What is the recommended starting point for the Tanner series?

The ideal starting point is Inevitable I (2014), the first book in the main Tanner series. It establishes the character's background, his strict code, and the central conflicts that drive the rest of the series.

Do I need to read the Taken! series to understand Tanner?

While not strictly mandatory, reading the Taken! series in parallel with Tanner is highly recommended. The two series share several crossover novels, and key events in Jessica White's story directly impact the characters and plotlines in the main Tanner books.

Where do the Taken!/Tanner crossover books fit in the reading order?

The crossovers should be read as follows: The Contract: Kill Jessica White after Tanner Book 11; Unfinished Business after Tanner Book 18/19; The Abduction of Thomas Lawson after Tanner Book 20; and Predator after Tanner Book 43.

What are the Young Guns and Tanner: Year series?

Young Guns is an 8-book spin-off series about younger operatives in Tanner's world that should be read after Tanner Book 21. It is directly followed by the 10-book Tanner: Year series, which acts as a prequel run explaining Tanner's early years under the mentorship of Joe Pullo.

Can the Tanner books be read as standalones?

While early entries like Kill In Plain Sight can work as standalone action thrillers, the series has a strong, continuous narrative arc dealing with crime syndicates, rival assassins, and personal relationships. It is highly recommended to read them in order.

Tanner Books in Order - Books on Board

Where to Begin the Tanner Journey

With over sixty books tracking the actions of Remington Kane's professional hitman, the sheer volume of the Tanner universe can be intimidating. The best place to start is at the very beginning with the main series entry point, Inevitable I (2014). This introduces Tanner's strict personal code—such as his absolute refusal to kill women or children—his ordinary appearance that allows him to fade into any crowd, and the lethal instincts that keep him alive.

For the best experience, readers should follow the publication order of the primary series while integrating the companion series Taken! and the corresponding crossover novels at specific chronological milestones. Reading the series this way ensures you capture every recurring character, overlapping subplot, and major universe event as the author intended.

The Integrated Reading Path

Tanner’s universe does not exist in a vacuum. It heavily overlaps with Remington Kane's other major series, Taken!, which focuses on retired Deputy Marshal turned vigilante bodyguard, Jessica White. To get the complete picture and avoid spoilers, you should read these two series in parallel, pausing to read the Taken!/Tanner crossover novels at the precise connection points.

Phase 1: The Foundation

Tanner Books 1 through 11: Start with Inevitable I and read straight through to Tanner Times Two. This builds Tanner’s history, his conflict with the Conglomerate, and his evolution as an assassin.
Taken! Books 1 through 16: Introduce yourself to Jessica White's world by reading from Love Conquers All (2012) through Vacation (2015).

Phase 2: The First Crossover

The Contract: Kill Jessica White (Crossover #1): Read this crucial crossover next. It places Tanner and Jessica White on a direct collision course and fits perfectly between Tanner Times Two (Book 11) and Slay Bells (Book 12), and right after Taken! Book 16.
Tanner Books 12 through 18: Continue the main series from Slay Bells up to White Hell.
Taken! Books 17 through 19: Read from Michael through Intentional Acts of Violence.

Phase 3: Deepening the Ties

Unfinished Business (Crossover #2): Read this novel next. It takes place after White Hell (Tanner Book 18) / Manhattan Hit Man (Tanner Book 19) and after Taken! Book 19.
Tanner Book 20: Read One Hundred Years Of Tanner.
Taken! Book 20: Read The King of Killers.
The Abduction Of Thomas Lawson (Crossover #3): Read this crossover, which slots in after One Hundred Years of Tanner (Book 20) and Taken! Book 20.
Tanner Book 21: Read Revelations.
Taken! Book 21: Read the final entry in the main Taken! line, No More Mr. Nice Guy.

Phase 4: The Later Exploits

Tanner Books 22 through 43: Read from The Spy Game through Sins of the Father and Mother.
Predator (Crossover #4): Read this book after completing Sins of the Father and Mother (Tanner Book 43) and Soulless (Tanner Book 44). It wraps up major threads between Tanner and the remnants of the Taken! universe.
Tanner Books 44 through 60+: Continue through Soulless all the way to Dominance and beyond.

Prequels and the Next Generation: Young Guns and Tanner: Year

Once you reach Revelations (Tanner Book 21), you unlock access to the prequel and legacy storylines without spoiling the main narrative. Remington Kane has structured these subseries to feed directly into each other:

The Young Guns Series

This 8-book spin-off series follows a younger generation of operatives in Tanner's orbit. It begins with the short story Young Guns and runs through to The End of the Beginning. You can read this entire run anytime after completing Book 21 of the main series.

The Tanner: Year Series

Directly following the events of Young Guns: The End of the Beginning, the story continues in the 10-book Tanner: Year series (from Tanner: Year One through Tanner: Year Ten). This series explores Tanner's early training and operations alongside Joe Pullo. Notably, the finale, Tanner: Year Ten, serves as a direct prequel leading right into the opening pages of Inevitable I, completing the narrative loop.

Practical Reader Advice

While some of the books feature self-contained contracts and targets, the overarching plot involving the Conglomerate, Tanner's personal relationships, and his changing identity (including connections to the Cody Parker storyline) relies heavily on continuity. Reading them out of order is not recommended if you want to understand the character development and long-running subplots. However, if you are looking for a quick taste of Tanner’s style, early books like Kill In Plain Sight (Book 2) or Making a Killing on Wall Street (Book 3) offer strong, standalone-friendly action sequences before the universe's continuity becomes highly complex.

Tanner Books in Order