John Harvey Reading Order

15 books (1997–2025)

John Harvey has edited fourteen mystery and crime anthologies from 1997 to 2025, with the series still ongoing. These collections feature short stories from various mystery and thriller writers, beginning with Mystery's Most Wanted and progressing through titles like Opening Shots, The Detection Collection, and the most recent entry, Playing Dead. Readers should follow the anthologies in publication order to experience how the collections evolve over nearly three decades of contemporary crime fiction.

Start with Mystery's Most Wanted, the first of 14 books in the Anthologies series.

#	Title
1	Mystery's Most Wanted 1997Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Opening Shots: Great Mystery and Crime Writers Share Their First Published Stories 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Detection Collection 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Damn Near Dead 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Men from Boys 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	The Best British Mysteries IV 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	The Lineup 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Deadly Pleasures 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Fedora 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Guilty Parties 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	These Seven 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Ten Year Stretch 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	Invisible Blood 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	Daggers Drawn 2021Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	Playing Dead: Short Stories by Members of the Detection Club 2025Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

27 books (1974–1984)

John Harvey's Apache series consists of 27 western novels published between 1974 and 1984, now complete. These books should be read in publication order, beginning with Knife in the Night. The series is set in the American West and follows a continuing narrative across its full span of installments.

Start with Knife in the Night, the first of 27 books in the Apache series.

#	Title
1	Knife in the Night 1974Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The First Death 1974Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Death Train 1975Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Duel to the Death 1975Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Fort Treachery 1975Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Blood Line 1976Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Sonora Slaughter 1976Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	All Blood is Red 1977Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Blood on the Tracks 1977Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	The Naked and the Savage 1977Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Fool's Gold 1978Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	The Cruel Trail 1978Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	Blood Rising 1979Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	Born to Die 1979Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	The Best Man 1979Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	Blood Brother 1980Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	Slow Dying 1980Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18	Texas Killing 1980Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19	Blood Wedding 1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
20	Death Dragon 1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
21	Fast Living 1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
22	Border Killing 1982Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
23	Death Valley 1982Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
24	Death Ride 1983Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
25	The Hanging 1983Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
26	Times Past 1983Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
27	Debt of Blood 1984Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

40 books (2012–2022)

Bibliomysteries is a 40-book mystery anthology series edited by John Harvey, featuring stories by acclaimed crime and thriller authors. Published between 2012 and 2022, each standalone story centers on books, libraries, or literary themes as crucial elements of the mystery. The series should be read in publication order, beginning with An Acceptable Sacrifice by Jeffery Deaver, though individual entries can be enjoyed independently. The complete collection brings together contributions from major names in the mystery genre, making it ideal for readers who appreciate both crime fiction and literary intrigue.

Start with An Acceptable Sacrifice(By: Jeffery Deaver), the first of 40 books in the Bibliomysteries series.

#	Title
1	An Acceptable Sacrifice(By: Jeffery Deaver) 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Death Leaves a Bookmark(By: William Link) 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Pronghorns of the Third Reich(By: C.J. Box) 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Book Case(By: Nelson DeMille) 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	The Book Thing(By: Laura Lippman) 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	The Book of Virtue(By: Ken Bruen) 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Rides a Stranger(By: David Bell) 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	The Book of Ghosts(By: Reed Farrel Coleman) 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	The Final Testament(By: Peter Blauner) 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	The Long Sonata of the Dead(By: Andrew Taylor) 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Book Club(By: Loren D. Estleman) 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	It's in the Book(By: Max Allan Collins,Mickey Spillane) 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	Remaindered(By: Peter Lovesey) 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	The Compendium of Srem(By: F. Paul Wilson) 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	The Gospel of Sheba(By: Lyndsay Faye) 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	The Nature of My Inheritance(By: Bradford Morrow) 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	The Scroll(By: Anne Perry) 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18	The Sequel(By: R.L. Stine) 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19	What's in a Name?(By: Thomas H. Cook) 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
20	Condor in the Stacks(By: James Grady) 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
21	Every Seven Years(By: Denise Mina) 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
22	From the Queen(By: Carolyn Hart) 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
23	Mystery, Inc.(By: Joyce Carol Oates) 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
24	The Book of the Lion(By: Thomas Perry) 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
25	The Little Men(By: Megan Abbott) 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
26	Citadel(By: Stephen Hunter) 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
27	Dead Dames Don't Sing 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
28	Reconciliation Day(By: Christopher Fowler) 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
29	The Haze(By: James W. Hall) 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
30	The Travelling Companion(By: Ian Rankin) 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
31	Hoodoo Harry(By: Joe R. Lansdale) 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
32	Seven Years(By: Peter Robinson) 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
33	The Caxton Private Lending Library & Book Depository(By: John Connolly) 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
34	The Hemingway Valise(By: Robert Olen Butler) 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
35	The Last Honest Horse Thief(By: Michael Koryta) 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
36	The Pretty Little Box(By: Charles Todd) 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
37	The Girl Who Did Say No(By: David Handler) 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
38	The Dark Door(By: Lisa Unger) 2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
39	The Honeymoon Trap(By: Peter Swanson) 2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
40	The Traitor(By: Martin Edwards) 2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

5 books (1978–1978)

The Caleb Thorn series comprises five mystery and thriller novels by John Harvey, all published in 1978 as a complete collection. These books should be read in publication order, beginning with Bloody Shiloh and continuing through Brotherly Death, Death River, First Shot, and concluding with The Raiders. This finished series offers a self-contained narrative arc across its five installments.

Start with Bloody Shiloh, the first of 5 books in the Caleb Thorn series.

#	Title
1	Bloody Shiloh 1978Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Brotherly Death 1978Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Death River 1978Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	First Shot 1978Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	The Raiders 1978Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

12 books (1989–2014)

John Harvey's Charlie Resnick series comprises twelve mystery novels published between 1989 and 2014, following a complete arc that should be read in publication order. Beginning with Lonely Hearts, the series follows detective Charlie Resnick through cases in Nottingham, with subsequent titles including Wasted Years, Rough Treatment, Cutting Edge, Off Minor, Cold Light, Living Proof, Easy Meat, Still Water, Last Rites, Cold in Hand, and Darkness. The series concluded in 2014, making it ideal for readers seeking a finished detective series with substantial depth and character development across multiple installments.

Start with Lonely Hearts, the first of 12 books in the Charlie Resnick series.

#	Title
1	Lonely Hearts 1989Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Wasted Years 1989Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Rough Treatment 1990Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Cutting Edge 1991Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Off Minor 1991Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Cold Light 1994Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Living Proof 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Easy Meat 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Still Water 1997Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Last Rites 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Cold in Hand 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Darkness, Darkness 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

1 book (1999–1999)

#	Title
1	Now's the Time 1999Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

1 book (2011–2011)

#	Title
1	Good Bait 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

3 books (1976–1977)

John Harvey's Deathshop trilogy consists of three mystery and thriller novels published between 1976 and 1977. The complete series comprises Kill Hitler!, Forest of Death, and Lightning Strikes, which should be read in publication order. This finished series is best approached by starting with the first installment and progressing through each book sequentially.

Start with Kill Hitler! and read in order.

#	Title
1	Kill Hitler! 1976Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Forest of Death 1977Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Lightning Strikes 1977Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

4 books (2004–2018)

The Frank Elder series is a complete mystery collection spanning four novels published between 2004 and 2018. Written by John Harvey, these books should be read in publication order, beginning with Flesh & Blood and concluding with Body & Soul. The series follows Frank Elder through interconnected cases that unfold across the fourteen-year span of the complete works.

Start with Flesh & Blood, the first of 4 books in the Frank Elder series.

#	Title
1	Flesh & Blood 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Ash & Bone 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Darkness & Light 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Body & Soul 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

10 books (1979–1982)

The Gringos series is a complete mystery and thriller sequence comprising ten books published between 1979 and 1982. These novels should be read in publication order, beginning with Border Affair and continuing through Survivors. The series was written by John Harvey and offers a substantial entry point for readers interested in the author's work during this prolific period.

