D.D. Black Books in Order

Where to Start Reading D.D. Black

If you are new to D.D. Black's gritty yet atmospheric thrillers, the best place to begin is at the very start of his flagship series. The Bones at Point No Point is the first book in the Thomas Austin Crime Thriller series. It introduces you to retired NYPD detective Thomas Austin, his quiet coastal cafe, and the misty, moody landscapes of the Pacific Northwest that define Black's writing. Starting here allows you to follow the slow-burn personal development of the characters and get a feel for the author's signature blend of chilling suspense and cozy local charm.

If you prefer high-stakes, fast-paced procedural investigations over local detective work, you can also start with The Fifth Victim, the opening novel of the FBI Task Force S.W.O.R.D. series. This series offers a slightly different, more action-heavy tone, leaning into multi-state federal hunts for ritualistic killers while maintaining the moody Northwest backdrop.

Thomas Austin Crime Thriller Series

The Thomas Austin series is D.D. Black's most popular collection. The story centers on Thomas Austin, a former NYPD homicide detective who moves to a sleepy beach town in the Pacific Northwest to retire and run a quiet coffee shop. However, local police soon drag him back into the field as a consultant when horrific serial killers and copycats begin striking the region. Austin is joined by Pearl, his loyal corgi sidekick, who is based on the author's real-life pet.

While each book features a self-contained mystery that wraps up by the final page, the characters' personal lives, grief, and local relationships develop continuously. Therefore, we highly recommend reading them in order of publication:

1. The Bones at Point No Point (2022)
2. The Shadows of Pike Place (2022)
3. The Fallen of Foulweather Bluff (2022)
4. The Horror at Murden Cove (2023)
5. The Terror in the Emerald City (2023)
6. The Drowning at Dyes Inlet (2023)
7. The Nightmare at Manhattan Beach (2023)
8. The Silence at Mystery Bay (2024)
9. The Darkness at Deception Pass (2024)
10. The Vanishing at Opal Creek (2024)
11. The Secrets of Second Beach (2025)
12. The Bodies on Horse Heaven Hill (2025)
13. An Ending on Elliott Bay (2026)
14. The Confession at Friday Harbor (Upcoming, 2026)

For fans who want to immerse themselves further in Thomas Austin's world, D.D. Black published a companion cookbook titled Pacific Northwest Plates: Recipes from the Thomas Austin Series (2023). It features recipes inspired by the dishes served at Austin's coastal cafe, making it a fun companion piece for dedicated readers.

FBI Task Force S.W.O.R.D. Series

Standing for the Special-Washington-Oregon-Regional-Detachment, the S.W.O.R.D. series focuses on an elite FBI task force tracking down complex serial killers and ritualistic murderers. The team handles high-profile crimes that cross state borders, offering readers a larger procedural scope than the Thomas Austin books. The recommended reading order for this series is:

1. The Fifth Victim (2024)
2. We Forget Nothing (2024)
3. Widows of Medina (2024)
4. Beneath Hemlock Skies (2025)
5. Whispers at Midnight (2025)
6. Shattered Hearts Club (Upcoming, 2026)

Silas West Psychological Mysteries

This series introduces Silas West, a former military psychologist who moves to Washington's Kitsap Peninsula to escape his past and write his memoir. Despite his efforts to live a quiet life, his unique understanding of the criminal mind makes him a valuable asset to local law enforcement, who repeatedly call on him to help solve cases involving deeply disturbed killers. You should read the Silas West books in order:

1. The Mind Breaker (2025)
2. The Sin Collector (2025)
3. The Chaos Merchant (2026)

Standalone Novels and Other Projects

Beyond his main procedural and thriller series, D.D. Black has written standalone thrillers and experimental structures:

• The Things She Stole (2022): This novel introduces Brandon Penny, a former criminal prodigy trying to make a clean break from his past. Although the author originally intended to write a series featuring Brandon Penny, the overwhelming success of the Thomas Austin series shifted his focus. As of now, this remains a standalone novel, and any potential sequels remain unconfirmed.
• The Crime Beat (2025): A unique thriller published as a complete omnibus. It features nine connected novellas tracking a suspended NYPD cop, Robert Warren, and a determined crime reporter, Jane Cole, as they chase a global conspiracy and solve nine murders across nine different international cities.

Practical Reader Advice and Continuity

A common question from new readers is whether you need to read D.D. Black's series in a strict order. The short answer is: you do not have to, but you probably should. Every novel in the Thomas Austin, Silas West, and FBI S.W.O.R.D. series is written with a self-contained plot, meaning the central crime is solved by the end of the book. You won't find yourself hanging on a cliffhanger regarding the main mystery.

However, the personal growth of the characters, their romantic interests, their family secrets, and their evolving status in their communities build directly from one book to the next. Reading the books out of order will spoil major developments in the characters' personal histories. For the best experience, stick to the publication order for each individual series. There is no official crossover between the series, so you can read them independently from one another.