William Kent Krueger Reading Order
8 series · 165 books
William Kent Krueger is an acclaimed American author renowned for his gripping crime fiction, particularly the Cork O'Connor series set in Minnesota. With an impressive portfolio of 165 works spanning eight series—including the Cork O'Connor Companion, standalone novels, and collections of short stories—he captivates readers with his engaging storytelling and richly drawn characters. Active from 1998 until 2026, his novel Ordinary Grace earned the Edgar Award for Best Novel in 2013, solidifying his reputation in the literary world.
Akashic Noir Series
Ongoing121 books (2002–2025)
Start with San Francisco Noir, the first of 121 books in the Akashic Noir series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco Noir 2002Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 | Bronx Noir 2003Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 | Seattle Noir 2003Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 | Brooklyn Noir 2004Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 |  Hasidic Noir 2004Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 |  Brooklyn Noir 2 2005Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 | Chicago Noir 2005Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 |  Dublin Noir 2005Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 | Baltimore Noir 2006Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 | D.C. Noir 2006Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 11 | London Noir 2006Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 12 |  Manhattan Noir 2006Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 13 | Miami Noir 2006Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 14 |  Twin Cities Noir 2006Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 15 |  Detroit Noir 2007Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 16 | Havana Noir 2007Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 17 |  Los Angeles Noir 2007Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 18 |  New Orleans Noir 2007Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 19 | Wall Street Noir 2007Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 20 |  Brooklyn Noir 3: Nothing But the Truth 2008Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 21 | D.C. Noir 2 2008Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 22 | Istanbul Noir 2008Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 23 | Las Vegas Noir 2008Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 24 | Manhattan Noir 2 2008Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 25 | Paris Noir 2008Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 26 | Queens Noir 2008Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 27 | Toronto Noir 2008Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 28 | Trinidad Noir 2008Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 29 |  Boston Noir 2009Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 30 | Delhi Noir 2009Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 31 |  Phoenix Noir 2009Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 32 | Portland Noir 2009Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 33 | Rome Noir 2009Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 34 | San Francisco Noir 2 2009Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 35 | Copenhagen Noir 2010Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 36 | Haiti Noir 2010Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 37 | Indian Country Noir 2010Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 38 |  Lone Star Noir 2010Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 39 | Los Angeles Noir 2 2010Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 40 | Mexico City Noir 2010Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 41 | Moscow Noir 2010Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 42 |  Orange County Noir 2010Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 43 | Philadelphia Noir 2010Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 44 | Richmond Noir 2010Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 45 | Barcelona Noir 2011Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 46 |  Cape Cod Noir 2011Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 47 | New Jersey Noir 2011Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 48 | Pittsburgh Noir 2011Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 49 | San Diego Noir 2011Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 50 |  Boston Noir 2 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 51 | Kansas City Noir 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 52 | Kingston Noir 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 53 | Long Island Noir 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 54 | Mumbai Noir 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 55 | St. Petersburg Noir 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 56 |  Staten Island Noir 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 57 |  Venice Noir 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 58 | Buffalo Noir 2013Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 59 |  Dallas Noir 2013Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 60 | Haiti Noir 2 2013Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 61 | Manila Noir 2013Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 62 |  USA Noir 2013Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 63 | Belfast Noir 2014Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 64 | Helsinki Noir 2014Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 65 |  Prison Noir 2014Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 66 | Rio Noir 2014Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 67 | Singapore Noir 2014Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 68 | Tehran Noir 2014Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 69 | Tel Aviv Noir 2014Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 70 | Beirut Noir 2015Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 71 | Chicago Noir: The Classics 2015Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 72 | Marseille Noir 2015Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 73 | Memphis Noir 2015Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 74 | Providence Noir 2015Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 75 | Zagreb Noir 2015Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 76 | Brussels Noir 2016Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 77 |  Mississippi Noir 2016Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 78 | New Orleans Noir: The Classics 2016Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 79 | Prague Noir 2016Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 80 | San Juan Noir 2016Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 81 | St. Louis Noir 2016Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 82 |  Stockholm Noir 2016Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 83 |  Atlanta Noir 2017Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 84 | Buenos Aires Noir 2017Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 85 | Montana Noir 2017Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 86 | Montreal Noir 2017Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 87 | New Haven Noir 2017Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 88 | Oakland Noir 2017Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 89 | Trinidad Noir: The Classics 2017Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 90 | Baghdad Noir 2018Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 91 | Berlin Noir 