Start with Border Affair, the first of 10 books in the Gringos series.

#	Title
1	Border Affair 1979Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Cannons in the Rain 1979Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Fire in the Wind 1979Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Guns Across the River 1979Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Easy Money 1980Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Mazatlan 1980Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	One Too Many Mornings 1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Wheels of Thunder 1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Durango 1982Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Survivors 1982Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

10 books (1980–1982)

John Harvey's Hart: The Regulator is a 10-book mystery and thriller series following the character Hart across the American frontier. Published between 1980 and 1982, the series is now complete and should be read in publication order, beginning with Blood Trail. The books span from Blood Trail through Skinning Place, offering a self-contained narrative arc that concludes with the final installment.

Start with Blood Trail, the first of 10 books in the Hart: The Regulator series.

#	Title
1	Blood Trail 1980Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Cherokee Outlet 1980Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Tago 1980Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Blood on the Border 1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Ride the Wide Country 1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	The Silver Lie 1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Arkansas Breakout 1982Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	California Bloodlines 1982Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	John Wesley Hardin 1982Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Skinning Place 1982Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

14 books (1979–1983)

The Hawk series is a 14-book mystery and thriller sequence by John Harvey, published between 1979 and 1983. The complete series should be read in publication order, beginning with Blood Money and concluding with Border War. Each installment was released during the early 1980s, offering a full arc across the span of the series.

Start with Blood Money, the first of 14 books in the Hawk series.

#	Title
1	Blood Money 1979Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Death's Bounty 1979Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Sudden Guns 1979Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Blood Kin 1980Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Desperadoes 1980Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Fool's Gold 1980Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Killing Time 1980Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	The Gates of Death 1980Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Dead Man's Hand 1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	The Widowmaker 1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Death and Jack Shade 1982Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Killer's Breed 1982Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	Sierra Gold 1982Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	Border War 1983Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

24 books (1976–1984)

This western mystery thriller series by John Harvey consists of 24 complete novels published between 1976 and 1984. The books should be read in publication order, beginning with River of Blood. The series encompasses a wide range of frontier narratives spanning from the Old West to historical figures like Billy the Kid and Geronimo.

Start with River of Blood, the first of 24 books in the Herne The Hunter series.

#	Title
1	River of Blood 1976Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	White Death 1976Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Apache Squaw 1977Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Death in Gold 1977Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Shadow of the Vulture 1977Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	The Black Widow 1977Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Cross Draw 1978Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Death Rites 1978Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Massacre! 1978Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Vigilante! 1978Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Silver Threads 1979Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Sun Dance 1979Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	Billy the Kid 1980Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	Death School 1980Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	Geronimo! 1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	The Hanging 1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	Till Death 1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18	Bloodline 1982Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19	Dying Ways 1982Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
20	Hearts of Gold 1982Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
21	Pony Express 1983Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
22	Wild Blood 1983Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
23	Texas Massacre 1984Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
24	The Last Hurrah 1984Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

34 books (2022–2025)

The Mysterious Profiles series comprises 33 books published between 2022 and 2025, with the series still ongoing. These books should be read in publication order and feature a diverse collection of mystery and thriller protagonists across multiple authors, including characters such as Alex Delaware, Jack Reacher, Hieronymus Bosch, and Charlie Parker. The series blends mystery and non-fiction elements, offering readers exposure to some of the genre's most iconic detective and investigator characters.

Start with Alex Delaware(By: Jonathan Kellerman), the first of 33 books in the Mysterious Profiles series.

1 book (2013–2013)

#	Title
1	The Story of Black 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

9 books (1981–1984)

John Harvey's Peacemaker series consists of nine western novels published between 1981 and 1984. The complete series should be read in publication order, beginning with Comanche! and concluding with The Lost. This mystery and thriller series follows a straightforward narrative arc across its entries, making it ideal for readers seeking a finished western saga to experience from start to finish.

Start with Comanche!, the first of 9 books in the Peacemaker series.

