Cleve Sylcox Books in Order

Where to Start: The David Winter Mystery Series

If you are new to Cleve Sylcox, the best entry point is his flagship series: the David Winter Mystery books. These books follow a former soldier turned attorney and private eye who gets entangled in a web of classic noir, bumbling operatives, dangerous conspiracies, and gritty street-level crime.

While some of the books have been marketed under standalone names or slightly different series banners (such as The Package series), they all follow the central character of David Winter. To follow his character arc and the growing web of intrigue, you should read them in order of publication:

1. The Package (2013) – The series kicks off here, introducing David Winter as a hard-nosed lawyer who takes on a seemingly simple package delivery that quickly spirals into noir-inspired danger.
2. Revenge (2014) – Winter returns as the stakes are raised, bringing tougher decisions, raw dialogues, and deeper investigations into a dark criminal underworld.
3. Fly Paper Soup (2015) – Winter defends a client in a complex murder case, blending intense courtroom legal drama with suspense.
4. Forgetting to Forget (2016) – Also co-authored with Vickie Jacobs Struckmann and sometimes known as Recluse: Forgetting to Forget, this entry sees Winter navigating personal secrets and isolation.
5. Missing Dolls of Bergoo (2018) – A mysterious and atmospheric crime thriller set in a remote locale, highlighting Sylcox's signature pacing and unconventional style.

Entering the Shadows: The Bedeviled Series

For readers who prefer supernatural horror, macabre mysteries, and chilling poetry, the Bedeviled Books offer a completely different atmosphere. Co-authored in part with Dara Ratner Rochlin, these stories blend supernatural thrillers with classic horror themes. The recommended reading order for this series is:

1. Tales of The Macabre (2014)
2. The Traveler (2015)
3. The Innocent (2015)
4. What About Beatrice (2015)
5. Ellsinore Springs (2016)

Venturing into Sci-Fi: Nucor: Season of the Moons

Cleve Sylcox's versatility shines in his science fiction trilogy, Nucor: Season of the Moons. This series focuses on planetary scale defense, alien conflicts, and futuristic world-building. You must read these in order to follow the overarching plot:

1. Invasion (2014)
2. Reflection (2015)
3. Defense (2015)

Standalone Novels and Other Projects

Outside of his main series, Sylcox has written several standalone books, short story collections, and anthologies that showcase his willingness to blend genres, including horror, romance, and holiday tales:

Standalone Novels

• Scants (2005) – An early suspense thriller.
• Nicboth: The Journey Begins (2006) – A dark fantasy adventure pitting heroes against a demonic general.
• Blood Crow: Love and War A Bloody Affair (2015) – A genre-blending tale of romance and conflict.
• The Journey - Spirits of Christmas (2015) – A holiday story with a signature supernatural twist.
• Gloria: All or Nothing (2016) – A suspenseful drama centering on high stakes and personal risks.
• Identical (2017) – A mystery focusing on double identities and deception.

Short Stories and Anthologies

• Dark Essence (2006)
• The Ruins (2014) – Published as the first entry in his short-lived Daewoo series.
• Death, in Gravely Falls (2014) – The sole release under the Sometimes, Justice Isn't Enough banner, set in fictional Gravely Falls, Colorado.
• Edgar and The Wizard - The Potion of Fardu (2015) – A short fantasy piece.
• Christmas Presence (2016) – A heartwarming, mystery-tinged holiday short story.
• Ravin: The Haunting of Harding (2019) – A haunted mystery story.

Sylcox has also contributed to several anthologies, including The Kiss: An Anthology of Love and Other Close Encounters (2014), Sins of the Past (2014), Sins of the Future (2015), and Frightful Tales for All Hallows' Eve (2015).

What to Know Before You Start

Cleve Sylcox's books are known for their fast pace, pulp-thriller vibes, and raw, sometimes unconventional grammar and sentence structure. As an independent author who frequently self-publishes through CreateSpace, his books maintain a raw, unfiltered style that fans of modern indie noir and pulp suspense enjoy. If you prefer highly polished, traditional commercial publishing styles, his books might take some adjusting to. However, his strong characterization of David Winter and his imaginative sci-fi/horror setups keep readers coming back.