2018Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 92 | Hong Kong Noir 2018Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 93 | Lagos Noir 2018Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 94 | Marrakech Noir 2018Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 95 | Santa Cruz Noir 2018Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 96 | Sydney Noir 2018Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 97 | São Paulo Noir 2018Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 98 | Vancouver Noir 2018Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 99 | Amsterdam Noir 2019Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 100 | Houston Noir 2019Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 101 | Milwaukee Noir 2019Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 102 | Accra Noir 2020Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 103 | Addis Ababa Noir 2020Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 104 | Alabama Noir 2020Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 105 | Belgrade Noir 2020Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 106 | Berkeley Noir 2020Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 107 | Columbus Noir 2020Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 108 | Miami Noir: The Classics 2020Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 109 | Nairobi Noir 2020Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 110 | Santa Fe Noir 2020Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 111 | Tampa Bay Noir 2020Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 112 | Palm Springs Noir 2021Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 113 | Denver Noir 2022Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 114 | Paris Noir: The Suburbs 2022Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 115 |  South Central Noir 2022Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 116 | Cleveland Noir 2023Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 117 | East Jerusalem Noir 2023Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 118 | West Jerusalem Noir 2023Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 119 | Honolulu Noir 2024Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 120 |  Hamburg Noir 2025Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 121 | Sacramento Noir 2025Buy 🇺🇸 |
Anthologies Series
Likely Complete10 books (2006–2023)
Start with Death Do Us Part, the first of 10 books in the Anthologies series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  Death Do Us Part 2006Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  These Guns for Hire 2006Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  Resort to Murder 2007Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  Once Upon a Crime: An Anthology of Murder, Mayhem and Suspense 2009Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 |  Crimes by Moonlight 2010Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 |  Writes of Spring 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 |  Writing Murder: A Basic Guide to Writing Mystery Fiction 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 | Reader's Digest Select Editions, Volume 340 2015Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 | Bullets and Other Hurting Things: A Tribute to Bill Crider 2021Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 | Thriller 2023Buy 🇺🇸 |
Cork O'Connor Series
Ongoing22 books (1998–2026)
Start with Iron Lake, the first of 22 books in the Cork O'Connor series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  Iron Lake 1998Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  Boundary Waters 1999Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 | Purgatory Ridge 2001Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  Blood Hollow 2004Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 |  Mercy Falls 2005Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 |  Copper River 2006Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 |  Thunder Bay 2007Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 |  Red Knife 2008Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 |  Heaven's Keep 2009Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 |  Vermilion Drift 2010Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 11 |  Northwest Angle 2011Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 12 |  Trickster's Point 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 13 |  Tamarack County 2013Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 14 | Windigo Island 2014Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 15 |  Manitou Canyon 2016Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 16 | Sulfur Springs 2017Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 17 |  Desolation Mountain 2018Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 18 |  Lightning Strike 2021Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 19 |  Fox Creek 2022Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 20 | Spirit Crossing 2024Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 21 | Apostle's Cove 2025Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 22 | God's Country 2026Buy 🇺🇸 |
Cork O'Connor Companion Series
Complete1 book (2016–2016)
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | The World of Cork O'Connor 2016Buy 🇺🇸 |
Music and Murder Mystery Series
Ongoing4 books (2022–2025)
Start with Hotel California(By: Heather Graham,John Gilstrap,Reed Farrel Coleman,Andrew Child,Amanda Flower,Don Bruns,Rick Bleiweiss,Jennifer Dornbush), the first of 4 books in the Music and Murder Mystery series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Hotel California(By: Heather Graham,John Gilstrap,Reed Farrel Coleman,Andrew Child,Amanda Flower,Don Bruns,Rick Bleiweiss,Jennifer Dornbush) 2022Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 | Thriller(With: Heather Graham,Jeffery Deaver,Don Bruns,Dahlia Rose,David R. Slayton) 2023Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 | Back in Black(By: Heather Graham,Reed Farrel Coleman,Ward Larsen,Tori Eldridge,Andrew Child,Don Bruns) 2024Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 | Bat Out of Hell(By: Charles Todd,Heather Graham,John Gilstrap,Andrew Child,Don Bruns,Rick Bleiweiss,Dave Bruns,C.J. Kudlacz) 2025Buy 🇺🇸 |
Short Stories/Novellas Series
Likely Complete2 books (2010–2023)
Start with Hixton and read in order.
Short Story Collections Series
Complete1 book (2012–2012)
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | The William Kent Krueger Reader's Companion 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
Standalone Novels Series
Likely Complete4 books (2003–2023)
Start with The Devil's Bed, the first of 4 books in the Standalone Novels series.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many books has William Kent Krueger written?
- William Kent Krueger has written 165 books across 8 series. Their published works span from 1998 to 2026.
- What is the first book in each William Kent Krueger series?
- Here are the first books in William Kent Krueger's series: Akashic Noir: San Francisco Noir; Anthologies: Death Do Us Part; Cork O'Connor: Iron Lake; Music and Murder Mystery: Hotel California(By: Heather Graham,John Gilstrap,Reed Farrel Coleman,Andrew Child,Amanda Flower,Don Bruns,Rick Bleiweiss,Jennifer Dornbush); Short Stories/Novellas: Hixton.
- What order should I read William Kent Krueger's books?
- We recommend reading William Kent Krueger's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
- Is William Kent Krueger still writing new books?
- Yes, William Kent Krueger has 3 ongoing series: Akashic Noir, Cork O'Connor, Music and Murder Mystery.