#	Title
1	Comanche! 1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Lynch Law 1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Outlaws 1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Whiplash 1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Blood Run 1982Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	War Party 1983Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	One Thousand Dollar Death 1984Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Shoot-out! 1984Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	The Lost 1984Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

4 books (1976–1977)

The Scott Mitchell series comprises four mystery and thriller novels by John Harvey, published between 1976 and 1977. The complete series should be read in publication order, beginning with Amphetamines and Pearls, followed by The Geranium Kiss, Junkyard Angel, and Neon Madman. This brief but intense series showcases Harvey's early work in the crime fiction genre.

Start with Amphetamines and Pearls, the first of 4 books in the Scott Mitchell series.

#	Title
1	Amphetamines and Pearls 1976Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Geranium Kiss 1976Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Junkyard Angel 1977Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Neon Madman 1977Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

3 books (2007–2016)

John Harvey's collection of three mystery and thriller novellas spans from 2007 to 2016 and should be read in publication order beginning with Trouble In Mind, followed by Fedora, and concluding with Dead Dames Don't Sing. This complete series features standalone stories that showcase Harvey's work in the short fiction format across the decade.

Start with Trouble In Mind and read in order.

#	Title
1	Trouble In Mind 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Fedora 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Dead Dames Don't Sing 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

3 books (1992–2009)

John Harvey's three complete mystery and thriller collections span from 1992 to 2009 and should be read in publication order beginning with Ghosts of a Chance, followed by Bluer Than This and Minor Key. These short story collections showcase Harvey's work in the mystery and thriller genre across nearly two decades of his writing career.

Start with Ghosts of a Chance and read in order.

#	Title
1	Ghosts of a Chance 1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Bluer Than This 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Minor Key 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

7 books (1975–2008)

John Harvey's seven standalone mystery and thriller novels were published between 1975 and 2008, with the series now complete. While each book stands independently, readers should follow publication order beginning with Angel Alone, followed by Avenging Angel, Endgame, Frame, Blind, In a True Light, and Nick's Blues. Harvey's works span mystery, thriller, and nonfiction genres, offering readers a diverse collection of crime-focused narratives across three decades.

Start with Angel Alone, the first of 7 books in the Standalone Novels series.

#	Title
1	Angel Alone 1975Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Avenging Angel 1975Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Endgame 1975Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Frame 1979Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Blind 1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	In a True Light 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Nick's Blues 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

6 books (1977–1980)

John Harvey's complete Lawmen series comprises six mystery and thriller novels published between 1977 and 1980. The books should be read in publication order, beginning with Evil Breed and continuing through Kansas Bloody Kansas, Judgment Day, Vengeance Trail, Hanged Man, and concluding with One Way to Die. This finished series offers a self-contained arc across its six entries.

Start with Evil Breed, the first of 6 books in the The Lawmen series.

#	Title
1	Evil Breed 1977Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Kansas Bloody Kansas 1977Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Judgment Day 1978Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Vengeance Trail 1978Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Hanged Man 1979Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	One Way to Die 1980Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

5 books (1987–1988)

The Tempest Twins is a five-book mystery and thriller series by John Harvey, published between 1987 and 1988. The complete series should be read in publication order, beginning with Daylight Robbery! and continuing through Hot Property!, Downeast to Danger!, Runner!, and concluding with Terror Trap!.

Start with Daylight Robbery!, the first of 5 books in the The Tempest Twins series.

#	Title
1	Daylight Robbery! 1987Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Hot Property! 1987Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Downeast to Danger! 1988Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Runner! 1988Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Terror Trap! 1988Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

3 books (2007–2010)

John Harvey's Will Grayson and Helen Walker mystery series spans three complete novels published between 2007 and 2010. The trilogy should be read in publication order, beginning with Gone to Ground, followed by Far Cry, and concluding with A Darker Shade of Blue. This British crime series explores the investigations of its central characters across a fully resolved narrative arc.

Start with Gone to Ground and read in order.

#	Title
1	Gone to Ground 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Far Cry 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	A Darker Shade of Blue 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible