The Recommended Reading Path for Hackberry Holland
When diving into the rugged world of Hackberry Holland, readers are faced with a series that spans generations, genres, and decades of publishing history. To fully appreciate the rich character development and the evolution of author James Lee Burke's signature style, the safest and most rewarding path is to read the books in publication order. While the narrative timeline hops across different eras, Burke's recurring themes of trauma, moral choices, and redemption build beautifully when read in the order they were written.
The Primary Hackberry Holland Reading Order
- Lay Down My Sword and Shield (1971): The series debut introduces a younger Hackberry Holland. A haunted Korean War POW survivor and former defense attorney, Hackberry battles his own alcoholism and the corrupt political machines of Texas during the civil rights movement.
- Rain Gods (2009): Published thirty-eight years later, this novel shifts the timeline into the modern era. Hackberry is now a weathered, aging sheriff in a Texas border town, investigating the brutal massacre of nine undocumented immigrant women. Here, he faces off against the terrifying hitman Preacher Jack Collins.
- Feast Day of Fools (2011): Continuing directly from the events of Rain Gods, this book finds Sheriff Hackberry Holland protecting a witness to a desert torture scene, drawing him into a complex web of federal agents, international criminals, and local violence.
- House of the Rising Sun (2015): A historical prequel that shifts the focus to Hackberry's grandfather (Hackberry Holland the elder). Set in 1918, it follows the former Texas Ranger as he searches for his estranged son, Ishmael, while navigating the violent landscapes of revolutionary Mexico and World War I.
- Another Kind of Eden (2021): This entry shifts the spotlight to Aaron Holland Broussard, the nephew of the younger Hackberry. Set in the early 1960s, it follows Aaron as an aspiring writer dealing with his own war trauma in Colorado.
- Every Cloak Rolled in Blood (2022): Set in Montana, this deeply autobiographical novel catches up with Aaron Holland Broussard as an 85-year-old novelist grieving the sudden loss of his daughter while confronting local crimes and supernatural forces.
Chronological Order vs. Publication Order
For readers who prefer to follow the historical flow of the Holland family lineage, a chronological reading order is an intriguing alternative. However, be prepared for drastic shifts in tone, writing style, and historical backdrops, as Burke's prose matured significantly over his fifty-year career.
The Chronological Timeline
- House of the Rising Sun (Set in 1918, featuring Hackberry the elder)
- Another Kind of Eden (Set in the early 1960s, featuring Aaron Holland Broussard)
- Lay Down My Sword and Shield (Set in the early 1970s, featuring Hackberry the younger as a lawyer)
- Rain Gods (Set in the late 2000s, featuring Hackberry the younger as an aging sheriff)
- Feast Day of Fools (Set immediately after Rain Gods)
- Every Cloak Rolled in Blood (Set in the 2020s, featuring an elderly Aaron Holland Broussard)
The Broader Holland Family Saga: Billy Bob and Weldon
The Hackberry Holland books represent only one branch of a massive, multi-generational family tree created by Burke. To get the complete experience, readers can explore the spin-off series focusing on Hackberry's cousins and grandfathers, which exist in the same shared universe.
The Billy Bob Holland Sub-Series
Billy Bob Holland is Hackberry the younger's cousin. A former Texas Ranger turned progressive defense lawyer, Billy Bob is haunted by the accidental shooting death of his partner. His stories are set primarily in Texas and Montana:
- Cimarron Rose (1997)
- Heartwood (1999)
- Bitterroot (2001)
- In the Moon of Red Ponies (2004)
The Weldon Holland Duology
Weldon Holland is another grandson of Hackberry the elder, making him a cousin to Billy Bob and the younger Hackberry. His novels are sweepingly historical:
- Wayfaring Stranger (2014): Follows Weldon from the battlefields of World War II to the oil fields of Texas.
- The Jealous Kind (2016): Focuses on Weldon's son, Aaron, growing up in Houston during the mid-1950s.
What to Know Before You Start
The transition between Lay Down My Sword and Shield and Rain Gods is one of the most famous gaps in crime fiction. When Burke returned to Hackberry after nearly four decades, he aged the character and shifted him from a defense lawyer to a rural sheriff, but maintained the core of his tormented, righteous soul. Readers should expect a transition from 1970s political drama to gritty, modern border-town neo-Westerns. Burke's books do not follow typical mystery formulas; instead, they are literary, atmosphere-heavy explorations of the American West, dealing heavily with themes of PTSD, the corruption of power, and the haunting presence of the past.