The Recommended Reading Order for Devlin & Falco
If you are looking to dive into the high-stakes world of detectives Kerri Devlin and Luke Falco, the path is straightforward but essential to follow in sequence. Written by USA Today bestselling author Debra Webb, this trilogy blends intense police procedurals with personal, interconnected character arcs that evolve significantly from book to book. To fully appreciate the development of the characters' relationships and the overarching narrative threads, you should read the books in their exact order of release.
Here is the recommended reading path for the Devlin & Falco series:
- Book 1: Trust No One (2020) – Introduces detectives Kerri Devlin and Luke Falco as they investigate a double homicide and a missing pregnant woman.
- Book 2: Gone Too Far (2021) – Explores a double homicide involving a deputy district attorney and connects to former detective Sadie Cross.
- Book 3: Can't Go Back (2021) – Concludes the trilogy with a suspicious house fire and a case that forces Luke Falco to confront a dark secret from his past.
Publication Order vs. Chronological Order
Because the events of the series take place linearly, there is no difference between the publication order and the chronological order for the Devlin & Falco books. Author Debra Webb wrote the trilogy as a continuous, developing narrative, and reading them out of order is not recommended. Key elements, such as Kerri Devlin's ongoing custody battle and Luke Falco's professional and personal evolution, carry over directly from the first book into the subsequent sequels. Furthermore, by the third book, Can't Go Back, the partners' dynamic has shifted from cautious coworkers to personal partners, a transition that will lose its emotional impact if read out of sequence.
Inside the Trilogy: Book-by-Book Breakdown
Understanding what each book brings to the table helps frame the larger narrative arc. Here is a closer look at each installment in the series:
1. Trust No One (2020)
The series opens with Trust No One, introducing Birmingham Police Department Detective Kerri Devlin. Kerri is dealing with significant personal stress, including a difficult custody battle with her ex-husband over their teenage daughter, Tori. Her life is further complicated when she is assigned a massive double-homicide case involving the murder of Daniel Webb and his mother-in-law, along with the disappearance of Daniel’s pregnant wife, Sela. To make matters worse, she is paired with a new partner, Luke Falco, whose reckless reputation makes him hard to trust. As they probe the secrets of Birmingham's elite, the investigation hits shockingly close to home when it connects to the disappearance of Kerri's own niece. The book establishes the core theme of the series: in a city built on secrets, finding the truth means deciding who you can truly trust.
2. Gone Too Far (2021)
In Gone Too Far, the stakes increase when Birmingham’s newly appointed deputy district attorney, Asher Walsh, is found murdered. Devlin and Falco are assigned to the case, and their investigation soon leads them to former BPD detective Sadie Cross. Sadie, now working as a private investigator, is struggling to reconstruct her memory after surviving a traumatic undercover operation against a cartel. The detectives realize that Sadie's fractured memories hold the key to the killer's motive, forcing them to help her piece together her past while staying ahead of a lethal conspiracy. Simultaneously, Kerri must manage personal fires at home, including a distressing bullying incident at her daughter’s school, demonstrating the series' trademark balance between high-octane police work and relatable family drama.
3. Can't Go Back (2021)
The trilogy reaches its climax in Can't Go Back. Now partners both on the force and in their personal lives, Devlin and Falco investigate a tragic house fire that claimed the lives of a woman and her child. While the husband—an undercover police officer—confesses to the crime, the physical evidence doesn't match his story. As Devlin and Falco dig deeper to find the real killer, their investigation uncovers a link to a dark incident from Falco’s past occurring eight years prior. This revelation threatens to destroy Falco’s career and his relationship with Devlin. The novel serves as a powerful journey of redemption and closure for Falco, wrapping up the series' major character-driven threads in a highly satisfying, emotional conclusion.
What to Know Before You Start
Before diving into the Devlin & Falco trilogy, here are a few key details to keep in mind to enhance your reading experience:
- The Setting of Birmingham, Alabama: The series is set against the backdrop of Birmingham, combining gritty urban policing with Southern culture. Author Debra Webb, an Alabama native, uses the city's distinct neighborhoods, local politics, and social divisions to ground the mysteries in a highly realistic environment.
- The Role of Sadie Cross: Former detective Sadie Cross is a vital figure who bridges the gap between the police department and the city's criminal underbelly. Her struggle with memory loss and cartel trauma is one of the most compelling subplots in the second book, adding a psychological thriller edge to the procedural format.
- The Shift in Partnership: Pay close attention to how the relationship between Devlin and Falco evolves. They begin in Trust No One as highly skeptical, mismatched colleagues and gradually develop deep professional trust, which eventually blossoms into a romantic partnership by Can't Go Back.
- Standalone vs. Series Continuity: While each book features a self-contained double-homicide investigation that is resolved by the final page, the overarching personal lives of Devlin, Falco, and their family members are serialized. To get the full emotional payoff, it is highly recommended to read the books in order.