Reading Order List โ€” Book Series Reading Order Guide

John Harvey Reading Order

23 series ยท 239 books ยท Born 1911

John Harvey is a prolific British writer known for his engaging crime fiction, which often weaves in elements of jazz and atmosphere. With an impressive portfolio of 239 books spanning 23 series, his notable works include the Charlie Resnick series, the DCI Karen Shields series, and the Frank Elder novels. Active from 1974 to 2025, Harveyโ€™s storytelling reflects a deep understanding of human nature and the complexities of crime.

Anthologies Series

Ongoing

14 books (1997โ€“2025)

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

#Title
1
Cover of Mystery's Most Wanted
Mystery's Most Wanted
2
Cover of Opening Shots: Great Mystery and Crime Writers Share Their First Published Stories
Opening Shots: Great Mystery and Crime Writers Share Their First Published Stories
3
The Detection Collection
4
Cover of Damn Near Dead
Damn Near Dead
5
Cover of Men from Boys
Men from Boys
6
Cover of The Best British Mysteries IV
The Best British Mysteries IV
7
8
Deadly Pleasures
9
10
11
Cover of Ten Year Stretch
Ten Year Stretch
12
Cover of Invisible Blood
Invisible Blood
13
Cover of Daggers Drawn
Daggers Drawn
14
Cover of Playing Dead: Short Stories by Members of the Detection Club
Playing Dead: Short Stories by Members of the Detection Club

Apache Series

Complete

27 books (1974โ€“1984)

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

#Title
1
Cover of Knife in the Night
Knife in the Night
2
Cover of The First Death
The First Death
3
4
Cover of Duel to the Death
Duel to the Death
5
Cover of Fort Treachery
Fort Treachery
6
7
Cover of Sonora Slaughter
Sonora Slaughter
8
All Blood is Red
9
Blood on the Tracks
10
Cover of The Naked and the Savage
The Naked and the Savage
11
12
Cover of The Cruel Trail
The Cruel Trail
13
Cover of Blood Rising
Blood Rising
14
15
Cover of The Best Man
The Best Man
16
Cover of Blood Brother
Blood Brother
17
18
Cover of Texas Killing
Texas Killing
19
Cover of Blood Wedding
Blood Wedding
20
Cover of Death Dragon
Death Dragon
21
22
Cover of Border Killing
Border Killing
23
Cover of Death Valley
Death Valley
24
25
26
27
Cover of Debt of Blood
Debt of Blood

Bibliomysteries Series

Likely Complete

40 books (2012โ€“2022)

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

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

Caleb Thorn Series

Complete

5 books (1978โ€“1978)

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

#Title
1
Cover of Bloody Shiloh
Bloody Shiloh
2
Cover of Brotherly Death
Brotherly Death
3
4
5

Charlie Resnick Series

Complete

12 books (1989โ€“2014)

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

#Title
1
Cover of Lonely Hearts
Lonely Hearts
2
Cover of Wasted Years
Wasted Years
3
Cover of Rough Treatment
Rough Treatment
4
Cover of Cutting Edge
Cutting Edge
5
6
7
Cover of Living Proof
Living Proof
8
9
10
11
Cover of Cold in Hand
Cold in Hand
12
Darkness, Darkness

Charlie Resnick Collections Series

Complete

1 book (1999โ€“1999)

#Title
1
Cover of Now's the Time
Now's the Time

DCI Karen Shields Series

Complete

1 book (2011โ€“2011)

#Title
1

Deathshop Series

Complete

3 books (1976โ€“1977)

Start with Kill Hitler! and read in order.

#Title
1
Cover of Kill Hitler!
Kill Hitler!
2
Cover of Forest of Death
Forest of Death
3
Cover of Lightning Strikes
Lightning Strikes

Frank Elder Series

Complete

4 books (2004โ€“2018)

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

#Title
1
Cover of Flesh & Blood
Flesh & Blood
2
3
Cover of Darkness & Light
Darkness & Light
4

Gringos Series

Complete

10 books (1979โ€“1982)

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

#Title
1
Cover of Border Affair
Border Affair
2
Cover of Cannons in the Rain
Cannons in the Rain
3
Cover of Fire in the Wind
Fire in the Wind
4
Cover of Guns Across the River
Guns Across the River
5
6
7
Cover of One Too Many Mornings
One Too Many Mornings
8
Cover of Wheels of Thunder
Wheels of Thunder
9
10

Hart: The Regulator Series

Complete

10 books (1980โ€“1982)

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

#Title
1
2
Cherokee Outlet
3
4
Cover of Blood on the Border
Blood on the Border
5
Cover of Ride the Wide Country
Ride the Wide Country
6
Cover of The Silver Lie
The Silver Lie
7
Cover of Arkansas Breakout
Arkansas Breakout
8
Cover of California Bloodlines
California Bloodlines
9
Cover of John Wesley Hardin
John Wesley Hardin
10
Skinning Place

Hawk Series

Complete

14 books (1979โ€“1983)

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

#Title
1
2
Cover of Death's Bounty
Death's Bounty
3
Cover of The Sudden Guns
The Sudden Guns
4
5
6
7
Cover of Killing Time
Killing Time
8
Cover of The Gates of Death
The Gates of Death
9
Cover of Dead Man's Hand
Dead Man's Hand
10
Cover of The Widowmaker
The Widowmaker
11
Cover of Death and Jack Shade
Death and Jack Shade
12
Cover of Killer's Breed
Killer's Breed
13
14

