begins with a hero who doesn't know what he's done.
5. Origin (2017)
Langdon attends the unveiling of a groundbreaking discovery at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, hosted by a former student who says it will change the face of science forever. When the evening ends in chaos, Langdon has to race across Spain to find out what was meant to be revealed.
Read it if: You like big questions about science, technology and where we come from.
6. The Secret of Secrets (2025)
The newest Langdon novel was published on 9 September 2025 (Penguin Random House announcement). Langdon travels to Prague to hear a lecture by Katherine Solomon, a noetic scientist whose new book covers discoveries about human consciousness. When a murder throws the trip into chaos and her manuscript goes missing, he's pulled into a race through Prague, London and New York. It's a big book, at 688 pages in the US hardcover.
Read it if: You've read the earlier books and want the latest one, or you like stories about the mysteries of the mind.
Dan Brown's standalone thrillers (no Robert Langdon)
These two don't feature Robert Langdon and can be read in either order. Both came early in his career, and they lean on technology and politics rather than art and symbols.
Digital Fortress (1998)
His first novel. The National Security Agency's code-breaking supercomputer meets a code it can't crack, and cryptographer Susan Fletcher has to find out what's going on before it's too late. The action also moves to Seville, Spain.
Read it if: You like codes, technology and a race against time.
Deception Point (2001)
A discovery in the Arctic could change the course of an American presidential election. Intelligence analyst Rachel Sexton is sent to check it out, and she quickly finds that someone doesn't want her to look too closely.
Read it if: You like icy settings, politics and a good conspiracy.
What to expect from a Dan Brown thriller
If you haven't read him before, the books share a recognisable shape. According to Wikipedia, his novels are treasure hunts that usually unfold over about 24 hours, built around cryptography, art and conspiracy theories, with a hero pulled out of his familiar surroundings and plenty of foreign travel. Reviewers have called him a master of the "intellectual cliffhanger". Expect a lot of travelling and not much time to catch your breath.
Content notes: The books are built around murder investigations and chase scenes. The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons draw on Christian history and have been controversial with some readers and churches; they are works of fiction, and historians have disputed their historical claims.
Dan Brown books: films and TV adaptations
Several of the books have been adapted:
- Films with Tom Hanks as Langdon: The Da Vinci Code (2006), Angels & Demons (2009) and Inferno (2016). In the films, Angels & Demons was made as the sequel to The Da Vinci Code, the reverse of the book order.
- TV: The Lost Symbol became a ten-episode Peacock series in 2021, with Ashley Zukerman as a younger Langdon. It was cancelled after one season.
- Coming: Netflix is making a series set in the world of The Secret of Secrets, co-created by Dan Brown and Carlton Cuse, with Morgan Spector as Langdon and Rebecca Hall as Katherine Solomon. Filming has begun in Prague, and no release date has been announced (Netflix Tudum).
Whichever you watch, the books go into much more detail about the art, history and codes. Film details: Wikipedia: Robert Langdon.
The best Dan Brown books, by what you like
People often ask for the best Dan Brown book, and the honest answer depends on what you enjoy. This is a quick guide based on each book's premise, not a ranking:
- Art, museums and famous paintings: The Da Vinci Code and Inferno.
- Secret societies and hidden history: Angels & Demons and The Lost Symbol.
- Science, technology and big ideas: Origin and The Secret of Secrets.
- Standalone, no Langdon needed: Digital Fortress for codes and spies, or Deception Point for an Arctic conspiracy.
Where should you start with Dan Brown?
- Brand new to Dan Brown: Start with The Da Vinci Code, the one that started it all. Or begin with Angels & Demons if you want to read the series in order.
- Want to read the full series in order: Go from Angels & Demons straight through to The Secret of Secrets.
- Want something that isn't Langdon: Try Digital Fortress or Deception Point.
- Want the latest: The Secret of Secrets is his newest, and Katherine Solomon first appears in The Lost Symbol, so you may get more out of it after reading that one.
Dan Brown novels in publication order
If you'd rather go by release date, here's the full list (Langdon books marked):
- Digital Fortress (1998)
- Angels & Demons (2000), Langdon #1
- Deception Point (2001)
- The Da Vinci Code (2003), Langdon #2
- The Lost Symbol (2009), Langdon #3
- Inferno (2013), Langdon #4
- Origin (2017), Langdon #5
- The Secret of Secrets (2025), Langdon #6
Where to buy
Prices on Amazon India change often, so check the current price before you buy. These are the same Amazon India links as above.
Angels & Demons · The Da Vinci Code · The Lost Symbol · Inferno · Origin · The Secret of Secrets · Digital Fortress · Deception Point
Which Dan Brown book got you hooked?
Tell me in the comments which one you started with (no spoilers, please!).
Keep reading
- Freida McFadden books in order: another complete reading-order guide, with a series and standalone thrillers.
- 10 Thrillers With Twists You Won't See Coming: spoiler-free picks if you like a big reveal.
- 8 Domestic Thrillers Where the Real Danger Is at Home: spoiler-free picks about family secrets.
- My spoiler-free review of The Only One Left by Riley Sager: a fast gothic thriller, rated 4.9/5.
- My spoiler-free review of Verity by Colleen Hoover: a dark psychological thriller with an ending that left me torn, rated 4.3/5.
- Riley Sager books in order: all ten of his thrillers in publication order.
Reading the Langdon books in order? My Thriller Reader's Journal has a Series & Sequels Tracker page (get the printable thriller reading journal PDF), or you can log every book in the Google Sheets book tracker for thriller readers.
Want more thriller picks?
Follow me on Instagram @abi._.rambler for quick reviews and recommendations, and visit my Linktree for links to every book I've read and recommended.
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