Where Should You Start?
A frequent question I get from readers interested in my books is, “Which book do you recommend I start with?”
It’s not an easy question to answer (though I somehow manage it). That’s because it really depends on what kind of books you like most. I’ve written in several subgenres, and my books are not all similar enough to say “If you like one, you’ll like them all” (though I like to think you will!).
So where should a new reader start? Well, let me answer this question based on your preferences. And for those that are part of a series, I’ll share with you who my favorite character is.
If you like police procedurals….start with River City.
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This is my flagship series. The first book is Under a Raging Moon, which you can get for free just by signing up for my newsletter. It introduces the beginning of the ensemble cast of police officers and detectives that I follow throughout the series (as of this writing, I’m working on #6). While I wouldn’t say I get into the nitty gritty detail to the level of a CSI or forensic novel, there is definitely a feel for what it is like to be a real cop. This extends from elements of the job to the personal impact of the events that occur in a career like this.
My favorite character? Katie MacLeod, without a doubt.
Or Charlie-316.
I wrote this with Colin Conway, and it is the first of a four-book arc set in Spokane, Washington. This first book explores the aftermath of a controversial police shooting. Again, there is a lot of police detail, but it is woven into the story, not presented in a dry fashion.
My favorite character? Wardell Clint.
Or The Last Collar or Fallen City. I wrote both of these with Lawrence Kelter, and they’re set in his old stomping grounds — New York. The first follows the lead detective in the investigation of a socialite, all the while battling a terrible secret himself. The second presents a fictionalized depiction of the crack cocaine wars between police and Dominican gangs in Washington Heights in the late 1980s (based on an interview Larry did with a retired federal judge).
My favorite character? Baron Tavarez.
If you like private detective novels…start with the Stefan Kopriva mysteries.
Kopriva is a character in the River City series, and this is a spin off from that. Spoiler alert, but he leaves the department under a dark cloud. Waist Deep, the first in the series, opens ten years later. In addition to having a mystery to solve, this book (and to a lesser degree, those that follow) is about his quest for redemption.
Favorite character? Probably Clell.
Retired police officer Jack McCrae goes to central Oregon to search for the missing sister of a woman he hasn’t seen since she was a child herself. In addition to a mystery to solve, this book is a meditation on family, power, and aging.
Favorite character? Angie Scialfa.
Or The Trade Off.
I wrote this with B.R. Paulson, and it follows a concerned family member and a police detective as they both try to break open a sex trafficking ring.
Of note in this one, I wrote the female lead and Bonnie wrote the male lead… so that’s something different.
Favorite character? Lieutenant Mark Shepard.
If you like vigilante stories….start with The Last Horseman.Sandy Banks is the last of a vigilante group who bring justice to those who slip through the cracks of an ailing criminal justice system.
Favorite character? Cal Ripley.
If you like crime novels featuring a criminal as the protagonist….start with the SpoCompton series.
The first of these is At Their Own Game, in which an ex-cop turned fence finds himself in well over his head when a deal goes bad. The second, In the Cut, is set against the backdrop of an outlaw motorcycle gang.
Favorite character? A.C.
If you like hard boiled….start with the Ania series.
I wrote this series with Jim Wilsky. It starts with Blood on Blood, which sets the tone. Two half-brothers searching for their deceased father’s jewel stash, cooperating and competing the whole way. Enter the mysterious siren, Ania.
Favorite character? I’m going to go with Hicks.
My first-ever collaboration, written with Colin Conway. This story is set in River City at roughly the same time as Waist Deep.
Police detective John Tower and a criminal father (Virgil Kelley) both search for the killer of a fourteen year old girl, each using their own tools and skill set…while on a collision course.
Favorite character? Rene, the crime analyst.
If you like grifters and cons….start with A Grifter’s Song.
Full disclosure — I didn’t write all of these. I created the series, and I edited each installment, but of the fourteen episodes (twelve plus two subscriber only bonus stories), I wrote four, including the series opener, The Concrete Smile. Sam and Rachel are life-long grifters, who love each other, the grift, and nothing else. Each episode sees them working a different con, trying to put one over on their mark, and stay one step ahead of the Philadelphia mob they ripped off.
Favorite character? Finch. Or Rocco.
If you like action and dark humor….start with the Bricks and Cam Job series (or The List series, if you prefer).
This trilogy is one I wrote with Eric Beetner. Bricks and Cam are both hitmen for the mob, and in the first book, The Backlist, they are set up to be in direct competition with each other. Whoever retires their list first, wins. But you know it’s going to be more complicated than that, right?
And full of mayhem.
Favorite character? I would say Bricks, but that’d be cheating…so I’m going to go with Bruno. He’s disgusting, but fun.
Lastly, if you’re interested in an alternate history novel set in 2028 with some social and political overtones to it, check out An Unlikely Phoenix. Depending on our viewpoints, you may love it or hate it, but I think you’ll feel something either way.
Favorite character? Well, aside from a couple of celebrity appearances, I’m going to say a villain — Potulny.
And that should be enough to get you started!
Source: All The Madness In My Soul
