Reading Order List — Book Series Reading Order Guide

Brad Smith Reading Order

5 series · 136 books

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Akashic Noir Series

Ongoing

121 books (2002–2025)

The Akashic Noir series is a sprawling collection of 121 mystery and literary fiction anthologies, each focusing on noir stories from different cities and regions around the world. Beginning with San Francisco Noir in 2002 and continuing through 2025, the series explores crime fiction through localized perspectives, covering destinations from Brooklyn and Chicago to Dublin, London, and beyond. These books should be read in publication order to follow the series' development across its two-decade span. The ongoing series remains an active project with plans for future volumes.

Start with San Francisco Noir, the first of 121 books in the Akashic Noir series.

Start this series with San Francisco Noir

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#Title
1
San Francisco Noir
2
3
Seattle Noir
4
Brooklyn Noir
5
Cover of Hasidic Noir
Hasidic Noir
6
Cover of Brooklyn Noir 2
Brooklyn Noir 2
7
Chicago Noir
8
9
Baltimore Noir
10
11
12
Cover of Manhattan Noir
Manhattan Noir
13
14
Cover of Twin Cities Noir
Twin Cities Noir
15
Cover of Detroit Noir
Detroit Noir
16
17
Cover of Los Angeles Noir
Los Angeles Noir
18
Cover of New Orleans Noir
New Orleans Noir
19
Wall Street Noir
20
Cover of Brooklyn Noir 3: Nothing But the Truth
Brooklyn Noir 3: Nothing But the Truth
21
22
Istanbul Noir
23
Las Vegas Noir
24
Manhattan Noir 2
25
26
27
Toronto Noir
28
Trinidad Noir
29
30
31
Cover of Phoenix Noir
Phoenix Noir
32
Portland Noir
33
34
San Francisco Noir 2
35
Copenhagen Noir
36
37
Indian Country Noir
38
Cover of Lone Star Noir
Lone Star Noir
39
Los Angeles Noir 2
40
Mexico City Noir
41
42
Cover of Orange County Noir
Orange County Noir
43
Philadelphia Noir
44
Richmond Noir
45
Barcelona Noir
46
Cover of Cape Cod Noir
Cape Cod Noir
47
New Jersey Noir
48
Pittsburgh Noir
49
San Diego Noir
50
Cover of Boston Noir 2
Boston Noir 2
51
Kansas City Noir
52
Kingston Noir
53
Long Island Noir
54
55
St. Petersburg Noir
56
Cover of Staten Island Noir
Staten Island Noir
57
58
Buffalo Noir
59
60
Haiti Noir 2
61
62
63
Belfast Noir
64
Helsinki Noir
65
66
67
Singapore Noir
68
69
Tel Aviv Noir
70
71
Chicago Noir: The Classics
72
Marseille Noir
73
Memphis Noir
74
Providence Noir
75
76
Brussels Noir
77
Cover of Mississippi Noir
Mississippi Noir
78
New Orleans Noir: The Classics
79
80
San Juan Noir
81
St. Louis Noir
82
Cover of Stockholm Noir
Stockholm Noir
83
Cover of Atlanta Noir
Atlanta Noir
84
Buenos Aires Noir
85
Montana Noir
86
Montreal Noir
87
New Haven Noir
88
Oakland Noir
89
Trinidad Noir: The Classics
90
Baghdad Noir
91
92
Hong Kong Noir
93
94
Marrakech Noir
95
Santa Cruz Noir
96
97
São Paulo Noir
98
Vancouver Noir
99
Amsterdam Noir
100
Houston Noir
101
Milwaukee Noir
102
103
Addis Ababa Noir
104
Alabama Noir
105
Belgrade Noir
106
Berkeley Noir
107
Columbus Noir
108
Miami Noir: The Classics
109
Nairobi Noir
110
Santa Fe Noir
111
Tampa Bay Noir
112
Palm Springs Noir
113
114
Paris Noir: The Suburbs
115
Cover of South Central Noir
South Central Noir
116
Cleveland Noir
117
East Jerusalem Noir
118
West Jerusalem Noir
119
Honolulu Noir
120
Cover of Hamburg Noir
Hamburg Noir
121
Sacramento Noir

Anthologies Series

Complete

1 book (2014–2014)

#Title
1
The Dark Side of Mysteries & Thrillers

Carl Burns Series

Complete

2 books (2016–2018)

Brad Smith's Carl Burns series consists of two complete mystery novels published between 2016 and 2018. The two-book sequence should be read in publication order, beginning with Rough Justice followed by Hearts of Stone. This literary mystery series blends thriller elements with character-driven storytelling across its two installments.

Start with Rough Justice and read in order.

Start this series with Rough Justice

Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
#Title
1
Cover of Rough Justice
Rough Justice
2
Cover of Hearts of Stone
Hearts of Stone

Standalone Novels Series

Ongoing

9 books (2000–2025)

Brad Smith's Standalone Novels series comprises nine mystery and literary fiction works published between 2000 and 2025, with the series still ongoing. Though each book stands alone as a complete story, they should be read in publication order beginning with One-Eyed Jacks, followed by All Hat, Busted Flush, Big Man Coming Down the Road, The Return of Kid Cooper, Cactus Jack, The Goliath Run, Copperhead Road, and Billy Crawford's Double Play. These interconnected yet independent narratives explore complex characters and compelling mysteries across varied settings and themes.

Start with One-Eyed Jacks, the first of 9 books in the Standalone Novels series.

Start this series with One-Eyed Jacks

Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
#Title
1
Cover of One-Eyed Jacks
One-Eyed Jacks
2
3
Cover of Busted Flush
Busted Flush
4
Cover of Big Man Coming Down the Road
Big Man Coming Down the Road
5
The Return of Kid Cooper
6
7
The Goliath Run
8
Cover of Copperhead Road
Copperhead Road
9
Cover of Billy Crawford's Double Play
Billy Crawford's Double Play

Virgil Cain Mysteries Series

Complete

3 books (2012–2013)

Brad Smith's Virgil Cain Mysteries series consists of three complete novels published between 2012 and 2013. The trilogy should be read in publication order, beginning with Crow's Landing, followed by Red Means Run, and concluding with Shoot the Dog. This mystery and literary fiction series blends crime investigation with character-driven storytelling across its tightly plotted installments.

Start with Crow's Landing and read in order.

Start this series with Crow's Landing

Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
#Title
1
Cover of Crow's Landing
Crow's Landing
2
Red Means Run
3
Cover of Shoot the Dog
Shoot the Dog

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books has Brad Smith written?
Brad Smith has written 136 books across 5 series. Their published works span from 2000 to 2025.
What is the first book in each Brad Smith series?
Here are the first books in Brad Smith's series: Akashic Noir: San Francisco Noir; Carl Burns: Rough Justice; Virgil Cain Mysteries: Crow's Landing.
What order should I read Brad Smith's books?
We recommend reading Brad Smith's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
Is Brad Smith still writing new books?
Yes, Brad Smith has 2 ongoing series: Akashic Noir, Standalone Novels.

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