Herne The Hunter Series

Complete

24 books (1976โ€“1984)

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

#Title
1
Cover of River of Blood
River of Blood
2
3
Cover of Apache Squaw
Apache Squaw
4
Cover of Death in Gold
Death in Gold
5
Cover of Shadow of the Vulture
Shadow of the Vulture
6
Cover of The Black Widow
The Black Widow
7
8
9
10
11
Cover of Silver Threads
Silver Threads
12
13
Cover of Billy the Kid
Billy the Kid
14
Death School
15
16
17
18
19
20
Cover of Hearts of Gold
Hearts of Gold
21
Cover of Pony Express
Pony Express
22
23
Cover of Texas Massacre
Texas Massacre
24
Cover of The Last Hurrah
The Last Hurrah

Mysterious Profiles Series

Ongoing

33 books (2022โ€“2025)

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

#Title
1
Alex Delaware(By: Jonathan Kellerman)
2
Aloysius X. L. Pendergast(By: Douglas Preston)
3
Amos Walker(By: Loren D. Estleman)
4
Bob Lee Swagger(By: Stephen Hunter)
5
Charlie Parker(By: John Connolly)
6
Charlie Resnick
7
Charlotte and Thomas Pitt(By: Anne Perry)
8
Dismas Hardy(By: John Lescroart)
9
Elvis Cole and Joe Pike(By: Robert Crais)
10
Hieronymus Bosch(By: Michael Connelly)
11
Ian Rutledge(By: Charles Todd)
12
Inspector Morse(By: Colin Dexter)
13
Jack Reacher(By: Lee Child)
14
Jack Taylor(By: Ken Bruen)
15
Jane Whitefield(By: Thomas Perry)
16
John Rebus(By: Ian Rankin)
17
Lincoln Rhyme(By: Jeffery Deaver)
18
Lou Boldt(By: Ridley Pearson)
19
Maisie Dobbs(By: Jacqueline Winspear)
20
Mallory(By: Carol O'Connell)
21
Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus(By: Faye Kellerman)
22
Precious Ramotswe(By: Alexander McCall Smith)
23
Rambo(By: David Morrell)
24
Spenser(By: Robert B. Parker)
25
Tess Monaghan(By: Laura Lippman)
26
The Lincoln Lawyer(By: Michael Connelly)
27
Ben Kincaid(By: William Bernhardt)
28
Condor(By: James Grady)
29
Repairman Jack(By: F. Paul Wilson)
30
Joe Pickett(By: C.J. Box)
31
Nathan Heller(By: Max Allan Collins)
32
Peter Diamond(By: Peter Lovesey)
33
Orphan X(By: Gregg Hurwitz)

Non-Fiction Series

Complete

1 book (2013โ€“2013)

#Title
1
Cover of The Story of Black
The Story of Black

Peacemaker Series

Complete

9 books (1981โ€“1984)

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

#Title
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Cover of One Thousand Dollar Death
One Thousand Dollar Death
8
9

Scott Mitchell Series

Complete

4 books (1976โ€“1977)

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

#Title
1
Amphetamines and Pearls
2
Cover of The Geranium Kiss
The Geranium Kiss
3
Cover of Junkyard Angel
Junkyard Angel
4

Short Stories/Novellas Series

Complete

3 books (2007โ€“2016)

Start with Trouble In Mind and read in order.

#Title
1
Cover of Trouble In Mind
Trouble In Mind
2
3
Dead Dames Don't Sing

Short Story Collections Series

Complete

3 books (1992โ€“2009)

Start with Ghosts of a Chance and read in order.

#Title
1
Cover of Ghosts of a Chance
Ghosts of a Chance
2
Cover of Bluer Than This
Bluer Than This
3

Standalone Novels Series

Complete

7 books (1975โ€“2008)

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

The Lawmen Series

Complete

6 books (1977โ€“1980)

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

#Title
1
2
Cover of Kansas Bloody Kansas
Kansas Bloody Kansas
3
Cover of Judgment Day
Judgment Day
4
Cover of Vengeance Trail
Vengeance Trail
5
6
Cover of One Way to Die
One Way to Die

The Tempest Twins Series

Complete

5 books (1987โ€“1988)

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

#Title
1
Cover of Daylight Robbery!
Daylight Robbery!
2
Cover of Hot Property!
Hot Property!
3
Cover of Downeast to Danger!
Downeast to Danger!
4
5
Cover of Terror Trap!
Terror Trap!

Will Grayson and Helen Walker Series

Complete

3 books (2007โ€“2010)

Start with Gone to Ground and read in order.

#Title
1
Gone to Ground
2
3
Cover of A Darker Shade of Blue
A Darker Shade of Blue

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books has John Harvey written?
John Harvey has written 239 books across 23 series. Their published works span from 1974 to 2025.
What is the first book in each John Harvey series?
Here are the first books in John Harvey's series: Anthologies: Mystery's Most Wanted; Apache: Knife in the Night; Bibliomysteries: An Acceptable Sacrifice(By: Jeffery Deaver); Caleb Thorn: Bloody Shiloh; Charlie Resnick: Lonely Hearts.
What order should I read John Harvey's books?
We recommend reading John Harvey's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
Is John Harvey still writing new books?
Yes, John Harvey has 2 ongoing series: Anthologies, Mysterious Profiles.

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