William Bernhardt Reading Order

6 books (1994–2012)

William Bernhardt's Anthologies series comprises six standalone mystery and thriller collections published between 1994 and 2012, now complete. These books should be read in publication order: Partners in Crime, Legal Briefs, Natural Suspect, Voices of the Heartland, At Risk, and Love is Murder. Each volume brings together original short works from multiple authors, offering varied mystery and crime narratives across the span of nearly two decades.

Start with Partners in Crime, the first of 6 books in the Anthologies series.

#	Title
1	Partners in Crime 1994Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Legal Briefs 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Natural Suspect 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Voices of the Heartland 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	At Risk 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Love is Murder 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

23 books (1991–2017)

William Bernhardt's Ben Kincaid mystery series spans 23 books published between 1991 and 2017, following the career of criminal defense attorney Ben Kincaid through cases ranging from murder trials to political intrigue. The series is complete and should be read in publication order, beginning with Primary Justice, to experience the character's development and the evolving legal landscape across the two-and-a-half decades of cases. Each installment stands as its own mystery while contributing to the larger arc of Kincaid's professional journey.

Start with Primary Justice, the first of 23 books in the Ben Kincaid series.

#	Title
1	Primary Justice 1991Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Blind Justice 1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Deadly Justice 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Perfect Justice 1994Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Cruel Justice 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Naked Justice 1997Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Extreme Justice 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Dark Justice 1999Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Silent Justice 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Murder One 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Criminal Intent 2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Death Row 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	Hate Crime 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	Capitol Murder 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	Capitol Threat 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	Capitol Conspiracy 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	Capitol Offense 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18	Capitol Betrayal 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19	After Hours 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
20	Yuletide Justice 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
21	Rough Justice 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
22	What We're Here For 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
23	Justice Returns 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (2013–2017)

William Bernhardt's Collections series comprises two mystery and thriller novels published between 2013 and 2017. The White Bird launched the series in 2013, followed by The Ocean's Edge in 2017. Both books should be read in publication order for the intended narrative experience. The series is complete with no additional installments planned.

Start with The White Bird and read in order.

#	Title
1	The White Bird 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Ocean's Edge 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

7 books (2019–2024)

William Bernhardt's Daniel Pike series comprises seven books published between 2019 and 2024, with the most recent installment released in 2024. The series follows publication order, beginning with Court of Killers and continuing through The Last Chance Lawyer, Trial by Blood, Judge and Jury, Twisted Justice, Final Verdict, and Justice For All. The series is ongoing, allowing for potential future entries in this mystery and thriller sequence.

Start with Court of Killers, the first of 7 books in the Daniel Pike series.

#	Title
1	Court of Killers 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Last Chance Lawyer 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Trial by Blood 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Judge and Jury 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Twisted Justice 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Final Verdict 2021Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Justice For All 2024Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

34 books (2022–2025)

Mysterious Profiles is an ongoing mystery and thriller series by William Bernhardt comprising 33 books published between 2022 and 2025. Rather than following a single protagonist, this series profiles various famous fictional detectives and investigators across multiple crime fiction universes, including characters like Jack Reacher, Hieronymus Bosch, Charlie Parker, and Inspector Morse. The books should be read in publication order to follow Bernhardt's intended presentation of these diverse detective profiles. Begin with the Alex Delaware entry and continue through the series as each new profile was released.

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

2 books (2006–2026)

William Bernhardt's non-fiction series explores true crime and legal matters through two books published across two decades. Equal Justice was released in 2006, followed by The Superman Wars in 2026. The series is ongoing and should be read in publication order to fully appreciate Bernhardt's examination of these compelling real-world cases and legal issues.

Start with Equal Justice and read in order.

#	Title
1	Equal Justice 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Superman Wars 2026Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

1 book (2007–2007)

11 books (2003–2020)

The Red Sneaker Writers series is a complete collection of eleven instructional books published between 2003 and 2020, designed to help writers develop their craft across multiple essential skills. Written by William Bernhardt, the series covers topics ranging from story structure and dialogue to character development, plot construction, and editing techniques. Each book functions as a standalone guide, but readers should follow the publication order beginning with Story Structure to progress through a comprehensive writing curriculum. This completed series offers both fiction and practical writing instruction for authors seeking to improve their storytelling abilities.

Start with Story Structure, the first of 11 books in the Red Sneaker Writers series.

#	Title
1	Story Structure 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Fundamentals of Fiction 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Dynamic Dialogue 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Sizzling Style 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Powerful Premise 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Excellent Editing 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Creating Character 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Perfecting Plot 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	What Writers Need to Know 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Dazzling Description 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Thinking Theme 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

15 books (2013–2015)

The Shine series is a complete mystery and thriller collection comprising 15 books published between 2013 and 2015 by William Bernhardt and various collaborators. The series should be read in publication order, beginning with Childhood's End / Shine and concluding with The Gilded Cage. This interconnected anthology features contributions from multiple authors including Tamara Grantham, Sabrina A. Fish, and Burke Holbrook, creating a complex narrative tapestry across the full sequence.

Start with Childhood's End / Shine, the first of 15 books in the Shine series.

3 books (2021–2022)

William Bernhardt's Splitsville Legal Thriller series consists of three books published between 2021 and 2022. The trilogy should be read in publication order, beginning with Exposed, followed by Splitsville, and concluding with Shameless. The series appears to be complete based on the publication timeline and lack of announced future installments.

Start with Exposed and read in order.

10 books (1993–2023)

William Bernhardt's Standalone Novels series comprises ten mystery and thriller titles published between 1993 and 2023, beginning with The Code of Buddyhood and concluding with The Florentine Poet, co-authored with Brian Call. Each book stands alone as an independent story, so readers can start with any entry, though publication order is recommended for experiencing Bernhardt's evolving craft across three decades. The series appears to be complete as of 2023.

Start with The Code of Buddyhood, the first of 10 books in the Standalone Novels series.

#	Title
1	The Code of Buddyhood 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Double Jeopardy 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Midnight Before Christmas 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Final Round 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Nemesis 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	The Black Sentry 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	The Game Master 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Challengers of the Dust 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Plot/Counterplot 2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	The Florentine Poet(With: Brian Call) 2023Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (2004–2007)

William Bernhardt's Susan Pulaski series consists of two mystery thrillers published between 2004 and 2007. The series is complete and should be read in publication order, beginning with Dark Eye followed by Strip Search. Both novels feature the same protagonist navigating complex criminal investigations.

Start with Dark Eye and read in order.

#	Title
1	Dark Eye 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Strip Search 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible