Where to Start Reading Doc Macomber's Books
Doc Macomber’s crime fiction is divided into two distinct, highly authentic series: the military investigator series featuring Jack Vu and the Pacific Northwest river patrol series featuring Deputy Jason Colefield. Readers can start with either series depending on their preferred flavor of mystery.
For fans of military thrillers and international intrigue, The Killer Coin is the best starting point. If you prefer localized, atmospheric riverfront investigations with survivalist elements, you should begin with the award-winning River City.
The Jack Vu Mystery Series in Order
The Jack Vu series centers on a Vietnamese-American investigator working for the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI). The books are best read in order of their publication, which also tracks the chronological development of Jack's career and personal life:
- The Killer Coin (2003) – Jack Vu investigates a high-stakes mystery involving a deadly historical artifact.
- Wolf's Remedy (2007) – In this installment, Jack Vu dives into a case involving the assassination of a young man, uncovering a group of military veterans seeking redemption by retrieving assets originally meant for Holocaust survivors.
- Snip (2008) – A fast-paced, high-pressure thriller that test Vu's investigative skills.
- Riff Raff (2011) – Set partly in the Costa Rican rainforest, this novel starts with the discovery of a capuchin monkey carrying a dark secret, spiraling into a deadly conspiracy. This book was recognized as a Top Ten Finalist for the Killer Nashville Claymore Award.
The Jason Colefield Mystery Series in Order
The Jason Colefield series (often referred to as the River City or River series) shifts the action to the Columbia River and the waterways of the Pacific Northwest. It features river patrol deputy Jason Colefield as he deals with regional crimes, survivalists, and local miscreants. This series should be read in publication order:
- River City (2014) – The series debut introduces Colefield as he hunts a serial killer. The novel won a Silver Medal in the 27th Annual IBPA Benjamin Franklin Book Awards for Mystery and Suspense.
- River Rat (2018) – This sequel continues Colefield's maritime investigations, diving deeper into the unique culture and dangers of the riverbank communities.
- River Blues (2020) – The third installment wraps the reader in the atmospheric tension and local politics of the Pacific Northwest waterways.
What to Know Before You Start
Doc Macomber's thrillers stand out for their exceptional realism and grit, directly drawn from his own life. Macomber is a retired U.S. Air Force veteran who served in the Air National Guard and spent five years in a Special Forces unit. After his military career, he worked as a private investigator and hazardous materials specialist. To top it off, he lived aboard a 42-foot trawler on the Columbia River, which serves as the direct inspiration for the setting, tone, and maritime details of the Jason Colefield novels.
In addition to writing fiction, Macomber has long studied and written about the history of ethnic detectives in crime fiction, contributing articles to publications like the Mystery Readers Journal and writing a chapter on character development for the reference book Now Write! Mysteries. This expertise is clearly reflected in the nuanced, stereotype-breaking characterization of Jack Vu.