Bill Crider Books in Order

Where Should You Start Reading Bill Crider?

If you are new to the work of Bill Crider, the absolute best place to start is with the Sheriff Dan Rhodes series. This is Crider's signature creation, featuring a low-key, dryly humorous sheriff in the fictional Blacklin County, Texas. You should begin with the first novel, Too Late to Die (1986), which won the Anthony Award for Best First Novel. While the individual mysteries in the series are self-contained and can technically be read as standalones, starting from the beginning allows you to appreciate the slow, realistic progression of Rhodes' life, his aging, his relationships, and the shifting dynamics of his small-town jurisdiction.

For readers who prefer academic settings, the Carl Burns series is another excellent entry point. Starting with One Dead Dean (1988), it follows a reluctant English professor at a small Texas college who finds himself solving crimes. It highlights Crider’s insider knowledge of college administration and department politics, served with a healthy dose of academic satire.

Sheriff Dan Rhodes Series (Blacklin County)

Sheriff Dan Rhodes is a classic everyman detective. Armed with a clear moral compass, a budget-conscious county commissioners court, and an appreciation for Dr Pepper, Rhodes handles everything from loose livestock to cold-blooded murder. The series is best read in publication order, which matches the internal chronology of Dan Rhodes’ life.

• Too Late to Die (1986)
• Shotgun Saturday Night (1987)
• Cursed to Death (1988)
• Death on the Move (1989)
• Evil at the Root (1990)
• Booked for a Hanging (1992)
• Murder Most Fowl (1994)
• Winning Can Be Murder (1996)
• Death by Accident (1998)
• A Ghost of a Chance (2000)
• A Romantic Way to Die (2001)
• Red, White, and Blue Murder (2003)
• A Mammoth Murder (2006)
• Murder Among the OWLS (2007)
• Of All Sad Words (2008)
• Murder in Four Parts (2009)
• Murder in the Air (2010)
• The Wild Hog Murders (2011)
• Murder of a Beauty Shop Queen (2012)
• Compound Murder (2013)
• Half in Love with Artful Death (2014)
• Between the Living and the Dead (2015)
• Survivors Will Be Shot Again (2016)
• Dead, to Begin With (2017)
• That Old Scoundrel Death (2019)

For fans who want to dive deeper into Blacklin County, Crider also published The Blacklin County Files (2012), a collection of short stories that provide extra flavor and side investigations featuring the Sheriff and his quirky deputies.

The Carl Burns Academic Mysteries

Drawing on Crider's own career as an English professor and department chair, the Carl Burns mysteries showcase the absurdity of academic life alongside traditional mystery plots. Read these in order to follow the career of the reluctant sleuth:

1. One Dead Dean (1988)
2. Dying Voices (1989)
3. A Dangerous Thing (1994)
4. Dead Soldiers (2004)

Truman Smith Private Eye Series

Set against the humid backdrop of Galveston, Texas, this series features Truman Smith, a private investigator who would often rather spend his time reading classic literature than pounding the pavement. It offers a slightly grittier, hardboiled vibe compared to the cozy nature of the Sheriff Rhodes books, but retains Crider's trademark wit.

1. Dead on the Island (1991)
2. Gator Kill (1992)
3. When Old Men Die (1994)
4. The Prairie Chicken Kill (1996)
5. Murder Takes a Break (1997)

Professor Sally Good Series

In another nod to the academic world, this cozy series features Dr. Sally Good, the head of the English and Fine Arts departments at a Texas community college. These books can be read in any order, but publication order is recommended:

Other Series, Spin-Offs, and Collaborations

Stanley Waters Series (with Willard Scott)

Crider collaborated with popular NBC weather anchor Willard Scott on a pair of cozy mysteries featuring Stanley Waters, a retired Virginia native who opens a bed-and-breakfast in the fictional town of Higginsville:

• Murder Under Blue Skies (1998)
• Murder in the Mist (1999)

Ellie Taine / Blanco County Series

Set in historical Blanco, Texas, this short series centers on Ellie Taine and features a blend of traditional western and mystery elements:

• Outrage at Blanco (1998)
• Texas Vigilante (1999)

Ted Stephens Series

A short police procedural duology set in Houston:

• Houston Homicide (2007)
• Mississippi Vivian (2010)

The Humphrey Bogart Mystery

A unique Hollywood-historical crossover where the famous actor Humphrey Bogart teams up with Warner Brothers troubleshooter Terry Scott to solve a case. While intended as a series, only one book was published:

• We'll Always Have Murder (2003)

Mike Gonzo Children's Books

Crider also successfully wrote for younger readers. His Mike Gonzo books are lighthearted adventures featuring a kid named Mike Gonzo. The third installment, Mike Gonzo and the UFO Terror, won the Golden Duck Award:

• Mike Gonzo and the Almost Invisible Man (1996)
• Mike Gonzo and the Sewer Monster (1996)
• Mike Gonzo and the UFO Terror (1997)

The Dead Man Series Contributions

Created by Lee Goldberg and William Rabkin, The Dead Man is a multi-author supernatural action series. Crider contributed several novels to this action-horror project, which are best read in sequence of the project's overall run:

• Face of Evil (2011)
• Ring of Knives (2011)
• Hell In Heaven (2011)
• The Dead Woman (2011)
• The Blood Mesa (2011)
• Kill Them All (2011)
• The Beast Within (2011)
• Fire and Ice (2012)
• Carnival of Death (2012)
• Freaks Must Die (2012)
• Slaves to Evil (2012)
• Midnight Special (2012)
• The Death Match (2012)
• The Black Death (2012)
• The Killing Floor (2012)
• Colder than Hell (2013)
• Evil to Burn (2013)
• Streets of Blood (2013)
• Crucible of Fire (2013)
• The Dark Need (2013)
• The Rising Dead (2013)
• Reborn (2014)

What to Know Before You Start

Bill Crider was incredibly versatile, writing under pseudonyms like Jack MacLane for horror novels and publishing standalone westerns and short stories. Because his primary series feature very distinct tones—ranging from the gentle, humorous, small-town cozy style of Sheriff Rhodes to the academic satire of Carl Burns and the hardboiled tone of Truman Smith—readers are encouraged to try a book from each series to see which style suits their mood best. Most of his books are self-contained mysteries, so if you happen to find a later book in a bookstore, you can jump in without feeling lost, though publication order remains the most satisfying way to watch his characters grow.