Don Keith Books in Order

How to Read Don Keith's Books

With over 40 books spanning military action, sports drama, and historical biographies, Don Keith has carved out a unique space in American storytelling. If you are looking for military realism, high-octane racing, or moving stories of real-life heroism, here is exactly how to start and navigate his work.

The Best Starting Point: Hunter Killer or Firing Point?

For most readers, the best place to start is with Don Keith’s submarine thrillers, co-authored with former nuclear submarine commander George Wallace. However, there is a common point of confusion here that you should know before you begin:

• The Standalone Movie Tie-in: If you want to read the book that inspired the 2018 action movie Hunter Killer (starring Gerard Butler and Gary Oldman), you should pick up the standalone novel originally published as Firing Point (2011). It is often re-titled as Hunter Killer to match the film, but it is a self-contained story.
• The Main Series: If you want to dive into a multi-book submarine saga, start with Final Bearing (2003), which is the first book in the official Hunter Killer series. This series follows recurring characters, high-tech naval strategy, and geopolitical conflict across ten novels.

Hunter Killer Series Reading Order

Co-authored with George Wallace, this tactical military series is best read in publication order to track the development of the characters and the evolving technological landscape of modern undersea warfare:

1. Final Bearing (2003)
2. Dangerous Grounds (2019)
3. Cuban Deep (2019)
4. Fast Attack (2019)
5. Arabian Storm (2020)
6. Warshot (2021)
7. Silent Running (2022)
8. Snapshot (2023)
9. Southern Cross (2024)
10. The Gibraltar Affair (2025)

Tides of War Series Reading Order

Also co-authored with George Wallace, this series pivots to historical World War II submarine fiction. It follows four distinct submariners and should be read in chronological order:

1. Argentia Station
2. Darkest Before Dawn
3. A Code for Victory

Rolling Thunder Stock Car Racing Series

Co-authored with Kent Wright, this high-energy series captures the history, grit, and adrenaline of stock car racing through the eyes of racer Jodell Lee. It is best read in order:

1. White Lightning (1999)
2. Road to Daytona (1999)
3. Race to Glory (1999)
4. On to Talladega (2000)
5. Young Guns (2000)
6. First to the Flag (2000)
7. Inside Pass (2000)
8. On the Throttle (2001)

The Ride Series (Inspirational Fiction)

Co-authored with Edie Hand and originally written under the pseudonym Jeffery Addison, this series consists of inspirational novellas focusing on family, hope, and faith:

1. The Soldier's Ride (2009)
2. A Christmas Ride: Miracle of the Lights (2009)

American War Heroes & Non-Fiction

Don Keith is also highly regarded for his narrative non-fiction biographies and histories detailing the courage of American servicemen, especially during World War II. These are standalones and can be read in any order:

• Pacific Alamo (2003)
• Gallant Lady: A Biography of the USS Archerfish (2004)
• In the Course of Duty: The Heroic Mission of the USS Batfish (2005)
• Final Patrol: True Stories of World War II Submarines (2006)
• War Beneath the Waves: A True Story of Courage Aboard a WWII Submarine (2010)
• Undersea Warrior: The World War II Story of "Mush" Morton and the USS Wahoo (2011)
• The Ship That Wouldn't Die: The Saga of the USS Neosho (2015)
• As Good As Dead: The True WWII Story of Eleven American POWs Who Escaped (2016)
• The Indestructible Man: The True Story of Captain Dixie Kiefer (2017)
• Chesty Puller: A Marine Legend in World War II (2021)
• Rock Force (2021)
• Battle Stations (2021)
• Torpedo Run: Submarine Hero Eugene B. Fluckey (2022)
• Blood and Fury (2022)
• One Square Mile of Hell (2022)
• Chuck Yeager: World War II Fighter Pilot (2022)
• Above the Pacific: Three Medal of Honor Fighter Aces (2023)
• Len Lomell: D-Day Hero (2023)
• Richard Bong: America's #1 Ace Fighter Pilot (2023)
• Destroyer Captain: The Life of Ernest E. Evans (2024)
• Beyond the Call of Duty: The Life of Colonel Robert Howard (2024)

Standalone Novels

If you want a break from series, Don Keith's standalones range from Southern football drama to broadcasting mysteries:

• Forever Season (1995) — A poignant football novel that won the 1997 Alabama Library Association Fiction of the Year.
• Wizard of the Wind (1997) — A broadcast radio-themed novel reflecting Keith's own career in radio.
• Firing Point (2011) — The submarine thriller adapted into the movie Hunter Killer.
• The Spin (2012)
• On the Road to Kingdom Come (2012)