Don Winslow Reading Order

121 books (2002–2025)

The Akashic Noir series is an expansive anthology collection featuring noir and crime fiction set in cities around the world, edited by Don Winslow and other contributors. With over 121 books published from 2002 to the present and still ongoing, the series showcases dark, atmospheric stories from various authors exploring the underbelly of locations ranging from San Francisco and Brooklyn to Dublin, London, and beyond. Readers should follow the publication order beginning with San Francisco Noir to experience how the series has evolved and expanded globally across its two-decade run.

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

#	Title
1	San Francisco Noir 2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Bronx Noir 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Seattle Noir 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Brooklyn Noir 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Hasidic Noir 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Brooklyn Noir 2 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Chicago Noir 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Dublin Noir 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Baltimore Noir 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	D.C. Noir 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	London Noir 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Manhattan Noir 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	Miami Noir 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	Twin Cities Noir 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	Detroit Noir 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	Havana Noir 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	Los Angeles Noir 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18	New Orleans Noir 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19	Wall Street Noir 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
20	Brooklyn Noir 3: Nothing But the Truth 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
21	D.C. Noir 2 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
22	Istanbul Noir 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
23	Las Vegas Noir 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
24	Manhattan Noir 2 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
25	Paris Noir 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
26	Queens Noir 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
27	Toronto Noir 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
28	Trinidad Noir 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
29	Boston Noir 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
30	Delhi Noir 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
31	Phoenix Noir 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
32	Portland Noir 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
33	Rome Noir 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
34	San Francisco Noir 2 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
35	Copenhagen Noir 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
36	Haiti Noir 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
37	Indian Country Noir 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
38	Lone Star Noir 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
39	Los Angeles Noir 2 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
40	Mexico City Noir 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
41	Moscow Noir 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
42	Orange County Noir 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
43	Philadelphia Noir 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
44	Richmond Noir 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
45	Barcelona Noir 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
46	Cape Cod Noir 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
47	New Jersey Noir 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
48	Pittsburgh Noir 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
49	San Diego Noir 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
50	Boston Noir 2 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
51	Kansas City Noir 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
52	Kingston Noir 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
53	Long Island Noir 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
54	Mumbai Noir 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
55	St. Petersburg Noir 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
56	Staten Island Noir 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
57	Venice Noir 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
58	Buffalo Noir 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
59	Dallas Noir 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
60	Haiti Noir 2 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
61	Manila Noir 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
62	USA Noir 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
63	Belfast Noir 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
64	Helsinki Noir 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
65	Prison Noir 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
66	Rio Noir 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
67	Singapore Noir 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
68	Tehran Noir 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
69	Tel Aviv Noir 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
70	Beirut Noir 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
71	Chicago Noir: The Classics 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
72	Marseille Noir 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
73	Memphis Noir 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
74	Providence Noir 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
75	Zagreb Noir 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
76	Brussels Noir 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
77	Mississippi Noir 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
78	New Orleans Noir: The Classics 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
79	Prague Noir 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
80	San Juan Noir 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
81	St. Louis Noir 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
82	Stockholm Noir 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
83	Atlanta Noir 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
84	Buenos Aires Noir 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
85	Montana Noir 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
86	Montreal Noir 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
87	New Haven Noir 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
88	Oakland Noir 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
89	Trinidad Noir: The Classics 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
90	Baghdad Noir 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
91	Berlin Noir 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
92	Hong Kong Noir 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
93	Lagos Noir 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
94	Marrakech Noir 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
95	Santa Cruz Noir 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
96	Sydney Noir 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
97	São Paulo Noir 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
98	Vancouver Noir 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
99	Amsterdam Noir 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
100	Houston Noir 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
101	Milwaukee Noir 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
102	Accra Noir 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
103	Addis Ababa Noir 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
104	Alabama Noir 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
105	Belgrade Noir 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
106	Berkeley Noir 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
107	Columbus Noir 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
108	Miami Noir: The Classics 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
109	Nairobi Noir 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
110	Santa Fe Noir 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
111	Tampa Bay Noir 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
112	Palm Springs Noir 2021Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
113	Denver Noir 2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
114	Paris Noir: The Suburbs 2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
115	South Central Noir 2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
116	Cleveland Noir 2023Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
117	East Jerusalem Noir 2023Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
118	West Jerusalem Noir 2023Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
119	Honolulu Noir 2024Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
120	Hamburg Noir 2025Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
121	Sacramento Noir 2025Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (2009–2010)

Don Winslow edited two complete anthologies of mystery and thriller stories published in 2009 and 2010. Read these collections in publication order, beginning with On a Raven's Wing followed by Hook, Line & Sinister. Each anthology can be enjoyed independently, but reading them sequentially provides the intended experience.

Start with On a Raven's Wing and read in order.

