Where to Start Reading Colin Conway
Because Colin Conway writes across several subgenres of mystery and crime fiction, the best place to start depends entirely on your personal reading preferences. The author's catalog is divided into distinct entry points:
- For authentic, gritty police procedurals: Start with The Side Hustle, the first book in the sprawling 509 Crime Stories series. It introduces you to the shared setting of Spokane and Eastern Washington.
- For a unique, humorous spin on the classic cozy: Start with Cozy Up to Death, the debut of the Cozy Up Books, which flips traditional cozy tropes on their head.
- For classic hardboiled private investigator stories: Start with Cutler's Return, the first of the John Cutler Mysteries.
- For high-stakes political police thrillers: Start with Charlie-316, a fast-paced series co-authored with fellow retired law enforcement officer Frank Zafiro.
The 509 Crime Stories: Spokane's Gritty Underbelly
Named after the telephone area code for Eastern Washington, the 509 Crime Stories is Conway's flagship series. Drawing heavily on his five years of experience as a Spokane police officer, these novels deliver unmatched realism. The series features rotating lead characters—including patrol officers, detectives, and county sheriffs—meaning each book focuses on a different investigation with a self-contained resolution.
Because the books are written as standalone cases, you can technically read them in any order without getting lost. However, there is a loose chronological continuity, and recurring background characters grow and change. To get the best experience, reading in publication order is highly recommended:
- The Side Hustle (2019)
- The Long Cold Winter (2019)
- The Blind Trust (2019)
- The Suit (2019)
- Death at Sunrise (2020)
- The Value in Our Lies (2020)
- The Mean Street (2021)
- Murder by Any Other Name (2021)
- Black and Blue in the Lilac City (2021)
- The Only Death That Matters (2022)
- The After-Hours War (2023)
- The Fate of Our Years (2023)
- The Night of the Dead Boys (2023)
- The Path of Progress (2024)
- When the Wicked Rest (2024)
- The Golden Witness (2024)
The John Cutler Mysteries: The 15-Year Prequel
If you enjoy classic, hard-hitting private detective fiction reminiscent of Robert B. Parker's Spenser or Lawrence Block's Matt Scudder, the John Cutler Mysteries are for you. John Cutler is a former cop trying to navigate the dangerous world of private investigations, frequently finding himself targeted by political conspiracies and corrupt figures.
Chronological Caveat: While published later, the John Cutler series is set in the same fictional universe as the 509 Crime Stories but takes place roughly fifteen years earlier. Reading this series gives fans of the 509 books a unique opportunity to see some of their favorite police characters at the very beginning of their careers. They should be read in chronological and publication order:
- Cutler's Return (2021)
- Cutler's Chase (2021)
- Cutler's Friend (2022)
- Cutler's Cases (2022)
- Cutler's Bargain (2022)
The Flip-Flop Detective: The Sun-Drenched Spin-Off
Also set in the 509 universe, the Flip-Flop Detective series follows Sam Strait, a former sheriff's deputy forced off the police force on false charges. Armed with a legal settlement, Sam lives a snowbird lifestyle, traveling to warmer climates to escape the cold Spokane winters. Sam lives by three strict rules: only be where flip-flops can be worn, form no attachments, and leave when it is time. Naturally, murder has a way of finding him anyway. Read them in this order:
- Strait Over Tackle (2021)
- Strait to Hell (2021)
- Strait Out of Nowhere (2022)
The Cozy Up Series: 'Not Your Grandma's Cozy'
If you want a lighter, comedic crime story, Conway's Cozy Up series offers a brilliant twist. The books follow Beauregard Smith, a tough former motorcycle gang enforcer who enters the Witness Protection Program. Relocated to Pleasant Valley, Maine, under the alias "Brody Steele," he is forced to run a mystery bookstore called The Red Herring. Seeing a hardened tough guy forced to navigate small-town gossip, baking competitions, and pet-centric mysteries makes this series stand out. Unlike the 509 series, these books feature a continuous story arc for Brody and should be read in order:
- Cozy Up to Death (2020)
- Cozy Up to Murder (2020)
- Cozy Up to Blood (2020)
- Cozy Up to Trouble (2021)
- Cozy Up to Christmas (2021)
- Cozy Up to Danger (2022)
- Cozy Up to Terror (2023)
Collaborations and Shared Universes
Colin Conway frequently collaborates with fellow Spokane author Frank Zafiro. Understanding these connections helps readers navigate the wider Inland Northwest crime universe.
The Charlie-316 Series
Co-authored with Frank Zafiro, this series takes its name from Conway's former police call sign. It focuses on the fallout of a controversial SWAT shooting in Spokane, showing the crisis through the eyes of the police, local media, and politicians. The first four books form a tight, serialized story arc centered on officer Tyler Garrett. They must be read in order:
- Charlie-316 (2021)
- Never the Crime (2021)
- Badge Heavy (2021)
- Code Four (2021)
- The Ride-Along (2022)
Some Degree of Murder (2012)
This standalone novel is set in Zafiro's established River City crime universe. It features a unique dual first-person perspective: Frank Zafiro wrote the chapters from the perspective of police detective John Tower, while Colin Conway wrote the alternating chapters from the perspective of Virgil Kelley, a criminal underground enforcer seeking vengeance.
A Grifter's Song Series
Readers looking at Conway's bibliography may notice the Grifter's Song series listed. It is important to note that this is a multi-author collaborative project created and edited by Frank Zafiro. The series follows two grifters, Sam and Rachel, who are on the run from the mob. While the list of books in the series is extensive, Conway only wrote Episode 5: Lost in Middle America (2019). The other entries are penned by different prominent mystery writers, such as Vincent Zandri and Gary Phillips.