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Originally Posted by issybird
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Going back to Christie, a lot of golden age series are marked by dud first books. Much better to start Sayers with Clouds of Witness and Allingham with Mystery Mile.
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Yes. Though many books, but not all, by Sayers & Allingham can be read out-of order. There are a few Campion stories that make sense to read in order because of recurring characters and changing relationships. Same with Ngaio Marsh. Most of Hammond Innes, Nevil Shute, Alistair Maclean, Georges Simeon and Helen MacInnes can be read in any order, but John le Carré and Len Deighton not only have series but recurring developing characters and passage of historical events. IMO mostly the order isn't important with Simon Templar/The Saint and James Bond.