Books On Board
series Reading Order

Colter Shaw Books in Order

8 Books
2019 – 2022 Published
Jump to reading order
Affiliate links: We may earn a commission on purchases made at no extra cost to you.
Reading order

The Recommended Reading Path

To get the most out of the Colter Shaw series, we highly recommend reading the books in publication order. The series features an ongoing, overarching plotline regarding Colter’s survivalist upbringing and the mystery surrounding his father’s death. Reading out of order will spoil these major family revelations.

You have two choices for where to start: you can begin chronologically with the prequel novella Captivated, or start with the first full-length novel, The Never Game, which offers the most complete introduction to Colter's world.

Colter Shaw Books in Reading Order

Here is the complete checklist of the series, combining the main novels and the bridging short stories and novellas:

  1. Captivated (2019) – Prequel Novella (Book 0.5): Follows Colter on a quick case in Kansas before the events of the first novel.
  2. The Never Game (2019) – Novel Book 1: The official starting point where Colter investigates missing persons in Silicon Valley’s gaming community.
  3. The Second Hostage (2020) – Novella (Book 1.5): A short, high-stakes case that takes place shortly after the first book.
  4. The Goodbye Man (2020) – Novel Book 2: Colter goes undercover to infiltrate a mysterious cult in the wilderness of Washington state.
  5. Forgotten (2021) – Short Story (Book 2.5): A quick case where Colter looks into a questionable murder conviction in a small Ohio town.
  6. The Final Twist (2021) – Novel Book 3: The story moves to San Francisco as Colter directly tackles the mystery of his father's death.
  7. The Deadline Clock (2022) – Short Story (Book 3.5): A fast-paced mystery following the events of the third novel.
  8. Hunting Time (2022) – Novel Book 4: Colter is hired to locate and protect a missing nuclear engineer and her daughter.
  9. South of Nowhere (2025) – Novel Book 5: The latest full-length adventure taking Colter on a dangerous tracking mission.

Upcoming Releases

  • Freeze Frame (Expected 2027): The scheduled sixth novel in the main series.

TV Adaptation: Tracker

In 2024, CBS launched the hit television series Tracker, starring Justin Hartley as Colter Shaw. The show is based on The Never Game but takes creative liberties with the characters and cases. You can enjoy the books and the television series completely independently, though the books provide a much deeper dive into Colter's survivalist mindset and family history.

Frequently Asked

QWhere should I start reading the Colter Shaw series?

You should start with the first novel, The Never Game, or the prequel novella, Captivated. Starting with the first novel is highly recommended as it fully establishes the main characters and the overarching family mystery.

QAre the Colter Shaw novellas necessary to understand the main novels?

No, the novellas (like Captivated and The Second Hostage) are standalone cases. While they offer great character depth and bridge the timeline, you can skip them and still fully understand the main novels.

QIs Colter Shaw connected to Jeffery Deaver’s Lincoln Rhyme series?

As of now, there are no official crossovers between Colter Shaw and Lincoln Rhyme. They exist in separate universes, although Jeffery Deaver has crossed over other series in the past.

QHow does the TV show Tracker relate to the books?

The TV show Tracker is a loose adaptation of the Colter Shaw books. The first season is inspired by The Never Game, but the television series creates its own cases and adapts Colter's background for the screen.

QWhen does the next Colter Shaw book come out?

Following the release of South of Nowhere in May 2025, the next scheduled novel is Freeze Frame, which is expected to be published in 2027.

QIs Colter Shaw a bounty hunter?

No, Colter Shaw explicitly describes himself as a reward seeker. He does not hunt fugitives for bail bonds; instead, he assists private citizens and law enforcement in exchange for publicly offered rewards.