Books On Board
series Reading Order

Badge of Honor Books in Order

13 Books
1988 – 2016 Published
Jump to reading order
Affiliate links: We may earn a commission on purchases made at no extra cost to you.
Reading order

Where to Start Reading Badge of Honor

The best way to experience W.E.B. Griffin’s gritty police procedural series is in publication order. The books follow a strict chronological timeline, tracing the career of protagonist Matt Payne as he rises through the ranks of the Philadelphia Police Department. Starting from the beginning allows you to see the natural progression of the characters, the evolving political landscapes, and the shifting department dynamics from the late 1970s and 1980s through the post-9/11 era.

Badge of Honor Books in Publication Order

The series consists of 13 published novels, beginning in 1988. Later books were co-authored with the author's son, William E. Butterworth IV.

  • Men in Blue (1988)
  • Special Operations (1989)
  • The Victim (1991)
  • The Witness (1992)
  • The Assassin (1993)
  • The Murderers (1994)
  • The Investigators (1998)
  • Final Justice (2002)
  • The Traffickers (2009)
  • The Vigilantes (2010)
  • The Last Witness (2013)
  • Deadly Assets (2015)
  • Broken Trust (2016)

Chronological Caveats and the Mystery of "The Attack"

While the chronological order matches the publication order, readers should note a major discrepancy regarding the rumored 14th book, titled The Attack. Originally announced for a 2019 release, the book was ultimately cancelled or left unpublished following W.E.B. Griffin’s death in early 2019. Despite appearing on several online retail databases with placeholder release dates as late as 2024, it is a "ghost book" and is not available for purchase. The series officially concludes with Broken Trust (2016).

Frequently Asked

QWhere should I start reading the Badge of Honor series?

You should start with the first book, Men in Blue (1988). Reading the series in publication order is highly recommended to follow Matt Payne's career progression.

QIs the 14th book, "The Attack," available to read?

No. Although The Attack has listings on retail sites and was assigned an ISBN, it remains unpublished and unavailable following the author's death in 2019.

QWho wrote the Badge of Honor books?

The early books were written solely by W.E.B. Griffin. Starting with The Traffickers (2009), Griffin co-authored the books with his son, William E. Butterworth IV.

QAre there any spin-offs or crossovers?

There are no direct spin-off series, but the books share Griffin's signature procedural style and focus solely on the Philadelphia Police Department.

QIs the Badge of Honor series completed?

Yes. Following the death of W.E.B. Griffin in 2019 and the cancellation of The Attack, the series concluded with Broken Trust (2016).

QWhat is the chronological timeline of the series?

The chronological timeline matches the publication order, moving from the late 1970s and 1980s Philadelphia police era in the early books to a post-9/11 setting in the later entries.