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Alex Stern

by Leigh Bardugo

3 books Started 2019 Latest 2026
Publication Reading Order

The Alex Stern is a YA Fantasy / Fantasy series by Leigh Bardugo, made up of 3 books published between 2019 and 2026. It begins with Ninth House (2019), and is best read in publication order. The most recent entry is Dead Beat (2026), spanning 7 years of storytelling.

3books
7years active
2decades
~3.5yrs between books
2026latest release
# Title Year Buy
2010s
1 Ninth House 2019 Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia
2020s
2 Hell Bent 2023 Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia
3 Dead BeatLatest 2026 Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia

Alex Stern series: frequently asked questions

What order should I read the Alex Stern series?

Start with Ninth House (2019), the first book in the Alex Stern series by Leigh Bardugo. Follow the books in publication order for the best reading experience.

How many books are in the Alex Stern series?

There are 3 books in the Alex Stern series by Leigh Bardugo, published between 2019 and 2026.

What is the first book in the Alex Stern series?

The first book in the Alex Stern series is Ninth House, published in 2019 by Leigh Bardugo.

What is the latest book in the Alex Stern series?

The most recent book in the Alex Stern series is Dead Beat (2026) by Leigh Bardugo.

More books by Leigh Bardugo View all series and reading orders →
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About Leigh Bardugo

Leigh Bardugo is an American fantasy author best known for her Grishaverse series. Born in Jerusalem and raised in Los Angeles, Bardugo studied English at Yale University. After graduating, she worked as a journalist and makeup artist before publishing her debut novel, "Shadow and Bone," in 2012. Bardugo's Grishaverse series has sold over 30 million copies worldwide and has been translated into 38 languages. Her other works include the Six of Crows duology, the King of Scars duology, and the Ninth House novel. Bardugo's books have won numerous awards, including the Hugo Award, the Nebula Award, and the Locus Award. Her work has also been praised by critics for its complex characters, intricate world-building, and exploration of themes such as identity, power, and loss.

View all Leigh Bardugo series →

About the Alex Stern series

Leigh Bardugo's Alex Stern is her acclaimed adult dark-academia fantasy — a far cry from her YA roots. Galaxy "Alex" Stern, a high-school dropout who can see ghosts, is given a mysterious full ride to Yale on one condition: she must monitor the university's secret societies, whose members really do practise magic, with deadly consequences.

The series is darker, grittier and more adult than Bardugo's Grishaverse, blending occult horror, class rage and a gripping murder mystery with the gothic glamour of secret Ivy League power. It's atmospheric and seriously twisty.

Read in order from "Ninth House," as Alex's past and the societies' conspiracies unspool.