David DeLee Books in Order

Where to Start Reading David DeLee

David DeLee has crafted several distinct crime fiction series, meaning there is no single reading order for his entire bibliography. Instead, the best way to read his work is by series. Depending on your preference for subgenres, there are three primary entry points:

• For Bounty Hunter Procedurals: Start with the Grace deHaviland series. You can begin with the prequel short story First Impressions (2010) or the first full-length novel, Fatal Destiny (2011).
• For Gritty Police Procedurals & Noir Thrillers: Start the Flynn & Levy series with Cop Shot (2013), or dive into the Nick Lafferty books with Crystal White (2012). Both series form part of DeLee's broader "Dark Justice" universe.
• For Action-Packed Coastal Adventure: Start the Brice Bannon Seacoast Adventures with Blood in the Water (2016).

The Grace deHaviland Bounty Hunter Series

Grace deHaviland is a tenacious, ex-cop turned bounty hunter based in Columbus, Ohio. Backed by her sheriff's deputy best friend, Suzie Jensen, and BCCI Agent Eugene Booker, Grace takes on high-stakes manhunts that routinely spiral into deadly conspiracies involving drug cartels and dirty cops. The series contains both full-length novels and shorter stories that expand her universe.

Grace deHaviland Recommended Reading Order

To experience the evolution of the characters and their relationships, it is recommended to read the series in order of release, incorporating the prequels and short stories where they fit chronologically:

1. First Impressions (2010) – A prequel short story introducing Grace.
2. Futile Effort (2011) – Short story.
3. Family Matters (2011) – Short story.
4. Fatal Tryst (2011) – Short story.
5. A Cold Wind (2011) – Short story.
6. Fatal Destiny (2011 / 2014) – The first full-length novel. Grace tracks a bail-jumping accountant only to stumble into a mob money trail.
7. Pin Money (2014) – Novel. Grace chases a high-profile fugitive.
8. With Intent to Deceive (2014) – Novel. This award-winning installment pits Grace against her friend Suzie Jensen.
9. Runners (2014) – Short story.
10. Takedown (2015) – Novel.
11. Stare at the Moon (2016) – Novel.
12. Too Far (2017) – Novel.
13. Finding Jessie (2018) – Novel.

The Suzie Jensen Spin-Off

Grace's best friend and key ally, Deputy Suzie Jensen, stars in her own solo murder mystery story. This is a great companion piece to the main series:

• Discreet Fling (2011) – A Suzie Jensen Murder Mystery.

The Dark Justice Thriller Universe

DeLee's Dark Justice universe is set in the gritty underbelly of New York law enforcement. It consists of two parallel series that focus on the moral complexities of justice: the Nick Lafferty thrillers and the Flynn & Levy police procedurals.

Flynn & Levy Series

This series features the uneasy partnership between NYPD homicide detective Frank Flynn and Internal Affairs investigator Christine Levy. They are not natural partners, and mutual distrust defines their early cases as they investigate crimes from the inside out.

1. Cop Shot (2013) – Flynn and Levy team up when a police officer is found murdered under the Brooklyn Bridge.
2. Re-Homed (2015) – The partners investigate a case of informal, underground child re-homing.
3. Policing for Profit (2016) – Procedural thriller.
4. Moral Misconduct (2017) – Flynn and Levy investigate a complex conspiracy within the force.
5. While the City Burns (2018) – The partners navigate crisis as racial and social tensions escalate.
6. Between Truth and Lies (2022) – A violent vigilante targets the NYPD while Flynn faces a murder trial involving his own wife.

Nick Lafferty Series

Nick Lafferty is a former DEA agent battling the shadows of his past, drug rings, and his own moral boundary lines.

1. Crystal White (2012) – Nick Lafferty deals with a dangerous new synthetic drug and the criminal syndicate behind it.
2. Out of the Game (2014) – Lafferty is pulled back into action.
3. Cold Cases (2020) – Lafferty handles unresolved cold cases with high stakes.

Brice Bannon Seacoast Adventure Books

Moving away from the urban environments of Columbus and New York, this series centers on former Coast Guard captain Brice Bannon, his partner Tarakesh "Blades" Sardana, and CWO Skyjack McMurphy. Together, they operate out of Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, taking on secretive missions and threats along the New England coast that fall outside official government channels.

1. Blood in the Water (2016)
2. Any Means Necessary (2016)
3. What Meets the Eye (2016)
4. Blue Charlie Foxtrot (2017)
5. Facing the Storm (2018)
6. The Oceanic Princess (2018)
7. Strike of the Stingray (2018)
8. The Yakuza Gambit (2019)
9. Siege at Tiamat Bluff (2019)
10. Crimson Storm (2023)

Historical Mysteries, Standalones, & Short Story Collections

Beyond his modern crime universes, DeLee has penned historical procedurals, vigilante thrillers, and award-winning short fiction.

19th Century Kilmurray Mysteries

Set in historical New York, this series follows detective work in the late 1800s:

• The Woman on Pier 29 (2016)
• A Murder on Pearl Street (2017)

Dawson Vigilante Series

• Whose Greater Good? (2012) – A standalone vigilante thriller exploring the limits of law and order.

Short Story Collections & Anthologies

DeLee's short stories have appeared in prestigious anthologies, including Nelson DeMille's The Rich and the Dead (featuring the story "Bling, Bling"), and multiple editions of the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds anthologies. For collected volumes, seek out:

• Tainted Badge (2013) – A collection of five early crime stories, including some of DeLee's darker, punchier standalone work.
• Mystery, Mayhem & Murder (2013) – Anthologized stories.
• Dark Roads and Dead Ends (2019) – A comprehensive collection bringing together various crime-fiction tales from DeLee's world.