How to Read Connie Dial's Novels
With nearly three decades of real-world experience as a Los Angeles Police Department captain, Connie Dial crafts police procedurals that skip the Hollywood gloss in favor of authentic, lived-in police culture. Her bibliography spans several detective series, historical prequels, and standalones. To experience her characters' personal growth and the realistic evolution of LAPD politics, we recommend starting with the main series and following specific reading routes.
The Josie Corsino Mystery Series: Publication vs. Chronological Order
Josie Corsino is a fierce, no-nonsense LAPD Captain commanding the Hollywood Division. The series is unique because several entries jump backward in time to explore Josie's early career. Readers generally choose between two distinct reading paths: Publication Order or Chronological Timeline Order.
Option 1: Publication Order (Recommended)
Reading in publication order allows you to meet Captain Josie Corsino at the height of her authority before exploring her formative years undercover and on the narcotics beat. Prequels like Set the Night on Fire and The Snow Raven carry more emotional weight when you already know the veteran captain she eventually becomes.
- Fallen Angels (2012) – The debut novel of the series. Captain Corsino investigates the high-profile murder of a teenage Hollywood starlet.
- Dead Wrong (2013) – Corsino faces a intricate web of murder, corruption, and personal drama.
- Unnatural Murder (2014) – A gripping procedural that plunges deeper into institutional department politics and street-level crime.
- Set the Night on Fire (2016) – While sometimes classified as a standalone thriller, this serves as a prequel set in 1971, detailing Josie's early days as a young undercover operative.
- Warning Shots (2018) – Corsino returns to her present-day captain duties, battling a cunning serial killer and departmental retaliation.
- The Snow Raven (2020) – Another prequel, this time transporting readers to the cocaine-fueled 1980s when Josie worked as a narcotics detective.
Option 2: Chronological Timeline Order
If you prefer to follow Josie's career path chronologically from her greenest undercover days to her command of the Hollywood Division, you can read the books in this order:
- Set the Night on Fire (Set in 1971)
- The Snow Raven (Set in the 1980s)
- Fallen Angels (Present day)
- Dead Wrong (Present day)
- Unnatural Murder (Present day)
- Warning Shots (Present day)
The Mike Turner Mystery Series
Connie Dial's debut mystery series focuses on Detective Mike Turner, who is thrown into the dark side of police work when he investigates corruption and betrayal within his own department. This series is straightforward and should be read in order of publication:
- Internal Affairs (2009) – Turner must hunt down corrupt officers while navigating intense internal politics.
- The Broken Blue Line (2010) – Turner continues his fight against rogue elements on the force, balancing dangerous investigations with personal struggles.
Standalone Novels and Young Adult Mystery
For readers looking for self-contained crime fiction outside the main timelines, Connie Dial offers compelling standalone stories:
- The Mayor of Dupont Street (2011) – Dial's first venture into young adult historical mystery. Set in 1901 San Francisco, it follows 12-year-old Amanda Cleveland, the daughter of a detective, as she uncovers a mystery in Chinatown.
- The Third Hell (2017) – A gritty standalone crime novel following retired LAPD detective Nino Angelo as he conducts a desperate search for his missing 12-year-old son in the Hollywood Hills.
What to Know Before You Start
Connie Dial's novels are praised for their realism, drawing from her real-life career leading the Hollywood Division and working patrol during major historical events like the Rodney King riots. Her writing reflects authentic police tactics, internal bureaucracy, and the emotional toll that the badge takes on officers. The Josie Corsino series is the best starting point for readers who want complex character arcs, while the Mike Turner series is perfect for those who enjoy internal affairs investigations and precinct-level politics.