Joanna Brady Books in Order

Where to Start with the Joanna Brady Series

For the best reading experience, you should read the Joanna Brady series in publication order. J.A. Jance builds a highly serialized narrative where Joanna's personal life—including her grief, her remarriage, her relationships with her children, and her political campaigns for sheriff—develops chronologically from book to book. Starting mid-series will spoil major personal milestones and character developments that form the emotional backbone of the series.

The ideal starting point is the very first novel, Desert Heat (1993). In this book, Joanna is a civilian housewife whose life is shattered when her deputy husband, Andy, is murdered amidst accusations of corruption. To clear his name and secure her family's future, Joanna runs for his vacant seat as Cochise County Sheriff, initiating a decades-long career in law enforcement.

Joanna Brady Books in Reading Order

Below is the complete reading order for the Joanna Brady books, including all full-length novels and key novellas that provide vital backstory or crossover events:

1. Desert Heat (1993) – The essential starting point where Joanna investigates her husband’s murder and runs for sheriff.
2. Tombstone Courage (1995) – Joanna takes office as the newly elected sheriff and faces her first official homicide case.
3. Shoot, Don't Shoot (1995) – Joanna travels to a sheriff's academy in Tucson, navigating hostile peers and a local murder.
4. Dead to Rights (1997) – A suspicious fire and a serial killer test Joanna's leadership in Cochise County.
5. Skeleton Canyon (1997) – Joanna investigates the death of a teenager against the backdrop of desert smuggling.
6. Rattlesnake Crossing (1998) – A series of bizarre desert murders linked by missing relics.
7. Outlaw Mountain (1999) – The murder of an elderly wealthy woman leads Joanna into a conspiracy spanning generations.
8. Devil's Claw (2001) – Joanna deals with a personal crisis when her pregnant mother marries a neighbor, alongside a complicated murder case.
9. Paradise Lost (2001) – The bodies of two mock-medieval reenactors are found, forcing Joanna to delve into a quirky subculture.
10. Partner in Crime (2002) – The first major crossover novel, bringing Seattle Detective J.P. Beaumont to Arizona to solve a joint case.
11. Exit Wounds (2003) – A heatwave hits Cochise County as Joanna investigates a triple homicide involving dynamic subplots.
12. Dead Wrong (2006) – Joanna balances her duties with a high-risk pregnancy while investigating a brutal double murder.
13. Damage Control (2008) – A senior citizen's vehicle accident reveals a much darker plot of elder abuse and murder.
14. Fire and Ice (2009) – The second crossover novel with J.P. Beaumont, tracing a killer from Washington state down to the Arizona desert.
15. Judgment Call (2012) – Joanna's daughter Jenny discovers the body of her school principal, dragging the family into the investigation.
16. The Old Blue Line (2014) – A novella focusing on the backstory of Butch Dixon, Joanna's second husband, explaining how he met Joanna.
17. Remains of Innocence (2014) – Joanna handles a case involving a hoarder's hidden treasure and the tragic fallout of dementia.
18. No Honor Among Thieves (2015) – A crossover novella featuring Ali Reynolds, where the two protagonists team up.
19. Random Acts (2016) – Another crossover novella with Ali Reynolds, set right before the events of Downfall.
20. Downfall (2016) – Joanna investigates the suspicious deaths of two women found at the bottom of a local peak.
21. Field of Bones (2018) – Returning from maternity leave, Joanna faces a complex serial killer case in a remote desert area.
22. Missing and Endangered (2021) – Joanna’s daughter Jenny is drawn into a dangerous situation involving a missing person.
23. Blessing of the Lost Girls (2023) – A major crossover novel uniting Joanna with the Walker Family series, focusing on a serial killer on the rodeo circuit.
24. The Girl from Devil’s Lake (2025) – Joanna works a chilling serial killer case stretching from the desert to North Dakota, as Jenny graduates from the police academy.

Understanding the Crossovers and Spin-Offs

J.A. Jance has created an interconnected literary universe, often referred to by fans as the "Jance-verse." While reading only the Joanna Brady books is perfectly fine, understanding the crossovers enhances the experience:

The J.P. Beaumont Crossovers

Seattle homicide detective J.P. Beaumont is the star of Jance's other long-running procedural series. The two sleuths team up in Partner in Crime (2002) and Fire and Ice (2009). These books are co-equal entries in both series, moving the character arcs of both Joanna and Beaumont forward simultaneously.

The Ali Reynolds Crossovers

Ali Reynolds, a former television anchor turned investigator based in Sedona, crosses paths with Joanna in the novellas No Honor Among Thieves (2015) and Random Acts (2016). Due to publisher restrictions, these crossovers were published as novellas rather than full-length novels, but they are highly recommended for fans of both series.

The Walker Family Crossover

In Blessing of the Lost Girls (2023), Jance bridges the Joanna Brady series with her Walker Family series. The novel features investigator Dan Pardee (from the Walker series) working alongside Joanna's department to solve a cold case involving a missing Apache woman. It is officially categorized as the sixth book of the Walker Family series and a major entry in the Joanna Brady sequence.

What to Know Before You Start

The Joanna Brady mysteries are famous for their authentic portrayal of the American Southwest. J.A. Jance grew up in Bisbee, Arizona, and uses her intimate knowledge of Cochise County to bring the setting to life. The desert is not just a backdrop; it is a character in its own right, dictating the logistics of search-and-rescue operations, border patrols, and crime scene investigations.

Unlike many fictional detectives who are portrayed as cynical loners, Joanna is deeply rooted in her community and family. Her mother, her children (Jenny, Kristy, and Sage), and her husband Butch Dixon are central to the stories. Readers should prepare for a cozy yet realistic procedural tone that balances family dynamics, small-town politics, and dark criminal investigations.