How to Read the Thomas Prescott Series
If you love fast-paced crime thrillers filled with high-stakes tension, international conspiracies, and a heavy dose of sarcastic humor, Nick Pirog’s Thomas Prescott series is a must-read. The series centers on a retired Seattle homicide detective who constantly stumbles into complex murder investigations while trading witty banter and managing his own personal demons.
Because Pirog released a prequel novel long after starting the series, readers have two primary ways to approach the books: Publication Order (recommended for first-time readers) and Chronological Order.
Recommended Reading Order: Publication Order
For the best reading experience, we recommend starting with the book that introduced the world to Thomas Prescott: Unforeseen. Reading in publication order allows you to experience the evolution of Prescott’s character, his relationship with his sister Lacy, and the growth of Pirog's writing style. The prequel, The Numbers, was written with the assumption that readers are already familiar with Prescott's personality and quirks.
- Unforeseen (2008) – The debut novel where a retired Prescott is pulled out of his quiet life in Maine to hunt down a serial killer known as the "MAINEiac," who has resurfaced to target people close to him.
- Gray Matter (2011) – Prescott returns to his boyhood home in Seattle, only to find the governor of Washington's body floating in the cove right behind his house.
- The Afrikaans (2012) – While vacationing off the coast of South Africa on a luxury cruise liner with his sister Lacy and his pug, Prescott must defend the ship from a pirate hijacking that masks a deeper global conspiracy.
- Show Me (2017) – Seeking a quiet life, Prescott inherits a farm in Missouri. Instead of peace, he finds himself investigating a local closed murder-suicide case that doesn't add up.
- Jungle Up (2021) – When his ex-girlfriend Gina Brady is kidnapped in the Bolivian Amazon, Prescott dives deep into the jungle, running into a dangerous search for a lost Incan City of Gold.
- The Numbers (2023) – The prequel novel that takes readers back to Prescott's early days.
The Chronological Reading Order
If you prefer to follow Thomas Prescott's life in the exact order the events occurred, you should start with the prequel. This order places The Numbers first:
- The Numbers (Prequel, set in 2011) – At 30 years old, freshly fired from the Seattle Police Department, Prescott moves to Philadelphia. He gets caught up in a multiagency hunt for a serial killer who carves numbers into his victims, all while investigating the murder of an activist at an Occupy Philadelphia site.
- Unforeseen (2008)
- Gray Matter (2011)
- The Afrikaans (2012)
- Show Me (2017)
- Jungle Up (2021)
Chronological and Continuity Caveats
Because Nick Pirog wrote The Numbers in 2023 as a prequel to the entire saga, there are minor timeline quirks. The Numbers is explicitly set in 2011 (when Thomas is 30 years old), which technically places it chronologically after the publication date of Unforeseen (2008). However, in-universe, the events of The Numbers occur before the retired Prescott retreats to Maine in Unforeseen. Reading the prequel first won't spoil the main plots of the subsequent books, but it does feature a slightly more refined writing style compared to Pirog's early 2008 debut.
Practical Reader Advice
Where is the Best Place to Start?
Most readers agree that starting with Unforeseen is the best entry point. It establishes Thomas Prescott's status quo as a retired detective who is trying to live a quiet life but is dragged back into the fray. If you enjoy the character's snarky, Sherlock-meets-frat-boy personality, you can read straight through to Jungle Up and then treat The Numbers as an origin-story flashback. However, if you prefer starting at the absolute beginning of his timeline, The Numbers is a self-contained story that transitions smoothly into Unforeseen.
Can the Books Be Read as Standalones?
Yes, each book in the Thomas Prescott series features a self-contained mystery that is resolved by the final page. You do not need to worry about major cliffhangers between books. That said, the recurring characters—especially Thomas's sister Lacy, his love interests, and his pets—evolve over the course of the series. To appreciate these personal relationships and the recurring inside jokes, reading the books in order is highly recommended.
Are There Crossovers or Spin-offs?
Nick Pirog is also famous for his 3:00 a.m. series, which follows the character Henry Bins (a man who is only awake for one hour a day, from 3:00 a.m. to 4:00 a.m.). While both series share Pirog's trademark quick-witted dialogue and humor, they are separate series and do not feature official crossovers. You do not need to read the Henry Bins books to understand or enjoy the Thomas Prescott series.
What to Know Before You Start
- The Tone: The books are thrillers first, but they are heavily driven by humor. Thomas Prescott is a sarcastic, highly confident, and occasionally juvenile protagonist. If you enjoy smart-ass investigators with a heart of gold, you will love him.
- Audiobooks: The audio versions of the series, narrated by Johnny Heller, are widely praised by fans. Heller’s delivery perfectly captures Prescott's snarky voice and adds an extra layer of enjoyment to the fast-paced dialogue.