The Recommended Reading Order for the Hayley Chill Thrillers
For the best reading experience, it is highly recommended to follow the publication order of the Hayley Chill series. The overarching narrative depends heavily on the character growth of Hayley Chill and the complex consequences of the shocking plot twists that conclude each installment. Skipping ahead or reading out of order will spoil major plot points and weaken the emotional impact of Hayley's journey.
Here is the recommended reading path for the series:
- Deep State (2020)
- Savage Road (2021)
- Insurrection Day (2022) — Novella (Book 2.5)
- Storm Rising (2022)
- The Devil You Know (2023)
Detailed Breakdown of the Hayley Chill Books
1. Deep State (2020)
The series kicks off with Deep State, which introduces readers to Hayley Chill, a former Army infantry grunt and amateur boxer from West Virginia. Having landed a coveted, unpaid internship at the White House, Hayley expects to be fetching coffee. Instead, when the White House Chief of Staff is found dead of an apparent heart attack, Hayley's keen eye and eidetic memory lead her to suspect foul play. She begins an unsanctioned investigation and uncovers a massive, dangerous conspiracy involving a "Deep State" faction working to undermine the populist President, Richard Monroe. This book is famous for its mind-bending, double-reverse plot twist in the final pages that completely recontextualizes the entire story.
2. Savage Road (2021)
Serving as a direct sequel to the debut, Savage Road sees Hayley working as a deep-cover operative for a clandestine organization known as Publius or the "deeper state." In this installment, she is tasked with acting as a handler for President Richard Monroe, who is secretly a Russian mole. When cyberattacks target America’s power grids and critical infrastructure, the NSA blames Russia, pushing the United States to the brink of World War III. Hayley must manage the compromised president, uncover the true source of the cyber warfare, and navigate a web of betrayals while discovering shocking secrets about her deceased father.
3. Insurrection Day (2022)
Positioned as Book 2.5, Insurrection Day is a fast-paced thriller novella set during the real-world event of January 6th at the U.S. Capitol. While the chaos of the riot unfolds around her, Hayley Chill is inside trying to help a senator and his aides escape the building. During the evacuation, she discovers that foreign operatives are using the cover of the riot to infiltrate the Capitol and steal highly classified information. With time running out, Hayley turns hunter to stop the thieves from escaping with the stolen intelligence.
4. Storm Rising (2022)
Following the harrowing events of her past missions, Hayley retreats to her home in West Virginia to heal, train in MMA, and process her father's death. However, when she discovers a ciphered document hidden beneath her father's floorboards, she is drawn back into action. Authorized by her handlers, Hayley travels to West Texas to investigate a clandestine secessionist movement called "The Storm." She uncovers a dangerous conspiracy of white supremacy embedded deep within the military, spearheaded by a senator who aims to force southwestern states to secede, threatening to spark a second Civil War.
5. The Devil You Know (2023)
The fifth release (and fourth full-length novel) begins with a shocking national tragedy: a Supreme Court justice is assassinated by their own security officer. Hayley's superiors suspect this is the first step in a conspiracy to rebuild the nation's judiciary from the shadows. Hayley is sent to Maui, Hawaii, to protect another vacationing Supreme Court justice. The stakes skyrocket when a school bus full of local children is taken hostage by the conspirators. Working alongside a deputy U.S. marshal, Hayley must protect the justice and rescue the kids, knowing she cannot trust anyone in her network.
Publication vs. Chronological Order: Resolving the Novella Placement
Because Insurrection Day was released between the publication of Savage Road and Storm Rising, and is set chronologically during the gap between them, the publication order matches the chronological order. Some readers wonder if they can skip the novella since it is a shorter release. While you can understand the main plot of Storm Rising without reading Insurrection Day, the novella provides valuable insight into Hayley's mental state during a pivotal time and acts as a bridge for her ongoing character arc. For the most complete experience, do not skip it.
What to Know Before You Start the Series
Before diving in, readers should be prepared for the cinematic style of the series. Chris Hauty is a veteran screenwriter (best known for writing the film Never Back Down), and he brings a visual, fast-paced, present-tense writing style to his books. The action scenes are gritty, realistic, and highly detailed, reflecting Hayley's martial arts and military background.
Additionally, the series is known for its intense engagement with real-world political landscapes, featuring themes of cyber warfare, secession, and domestic extremism. While the backdrop is political, Hauty focuses on action and suspense rather than taking partisan stances, keeping the narrative focused on Hayley's fight to protect the country.
Related Works: Chris Hauty's Standalones
If you finish the Hayley Chill series and want more of Chris Hauty’s writing, you can check out his standalone novel, Dead Ringer, published in late 2025. Dead Ringer is a separate thriller focusing on a disgraced former Secret Service agent and a Jesuit professor who team up to investigate conspiracies surrounding the assassination of John F. Kennedy. While it features the same high-octane pacing and political conspiracy style as the Hayley Chill books, it is set in a different continuity and does not feature Hayley Chill.