Do I need to read the Crashers series before Daria Gibron's books?

While Daria's standalone books ( Ice Cold Kill and Gun Metal Heart ) explain her backstory sufficiently, it is highly recommended to read Crashers first. She is introduced in that novel, and understanding her role there makes her character arc much more satisfying.

How does the St. Nicholas Salvage & Wrecking series connect to the rest of the universe?

The series is set in the same universe and features overlapping characters. Most notably, Daria Gibron returns as a major player in the third St. Nicholas novel, The Saint of Thieves (2023), linking the two series directly.

Where do the short stories 'Click' and 'The Waiting Game' fit in?

Both short stories feature the St. Nicholas protagonists, Fiero and Finnigan. 'Click' (2019) was their debut appearance, published in the Bouchercon anthology Denim, Diamonds and Death . 'The Waiting Game' (2021) was published in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine . They can be read as standalone prequels or side adventures.

Who is Conrad Haynes?

Conrad Haynes is a pen name used by Dana Haynes early in his career to write a trilogy of academic mystery novels featuring the cynical Professor Harry Bishop between 1987 and 1991.

Has Dana Haynes written any screenplays?

Yes. Dana Haynes wrote a screenplay adaptation of his debut thriller Crashers , which reached the semifinals of the prestigious Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting in 2005.

Dana Haynes Books in Order

Where to Start Reading Dana Haynes

Dana Haynes has crafted an exhilarating, interconnected universe of espionage, forensic aviation investigations, and black-ops bounty hunting. Because some of his characters crossover between series, readers often debate the best entry point. If you want the full character development and want to see how the universe expands, we highly recommend reading his main thrillers in Chronological/Publication Order. However, if you prefer modern, globetrotting bounty-hunter action, you can start directly with the St. Nicholas Salvage & Wrecking series.

Option 1: The Chronological Universe Path (Recommended)

This is the best route for readers who love long-term character arcs and world-building. Daria Gibron, the protagonist of her own spin-off series, is first introduced in the debut novel of the Crashers series. She also appears in its sequel before taking center stage in her standalone novels, and eventually crosses paths with the St. Nicholas team in The Saint of Thieves. Following this sequence ensures you never miss a reference or character callback:

Crashers (2010)
Breaking Point (2011)
Ice Cold Kill (2013)
Gun Metal Heart (2014)
St. Nicholas Salvage & Wrecking (2019)
Sirocco (2021)
The Saint of Thieves (2023)

Option 2: The St. Nicholas Standalone Entry

If you want to skip the forensic aviation investigations of the early books and dive straight into international fugitive retrieval, you can start with the St. Nicholas Salvage & Wrecking series. The books function perfectly well as self-contained adventures, although reading them in order is still advised for the core team's relationship development.

The Crashers Series (NTSB Go-Team)

Before writing international spy thrillers, Haynes won acclaim for his forensic-heavy aviation thrillers. The Crashers series follows a specialized National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) "Go Team" consisting of aviation experts, pathologists, and investigators who are deployed to solve mysterious plane crashes under intense pressure. The series is lauded for its technical accuracy, high-paced tension, and sharp dialogue.

Crashers (2010): The debut thriller that won the Spotted Owl Award. The Go Team is summoned to the Oregon desert to investigate a passenger jet crash, only to realize they are looking at a deliberate act of mass murder rather than an accident. This book also introduces Daria Gibron, a former Shin Bet operative under FBI protection.
Breaking Point (2011): The stakes escalate when the NTSB team becomes the target of a high-tech conspiracy. As they try to piece together another disaster, the investigators find themselves hunted by a brilliant, ruthless killer.

The Daria Gibron Series (Shin Bet Operative)

Following her breakout appearance in the Crashers series, Haynes spun Daria Gibron off into her own dedicated action-thriller series. Daria is a former Israeli Shin Bet agent who is volatile, fearless, and highly skilled. She operates in the gray areas of international law enforcement, constantly pursued by enemies from her past.

Ice Cold Kill (2013): Set in the freezing winter of Montreal, Daria is pulled into a conspiracy involving a cell of international terrorists and a deadly assassin. She has to rely on her raw survival instincts to stay alive.
Gun Metal Heart (2014): Daria returns in a high-octane story that pits her against state-sponsored killers and corporate mercenaries. This installment solidifies her status as one of the most resilient and badass female protagonists in modern crime fiction.

The St. Nicholas Salvage & Wrecking Series

This series represents Haynes's most recent and expansive work. It follows Michael Patrick Finnigan (a former NYPD cop and U.S. Marshal) and Katalin Fiero Dahar (a former Spanish spy and assassin). Together, they operate a covert bounty-hunting firm based in Cyprus, often taking on high-risk, off-the-books missions for the International Criminal Court.

St. Nicholas Salvage & Wrecking (2019): The debut book introduces the team as they are hired to track down international fugitives and war criminals who have slipped through the fingers of traditional law enforcement.
Sirocco (2021): A relentless chase across Europe as the St. Nicholas team hunts down a rogue operative with access to devastating weaponry.
The Saint of Thieves (2023): The third novel brings the universe full circle. The team goes up against a Serbian death squad and a disgraced CIA hit team. Crucially, Daria Gibron makes a major return in this novel, fighting her own battle that intersects with Fiero and Finnigan's mission.

The St. Nicholas Short Stories

For completionists, Haynes has published two short stories featuring the St. Nicholas characters that fill in details of their adventures:

"Click" (2019): Published in the Bouchercon 50th-anniversary anthology, Denim, Diamonds and Death. This short story serves as the first-ever published appearance of Finnigan and Fiero.
"The Waiting Game" (2021): Published in the July/August 2021 issue of Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine. This story centers on Katalin Fiero Dahar facing a tense hostage situation in order to save Michael.

The Conrad Haynes Academic Mysteries (For Completists)

Decades before creating Daria Gibron or Michael Finnigan, Dana Haynes wrote academic mystery novels under the pen name Conrad Haynes. These books feature Professor Harry Bishop, a cynical, scotch-drinking political science professor at a fictional Oregon college who reluctantly solves campus crimes. They are lighter in tone than his thrillers but showcase his early talent for dialogue and plot twists:

Bishop's Gambit, Declined (1987)
Perpetual Check (1988)
Sacrifice Play (1991)

What to Know Before You Start

While the Conrad Haynes books are out of print and entirely separate, the modern Dana Haynes thrillers (Crashers, Daria Gibron, and St. Nicholas) exist within a single shared timeline. You will get the most satisfaction by reading them in order of publication, watching how a minor character from an NTSB forensic thriller becomes the lead of her own spy series and eventually joins forces with the bounty hunters of St. Nicholas Salvage & Wrecking.