Ace Collins Books in Order

Where to Start with Ace Collins

With a career spanning dozens of novels and nonfiction works, Ace Collins is a master of blending history, faith, and mystery. For readers new to his work, there are two primary entry points depending on your preference for fiction or nonfiction:

• For Fiction and Suspense Fans: Begin with the prequel novel, The Yellow Packard, and then dive into the long-running World War II thriller series, In the President’s Service. This series follows a gritty, fast-paced serial format that will keep you hooked. Alternatively, you can start with his award-winning standalone courtroom drama, The Color of Justice.
• For Nonfiction and Inspirational Readers: Start with his runaway bestseller, Stories Behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas. It is a warm, historical look at the origins of classic holiday music that shows off Collins’s meticulous research and conversational writing style.

In the President’s Service Reading Order

This is Collins's most ambitious and popular fiction series. The saga follows Detective Helen Meeker, a sharp and determined investigator operating on secret, high-stakes missions under the direct orders of President Franklin D. Roosevelt during World War II. The series began as short, episodic stories reminiscent of 1940s radio dramas and pulp adventure serials, but eventually grew into full-length novels. Because there is a strong continuity and an ongoing espionage narrative, you should read these in order, beginning with the prequel:

Prequel / Book 0

• The Yellow Packard (2012) - Sets the stage for Helen Meeker's entry into presidential service.

The Main Series

1. A Date with Death (2013)
2. The Dark Pool (2013)
3. Blood Brother (2014)
4. Fatal Addiction (2014)
5. The Devil's Eyes (2014)
6. The Dead Can Talk (2015)
7. Bottled Madness (2015)
8. Shadows in the Moonlight (2015)
9. Evilution (2016)
10. Uneasy Alliance (2016)
11. The 13th Floor (2016)
12. The White Rose (2016)
13. The Cat's Eye (2017)
14. The Red Suit Case (2017)
15. Set for Danger (2018)
16. The Trojan Horse (2020)
17. The Wolf Pack (2020)
18. Black or White (2021)
19. Time Walker (2024)

Note: Collins has continued to expand this universe with recent releases, including the 2024 novel Time Walker, keeping the historic suspense alive. There are also companion short story collections like Service Tails (2016) and In the Line of Fire (2018) which feature side adventures, but these are best read after you are already familiar with Helen Meeker's main series.

Lije Evans Mysteries: Reading Order & Series Shift

This series centers on Lije Evans, an attorney whose life is shattered by a tragedy on a dark Arkansas road. The first two books function as a direct duology exploring personal grief and a quest for local justice, but the third book shifts focus dramatically:

1. Farraday Road (2008)
2. Swope's Ridge (2009)
3. Jefferson Burke and the Secret of the Lost Scroll (2011)

Reading Caveat: While listed as the third book in the Lije Evans Mysteries, Jefferson Burke and the Secret of the Lost Scroll pivots away from Lije's legal battles. Instead, it follows a history professor, Jefferson Burke, who is thrust into a global, high-stakes race to find an ancient, 2,000-year-old manuscript that could alter the foundation of Christian history. It reads more like an archeological thriller than a small-town courtroom mystery, so be prepared for a shift in tone and protagonist.

The "Stories Behind" Nonfiction Series

These books do not have a chronological order or a continuous plot. They are thematic, deeply researched histories detailing the origin stories of cultural traditions, songs, and historical figures. You can read them in any order you choose. The most famous titles include:

• Stories Behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas (2001)
• Stories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas (2003)
• Stories Behind the Hymns That Inspire America (2003)
• More Stories Behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas (2006)
• Stories Behind the Traditions and Songs of Easter (2007)
• Stories Behind Women of Extraordinary Faith (2008)
• Stories Behind Men of Faith (2008)
• Stories Behind the Greatest Hits of Christmas (2010)
• Stories Behind the Songs and Hymns about Heaven (2019)

Key Standalone Novels

If you prefer a self-contained story without committing to a series, Collins has written several highly regarded standalone suspense novels:

• The Color of Justice (2014): This Christy Award-winning historical mystery features parallel timelines set 50 years apart in Justice, Mississippi. It follows a young attorney in 1964 defending a Black teenager accused of murder, and his grandson in 2014 who returns to the town to uncover the dark secrets surrounding his grandfather's subsequent disappearance.
• The Fruitcake Murders (2015): A comedic, post-World War II whodunit set in Chicago in 1946. Detective Lane Walker investigates a bizarre string of murders where the weapon of choice is a vintage, twenty-year-old fruitcake tin.
• Hollywood Lost (2015): A romantic suspense novel set during the Golden Age of Hollywood in 1936, following a young woman who escapes the Dust Bowl only to find herself in the crosshairs of a serial killer targeting studio employees.

What to Know Before You Start

Ace Collins is widely celebrated in the Christian and inspirational fiction markets. His mysteries and historical thrillers are known for being clean, suspenseful, and heavily grounded in real historical events. His prose style is friendly, accessible, and fast-moving, reflecting his background as a magazine journalist and sports broadcaster. While faith plays a key thematic role in his narratives, his focus remains firmly on delivering a tight, suspenseful mystery that respects historical detail.