Ripley Books in Order: How to read Patricia Highsmith’s series?
Tom Ripley—also known as Thomas Ripley—is one of the most fascinating characters in crime fiction, created by American novelist Patricia Highsmith. First introduced in The Talented Mr. Ripley (1955), Ripley is a masterful con artist and cold-blooded killer whose charm and cunning make him a uniquely unsettling anti-hero.
Raised by an unloving aunt, Ripley grows up with a keen sense of resentment and an innate ability to manipulate others. Unlike typical serial killers, he doesn’t kill for pleasure but rather out of necessity—to maintain his carefully curated lifestyle or eliminate threats to his deceptions. Described as “suave, agreeable, and utterly amoral,” he blends seamlessly into high society while hiding his dangerous nature.
Despite being a remorseless criminal, Tom Ripley is strangely likable—a masterclass in the art of the literary anti-hero. His blend of intelligence, adaptability, and lack of conscience ensures his place as one of fiction’s most enduring and chilling protagonists.
How to read the Ripley Series in Order?
Each novel in the Ripley series can be read as a standalone story, but the characters’ lives and relationships develop across the books, creating a continuous and evolving narrative.
- The Talented Mr. Ripley – Struggling con artist Tom Ripley is sent to Europe to retrieve a wealthy man’s wayward son, Dickie Greenleaf. Instead, Ripley becomes obsessed with Dickie’s luxurious lifestyle and hatches a deadly scheme to take it for himself.
- Ripley Under Ground – Years after the events of the first book, Ripley is living in France, enjoying wealth and respectability—thanks in part to an art forgery scheme. When a suspicious art collector starts digging into the fraud, Ripley is forced to use his signature mix of charm and ruthlessness to protect his new life.
- Ripley’s Game – Now living comfortably in France with his wife, Ripley is drawn into a murder-for-hire plot. When a gangster asks him to eliminate a rival, Ripley instead manipulates an unsuspecting man into doing the killing—setting off a dangerous chain of events.
- The Boy Who Followed Ripley – Ripley encounters a troubled teenage boy who has fled after committing a murder. Taking the boy under his wing, Ripley becomes a twisted mentor figure, guiding him through the underworld while also being pursued by criminals.
- Ripley Under Water – Years after his earlier crimes, Ripley’s past begins to resurface when an inquisitive American couple moves nearby and starts asking too many questions. As they probe into his past murders, Ripley must once again use deception—and possibly violence—to silence them.
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