The Recommended Reading Order: Stick to Publication Order
When starting the IQ series, the best path is straightforward: read the books in order of publication. While each entry features a self-contained mystery, the overarching character development, changing relationships, and the ongoing mystery of Isaiah’s brother’s death are serialized. Starting at the beginning is essential to understanding the evolution of the main character, his partner, and the people they try to protect.
- IQ (2016)
- Righteous (2017)
- Wrecked (2018)
- Hi Five (2020)
- Smoke (2021)
- Fixit (2023)
Understanding the Chronology: Flashbacks and Backstories
While the books follow a linear progression in publication order, the debut novel, IQ, utilizes a dual-timeline structure. The narrative switches between Isaiah’s current case in the mid-2010s and flashbacks to a decade earlier. These flashbacks detail the tragic death of Isaiah's older brother, Marcus, and explain how a young, grieving Isaiah teamed up with Juanell Dodson, learning the survival tactics and street smarts that would later define his unlicensed private investigation business.
Because these flashbacks are integrated into the text of the first novel, there is no separate chronological ordering to follow. Readers should simply start with the first book to absorb Isaiah's origin story naturally.
Book-by-Book Guide to the IQ Series
1. IQ (2016)
The novel introduces Isaiah Quintabe, a brilliant high school dropout who lives in East Long Beach. Haunted by his brother Marcus's death, Isaiah uses his genius-level deductive skills to solve neighborhood cases, often accepting payment in baked goods or mechanical favors. When he takes a high-paying job protecting a rap mogul targeted by a hitman, he is forced to partner with his former roommate and streetwise hustler, Juanell Dodson. This book establishes the Holmes-and-Watson dynamic between the cerebral Isaiah and the charismatic Dodson.
2. Righteous (2017)
The sequel dives deeper into Isaiah’s past. A decade after the hit-and-run death of Marcus, Isaiah finally gets a lead on the vehicle involved, reigniting his obsessive quest for justice. Meanwhile, Dodson convinces Isaiah to travel to Las Vegas to help a woman whose sister and boyfriend are targeted by a dangerous gang. This entry blends intense personal stakes with high-speed action in the Nevada desert.
3. Wrecked (2018)
In this installment, Isaiah is hired by a young artist to find her missing mother. The search pulls him into a confrontation with a ruthless private security firm composed of ex-military operatives. At the same time, the shadow of Marcus’s killer, Seb, hangs over Isaiah, forcing a final confrontation that threatens to consume him. This book marks a major turning point in Isaiah’s emotional development and his relationship with his love interest, Grace.
4. Hi Five (2020)
Isaiah is blackmailed by a notorious arms dealer into investigating a murder case to clear the dealer's daughter, Christiana. The mystery is uniquely complicated: Christiana has dissociative identity disorder, and Isaiah must navigate her five distinct personalities to piece together what actually happened on the night of the crime. Dodson also returns, navigating his own attempts to build a legitimate business and family life.
5. Smoke (2021)
Burnt out by the constant violence and emotional toll of his work as an "equalizer" in Long Beach, Isaiah flees to a quiet town in Northern California to live off the grid. However, his peace is disrupted when he crosses paths with a young man tracking a serial killer. Meanwhile, Dodson is left behind in Los Angeles, trying to establish a career while keeping their old street connections at bay.
6. Fixit (2023)
In the sixth novel, Isaiah is recovering from physical and emotional trauma when his partner, Grace, is kidnapped by Skip Hanson, a vengeful hitman from his past. To save her, Isaiah must navigate a dangerous web of criminals while dodging a persistent homicide detective who wants to put him behind bars for obstruction of justice. The stakes are more personal than ever, showcasing the lengths Isaiah will go to protect the people he loves.
Key Characters in the IQ Universe
- Isaiah "IQ" Quintabe: A quiet, genius-level detective who uses logic and observation to solve crimes in his community. He is driven by a deep moral compass and lingering guilt over his brother's death.
- Juanell Dodson: Isaiah's charming, street-smart friend and occasional partner. He acts as the Watson to Isaiah's Holmes, balancing Isaiah's introversion with his own outgoing nature.
- Marcus Quintabe: Isaiah's deceased older brother whose unresolved hit-and-run death drives Isaiah's motivations in the early books.
- Grace: A strong-willed woman who becomes Isaiah's primary love interest and a centering force in his life.
What to Know Before You Start
Joe Ide’s series is highly inspired by Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes, but it swaps Victorian London for the contemporary streets of East Long Beach. The books blend gritty realism with dark humor and social commentary. It is important to note that while Joe Ide wrote a contemporary reboot of Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe titled The Goodbye Coast (2022), it is set in a completely separate universe with no crossover characters or references to Isaiah Quintabe. As of 2026, the main IQ series remains a six-book series ending with Fixit.