Where to Start Reading Anthony Bruno
Anthony Bruno was a master at straddling the line between fictional crime thrillers and shocking true-crime exposes. Because his work spans very different subgenres, the best place for you to start reading depends on what you are looking for:
- For gritty, humorous police procedurals: Start with Bad Guys (1988). This book kicks off his signature six-volume series following FBI agents Cuthbert Gibbons and Mike Tozzi, providing the perfect blend of crime action and snappy buddy-cop banter.
- For landmark true crime: Start with The Iceman: The True Story of a Cold-Blooded Killer (1993). This legendary work details the life of mob hitman Richard Kuklinski and served as the direct basis for the 2012 feature film starring Michael Shannon.
- For cinematic, psychological tension: Start with Seven (1995). If you love the Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman movie, Bruno's novelization is widely regarded as one of the best ever written, expanding significantly on the inner thoughts of Detectives Somerset and Mills.
The Gibbons and Tozzi Series Reading Order
The Cuthbert Gibbons and Mike Tozzi series is Anthony Bruno's most famous contribution to crime fiction. Featuring a classic "odd-couple" dynamic—Gibbons is the seasoned, by-the-book veteran, while Tozzi is the hot-headed, rule-bending younger agent—the duo hunts down colorful mobsters and ruthless killers across New York and New Jersey. You should read these books in publication order, as the characters' personal lives, careers, and partnership evolve from one novel to the next.
- Bad Guys (1988) – The FBI pair is established as they go head-to-head with a mob boss who has just been released from prison.
- Bad Blood (1989) – The agents track a mafia contract killer while dealing with internal politics and betrayals.
- Bad Luck (1990) – Gibbons and Tozzi head to the neon-lit streets of Atlantic City to investigate a money-laundering scheme gone wrong.
- Bad Business (1991) – A high-stakes corporate conspiracy draws the agents into a deadly web of white-collar crime.
- Bad Moon (1992) – The duo investigates a bizarre cult that has ties to organized crime families.
- Bad Apple (1994) – Tozzi goes deep undercover with a mafia family, leading to a complex web of loyalty and danger. This book was adapted into a 2004 television film starring Chris Noth.
The Loretta Kovacs Series Reading Order
After wrapping up the Gibbons and Tozzi run, Bruno launched a lighter, quirkier crime series featuring parole officers Loretta Kovacs and Frank Marvelli, who work for the New Jersey Parole Violators Search Unit. Often described as having an Elmore Leonard-style charm, this trilogy balances laugh-out-loud humor with authentic criminal investigations. They should be read in order:
- Devil's Food (1997) – Loretta goes undercover at a fat farm in Florida to track down a fugitive embezzler. This debut earned an Anthony Award nomination.
- Double Espresso (1998) – Loretta and Frank head to Seattle to bring back a witness, only to get caught up in a coffee-industry mob war.
- Hot Fudge (2000) – The parole duo tackles a case involving stolen identities, chocolate empires, and eccentric criminals.
Standalone Novels
In addition to his series, Bruno wrote several standalone books that highlight his range, from psychological suspense to coming-of-age comedy:
- Seven (1995) – Based on the screenplays of the iconic thriller film, this novelization adds deep psychological layers that couldn't fit into the movie's runtime.
- The Temptations of St. Frank (2009) – A departure from his usual crime stories, this coming-of-age novel follows seventeen-year-old Frank Grimaldi trying to navigate life, love, and the mafia in a 1970s New Jersey Catholic school.
- Bleeders (2014) – An intense, modern serial-killer thriller focusing on the deadly cat-and-mouse game between FBI profiler Trisha McCleery and the man who murdered her mother.
True Crime and Non-Fiction
Bruno's non-fiction works are celebrated for their meticulous research and gripping, narrative style:
- The Iceman: The True Story of a Cold-Blooded Killer (1993) – The definitive account of contract killer Richard Kuklinski, written after Bruno spent hours interviewing him behind bars.
- The Seekers: A Bounty Hunter's Story (2000) – Co-authored with Joshua Armstrong, this book tracks the elite, spiritually-guided fugitive recovery team known as "The Seekers." The book earned an Edgar Award nomination for Best Fact Crime.
Understanding the Crimescape Collection
Readers are often confused by the "Crimescape" listings associated with Anthony Bruno. Crimescape was a digital true-crime short series/imprint. Anthony Bruno did not write all the books in this line; rather, he was a key contributor and editor. To read Bruno's specific contributions, focus on these two titles:
- Immortal Monster (2011) – Bruno's companion piece to The Iceman, detailing further insights into Richard Kuklinski's myths and realities.
- The Roppongi Stalker (2011) – A chilling short account of a serial rapist operating in Tokyo's nightlife district.
The other titles listed in the Crimescape catalog were penned by other prominent true crime authors. Specifically, After Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (2011) was written by Marilyn J. Bardsley, while The Vampire Trap (2011), Psychopath (2011), The Ivy League Killer (2012), Moonlight Murders on Lovers' Lane (2012), and The Sex Beast (2018) were all authored by forensic psychologist Dr. Katherine Ramsland.