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adventure
Series · adventure fiction
Dirk Pitt
The Dirk Pitt series by Clive Cussler has 28 books and is best read in publication order, starting with The Mediterranean Caper (1973). The next book, Clive Cussler Obsidian Sky, is due 10 November 2026.
- Books
- 28 books
- First published
- 1973
- Status
- ongoing
- Last checked
Start here: The Mediterranean Caper (1973) — then read straight through in publication order.
Reading order
The order the books were released — the default way to read the series.
- Book 1:
The Mediterranean Caper
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Mediterranean Caper - Book 2:
Iceberg
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Iceberg - Book 3:
Raise the Titanic!
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Raise the Titanic! - Book 4:
Vixen 03
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Vixen 03 - Book 5:
Night Probe!
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Night Probe! - Book 6:
Pacific Vortex!
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Pacific Vortex! - Book 7:
Deep Six
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Deep Six - Book 8:
Cyclops
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Cyclops - Book 9:
Treasure
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Treasure - Book 10:
Dragon
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Dragon - Book 11:
Sahara
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Sahara - Book 12:
Inca Gold
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Inca Gold - Book 13:
Shock Wave
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Shock Wave - Book 14:
Flood Tide
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Flood Tide - Book 15:
Atlantis Found
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Atlantis Found - Book 16:
Valhalla Rising
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Valhalla Rising - Book 17:
Trojan Odyssey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Trojan Odyssey - Book 18:
Black Wind
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Black Wind - Book 19:
Treasure of Khan
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Treasure of Khan - Book 20:
Arctic Drift
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Arctic Drift - Book 21:
Crescent Dawn
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Crescent Dawn - Book 22:
Poseidon's Arrow
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Poseidon's Arrow - Book 23:
Havana Storm
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Havana Storm - Book 24:
Odessa Sea
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Odessa Sea - Book 25:
Celtic Empire
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Celtic Empire - Book 26:
Clive Cussler's The Devil's Sea
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Clive Cussler's The Devil's Sea - Book 27:
Clive Cussler's The Corsican Shadow
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Clive Cussler's The Corsican Shadow - Book 28:
Clive Cussler Obsidian Sky
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Clive Cussler Obsidian Sky
About the Dirk Pitt series
Dirk Pitt is the Special Projects Director for the National Underwater and Marine Agency (NUMA), a marine engineer and adventurer who spends every novel diving on shipwrecks, raising sunken relics, and stumbling into conspiracies that only he and his oldest friend Al Giordino can untangle. Clive Cussler built the series (and the men's-adventure subgenre it helped define) around a simple formula that has powered it since 1973: a historical mystery tied to a real or plausible sunken ship or lost artifact, a present-day villain trying to exploit it, and Pitt diving, driving, and improvising his way through elaborate action set pieces to stop them. Cussler was himself a real maritime historian and founded the real-world NUMA organization that has located dozens of historic shipwrecks, which gives the technical diving and salvage detail in the books unusual authenticity.
After Cussler's death in 2020, his son Dirk Cussler — who had co-written the series since 2004's Black Wind — has continued it solo, keeping Pitt's now-adult twins Dirk Jr. and Summer active in the NUMA world alongside their father. It's a great fit for readers who want globe-trotting, gadget-heavy adventure in the vein of Indiana Jones, with a heavy dose of nautical history and actual shipwreck lore mixed in.
Frequently asked questions
How many Dirk Pitt books are there?
There are 28 Dirk Pitt novels, most recently Obsidian Sky (November 10, 2026).
What order should I read the Dirk Pitt books in?
Publication order, starting with The Mediterranean Caper (1973). Most mysteries are self-contained, but Pitt's career and family develop across the series in sequence.
Who writes Dirk Pitt now that Clive Cussler has died?
Clive Cussler's son Dirk Cussler, who co-wrote the series with his father starting with Black Wind (2004), has continued it solo since Clive Cussler's death in 2020.
Is Pacific Vortex! really the first Dirk Pitt book?
No — it's the 6th published (1983), even though it was the first Dirk Pitt manuscript Cussler wrote. Publication order places it 6th, not 1st.
When is the next Dirk Pitt book coming out?
Obsidian Sky (November 10, 2026), written solely by Dirk Cussler, is the newest entry -- no 29th book has been announced as of this writing.
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Reading order last verified .