The Recommended Reading Path
For readers new to Andrew Welsh-Huggins, the best place to start is the beginning of his signature Andy Hayes Mystery Series. Starting with the debut novel, Fourth Down and Out, allows you to follow Andy's personal evolution from a disgraced college athlete to a seasoned private investigator. Alternatively, if you prefer a fast-paced, high-stakes thriller, you can begin with The Mailman, the opening book of his Mercury Carter Thrillers.
The Andy Hayes Mystery Series
Set in the heart of Columbus, Ohio, this series features Andy Hayes, a former star quarterback for the Ohio State Buckeyes who fell from grace and rebuilt his life as a gritty, dogged private investigator. Welsh-Huggins uses his background as an Associated Press legal-affairs reporter to ground these stories in real-world issues like human trafficking, political corruption, and systemic flaws.
We recommend reading the Andy Hayes series in order of publication to best appreciate the character growth and ongoing story arcs:
- Fourth Down and Out (2014) – Andy Hayes is hired to find a missing laptop, drawing him back into the collegiate football world that once disgraced him.
- Slow Burn (2015) – Andy investigates a suspicious fire in a Columbus neighborhood, uncovering arson and deep-seated neighborhood conflicts.
- Capitol Punishment (2016) – A high-stakes case involving state politics and corruption at the Ohio Statehouse.
- The Hunt (2017) – Andy is pulled into a dark investigation involving serial killings and human trafficking.
- The Third Brother (2018) – A search for a missing young man leads Andy into the world of white nationalists and radicalization.
- Fatal Judgment (2019) – Andy handles a complex security case for a controversial judge, leading to deadly confrontations.
- An Empty Grave (2021) – A Shamus Award-nominated installment where Andy tries to solve a cold case involving a decades-old murder.
- Sick to Death (2024) – While working security at the Columbus Museum of Art, Andy thwarts a heist, discovers a daughter he never knew he had, and investigates the suspicious death of her mother amid pandemic-era tensions.
The Mercury Carter Thrillers
In 2025, Welsh-Huggins launched a new series featuring Mercury "Merc" Carter, a former federal agent with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service who operates as a freelance courier. These books are action-oriented, fast-paced thrillers set across the Midwest.
- The Mailman (2025) – Carter attempts a routine delivery but ends up chasing a violent kidnapping syndicate across the Midwest to rescue an attorney.
- The Delivery (2026) – The high-octane second installment in the Mercury Carter series.
Standalone Novels and Short Fiction
For readers looking for a self-contained story, Welsh-Huggins has written standalone noir fiction and short stories:
- The End of the Road (2023) – A standalone rural noir novel tracking a bank robber, his betrayer, and a girlfriend seeking vengeance.
- The Mailman (2020) – Originally published as a short story/novella before being expanded into the full-length 2025 novel.
The Guns + Tacos Shared World
The Guns + Tacos series is a unique, multi-author shared-world project published by Down & Out Books. The stories center on a Chicago taco truck that serves as a front for illegal weapons sales. While the series includes dozens of titles by various authors, Andrew Welsh-Huggins contributed one specific, standout novella:
- A Smith & Wesson with a Side of Chorizo (2021) – Published during Season Three of the project, later collected in Guns + Tacos Vol. 6 (2022).
Non-Fiction and Anthologies
Before finding success in fiction, Welsh-Huggins established himself with investigative non-fiction and editing anthologies:
- No Winners Here Tonight (2009) – A definitive history of the death penalty in Ohio.
- Hatred at Home (2011) – An in-depth look at a domestic terrorism plot in Ohio.
- Columbus Noir (2020) – A curated anthology of 14 dark crime stories set in different Columbus neighborhoods, edited by Welsh-Huggins.