#	Title
1	On a Raven's Wing 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Hook, Line & Sinister 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (2008–2009)

Don Winslow's completed Boone Daniels series consists of two mystery thrillers published between 2008 and 2009. The Dawn Patrol introduces the protagonist, followed by The Gentlemen's Hour, and both should be read in publication order to fully experience the narrative arc. This two-book series offers a self-contained story that concludes with the second installment.

Start with The Dawn Patrol and read in order.

#	Title
1	The Dawn Patrol 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Gentlemen's Hour 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

3 books (2021–2024)

The Danny Ryan series is a three-book crime thriller by Don Winslow following a protagonist navigating complex criminal underworld dynamics. The series consists of City on Fire (2021), City of Dreams (2023), and City in Ruins (2024), with the story still ongoing. These novels should be read in publication order to experience the full narrative arc as intended by the author.

Start with City on Fire and read in order.

#	Title
1	City on Fire 2021Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	City of Dreams 2023Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	City in Ruins 2024Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (2014–2016)

Don Winslow's Frank Decker series consists of two crime thrillers published between 2014 and 2016. The complete series should be read in publication order, beginning with Missing New York followed by Germany. Both books feature the titular protagonist investigating criminal cases against the backdrop of gritty urban settings.

Start with Missing New York and read in order.

#	Title
1	Missing New York 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Germany 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

5 books (1991–1996)

Don Winslow's Neal Carey series comprises five mystery thrillers published between 1991 and 1996, following the protagonist through cases that span from A Cool Breeze on the Underground to While Drowning in the Desert. The series is complete and should be read in publication order to follow the character's development and ongoing story arcs. Each book builds on the foundation of the previous entries, making sequential reading essential for maximum enjoyment.

Start with A Cool Breeze on the Underground, the first of 5 books in the Neal Carey series.

#	Title
1	A Cool Breeze on the Underground 1991Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Trail to Buddha's Mirror 1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Way Down on the High Lonely 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	A Long Walk Up the Water Slide 1994Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	While Drowning in the Desert 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

1 book (2004–2004)

#	Title
1	Looking for a Hero 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

3 books (2005–2019)

Don Winslow's completed trilogy spans from 2005 to 2019, beginning with The Power of the Dog and continuing through The Cartel and The Border. These three books should be read in publication order to fully experience the interconnected narrative. The series combines Winslow's expertise in mystery and thriller fiction with elements of non-fiction research into its subject matter.

Start with The Power of the Dog and read in order.

#	Title
1	The Power of the Dog 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Cartel 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Border 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (2019–2026)

This ongoing mystery and thriller short story collection series by Don Winslow and Reed Farrel Coleman contains two books published between 2019 and 2026. Read the books in publication order, beginning with Short Stack and continuing with The Final Score.

Start with Short Stack(By: Reed Farrel Coleman) and read in order.

#	Title
1	Short Stack(By: Reed Farrel Coleman) 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Final Score(With: Reed Farrel Coleman) 2026Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (2010–2012)

Don Winslow's Savages duology consists of two crime thrillers published between 2010 and 2012. The series should be read in publication order, beginning with Savages and continuing with The Kings of Cool. This complete two-book series explores the brutal world of drug trafficking and organized crime through interconnected narratives.

Start with Savages and read in order.

#	Title
1	Savages 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Kings of Cool 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

10 books (2021–2026)

Don Winslow's Short Stories/Novellas series consists of seven books published between 2021 and 2024, with the series still ongoing. The collection includes Crime 101, Deep Hole, Free Billy, The Heron, Dietrich, Downward Facing Doug, Oregon, and The Janitor, and should be read in publication order. These mystery and thriller shorts showcase Winslow's versatility across various narrative forms and themes.

Start with Crime 101, the first of 7 books in the Short Stories/Novellas series.

2 books (2020–2026)

Don Winslow has released two short story collections in his mystery and thriller series, beginning with Broken in 2020 and continuing with The Final Score, a collaboration with Reed Farrel Coleman published in 2026. The series remains ongoing with plans for additional entries. These collections should be read in publication order to fully appreciate Winslow's evolving work in the short form.

Start with Broken and read in order.

#	Title
1	Broken 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Final Score(With: Reed Farrel Coleman) 2026Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

7 books (1996–2017)

Don Winslow's seven standalone novels span from 1996 to 2017 and should be read in publication order beginning with Isle of Joy. Each book operates as a complete story independent of the others, though together they showcase Winslow's evolution as a mystery and thriller writer across two decades. The series concludes with The Force and represents a finished collection rather than an ongoing sequence.

Start with Isle of Joy, the first of 7 books in the Standalone Novels series.

#	Title
1	Isle of Joy 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Death and Life of Bobby Z 1997Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	California Fire and Life 1999Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Winter of Frankie Machine 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Satori 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Missing: New York 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	The Force 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible