Blake Banner Books in Order

Where to Start Reading Blake Banner

Blake Banner is exceptionally prolific, having written dozens of novels across multiple distinct action and mystery series since his debut in 2017. Because his series focus on very different styles of suspense—ranging from gritty, Bronx-based police investigations to international military espionage—your ideal starting point depends on your favorite sub-genre.

For fans of police procedurals, buddy-cop dynamics, and classic detective work, the absolute best place to start is with Ace and a Pair, the first book in the Dead Cold Mysteries series. If you prefer lone-vigilante action, rogue agents, and military thrillers, start with Dead of Night, which introduces the SAS-operative-turned-assassin Harry Bauer.

Dead Cold Mysteries: John Stone & Carmen Dehan

The Dead Cold Mysteries series is Blake Banner's signature work. Set in the gritty streets of the Bronx, it follows the seasoned detective John Stone—a man with a flawless arrest record—and his fiery, sharp-tongued partner Carmen Dehan. The series focuses on solving complex, long-forgotten cold cases. While each book features a standalone mystery, the personal lives and chemistry of Stone and Dehan evolve significantly. Readers should follow the publication order for the best experience:

1. Ace and a Pair (2017)
2. Two Bare Arms (2017)
3. Garden of the Damned (2017)
4. Let Us Prey (2017)
5. The Sins of the Father (2017)
6. Strange and Sinister Path (2018)
7. The Heart to Kill (2018)
8. Unnatural Murder (2018)
9. Fire From Heaven (2018)
10. To Kill Upon a Kiss (2018)
11. Murder Most Scottish (2018)
12. The Butcher of Whitechapel (2018)
13. Little Dead Riding Hood (2018)
14. Trick or Treat (2019)
15. Blood Into Wine (2019)
16. Jack in the Box (2019)
17. The Fall Moon (2019)
18. Blood In Babylon (2019)
19. Death in Dexter (2019)
20. Mustang Sally (2019)
21. A Christmas Killing (2020)
22. Mommy's Little Killer (2020)
23. Bleed Out (2020)
24. Dead and Buried (2020)
25. In Hot Blood (2020)
26. Fallen Angels (2021)
27. Knife Edge (2021)
28. Along Came A Spider (2021)
29. Cold Blood (2023)
30. Curtain Call (2023)

Cobra / Harry Bauer Thrillers

For readers who enjoy elite operative thrillers in the style of Jack Reacher or Jason Bourne, the Harry Bauer Thriller series (often called the Cobra series) delivers pure adrenaline. Harry Bauer is an ex-SAS trooper recruited by a shadowy, ultra-secret private agency known as Cobra. Unlike the police procedurals of Dead Cold, this series is focused on black ops, assassination, and international conspiracies. It is highly recommended to read them in order:

1. Dead of Night (2020)
2. Dying Breath (2020)
3. The Einstaat Brief (2020)
4. Quantum Kill (2020)
5. Immortal Hate (2021)
6. The Silent Blade (2021)
7. LA: Wild Justice (2021)
8. Breath of Hell (2021)
9. Invisible Evil (2021)
10. The Shadow of Ukupacha (2021)
11. Sweet Razor Cut (2022)
12. Blood of the Innocent (2022)
13. Blood on Balthazar (2022)
14. Simple Kill (2022)
15. Riding the Devil (2023)
16. The Unavenged (2023)
17. The Devil's Vengeance (2023)
18. Bloody Retribution (2024)
19. Silent Crusade (2024)
20. Blood for Blood (2024)

The Omega Series: Lacklan Walker

Centered on former British SAS soldier Lacklan Walker, the Omega series is a dark, conspiracy-driven military saga. When Walker's childhood sweetheart goes missing, he uncovers a massive global threat orchestrated by a secretive cabal known as Omega. The books follow a continuous arc detailing Walker's one-man war against this conspiracy. Read them in publication order:

1. Dawn of the Hunter (2017)
2. Double Edged Blade (2017)
3. The Storm (2018)
4. The Hand of War (2018)
5. A Harvest of Blood (2018)
6. To Rule in Hell (2018)
7. Kill: One (2018)
8. Powder Burn (2018)
9. Kill: Two (2018)
10. Unleashed (2018)
11. The Omicron Kill (2019)
12. 9mm Justice (2019)
13. Kill: Four (2019)
14. Death In Freedom (2019)
15. Endgame (2019)

Collaborations with David Archer

Blake Banner has teamed up with fellow thriller novelist David Archer to produce two highly popular, fast-paced action series. These books combine Banner's grit with Archer's signature high-stakes suspense.

Alex Mason Books (ODIN)

The Alex Mason series follows an elite operative working for a top-secret government agency called ODIN. These books are action-packed spy thrillers filled with international intrigue and tactical combat:

1. Odin (2021)
2. Ice Cold Spy (2021)
3. Mason's Law (2022)
4. Assets and Liabilities (2022)
5. Russian Roulette (2022)
6. Executive Order (2022)
7. Dead Man Talking (2022)
8. All The King's Men (2023)
9. Flashpoint (2023)
10. Brotherhood of the Goat (2023)
11. Dead Hot (2023)
12. Blood on Megiddo (2024)
13. Son of Hell (2024)

Rogue Thriller Books

A newer, gritty collaboration focused on rogue operations and intense action:

1. Gates of Hell (2024)
2. Hell's Fury (2025)

The Verdugo Series

For a shorter, high-intensity read, the Verdugo trilogy is an excellent choice. It follows an amnesiac who wakes up in the New Mexico desert with elite lethal skills and a mysterious, unstoppable drive to eliminate drug cartels, earning him the name "Verdugo" (The Executioner):

1. Verdugo Dawn (2019)
2. Lotus (2020)
3. Kill Drive (2020)

What to Know Before You Start

While Blake Banner's thrillers share themes of military backgrounds, shadow organizations, and rogue justice, they are distinct series rather than a single interconnected universe. Harry Bauer, John Stone, and Lacklan Walker operate in their own separate timelines, meaning you do not need to read across series to understand the plots. Additionally, Banner is known for incorporating a mix of British and American idioms in his prose, a unique stylistic touch that fans have come to appreciate across all his high-octane novels.