Red DragonRed Dragon
Score Classic
What it's about
FBI agent Will Graham once risked his sanity to catch Hannibal Lecter. Now he's tracking the 'Tooth Fairy,' a killer who has already wiped out two families.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It's the novel that introduced Hannibal Lecter.
You'll love it if you liked
The Silence of the Lambs
Hannibal
Mystic RiverGood to know
It's violent and disturbing. Read it before The Silence of the Lambs.
By the numbers
- Readers63 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics30 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller32 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #216 of the 623 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #464 of the 924 classics we rank
- #1441 of the 3,057 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping
More by Thomas Harris
If you like this, read next
The Godfather
Rebecca
The Day of the Jackal
Crime and Punishment
The Pillars of the Earth
In Cold BloodExplore the best-of lists
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Quick answers
Is Red Dragon worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It ranks #1,441 of the 3,057 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 69.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Red Dragon about?
FBI agent Will Graham once risked his sanity to catch Hannibal Lecter. Now he's tracking the 'Tooth Fairy,' a killer who has already wiped out two families.
How long does it take to read Red Dragon?
About 11 hours (434 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Red Dragon?
If you liked it, try The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris, Hannibal by Thomas Harris or Mystic River by Dennis Lehane.